Why Do They Back Into Parking Spaces Here?

[junglechef]

With all the recent traffic and driving related posts recently I thought I put this one up for discussion too. As a traveler I enjoy people watching and observing in what manner they perform life's daily activities. I have learnt much from seeing how the "locals" do things in over 50 countries that I've visited. Some apply only to their circumstances and others are lessons I've found useful anywhere. I also enjoy the process of trying to understand the way different people think and approach things, which I have found to be especially challenging here in Thailand. I've gleaned some very interesting cultural differences and been enlightened on some very important life lessons as well as been humored by some not so important ones. But there is one that just baffles me. I can't find any rational for the familiar practice here of reversing into a parking space. This is not something I have seen as the most often used method of pulling into a parking space else where in the world. I don't think the drivers have premeditated a quick get away, I doubt this word even translates into Thai, unless they're expecting a friend to call with an invite to lunch or lead on a new fishing spot. Perhaps for a better view when coming out, maybe this is with safety in mind, but I never found that to be a main concern behind the wheel here. And often I observe a need for a helping hand from a family member, or two, to navigate backing into the space, unless of course there's a professional parking attendant to assist by blowing into his whistle. One long tweet means go or is it two short tweet means … anyways I'm sure you understand what they're trying to tell you.  Also I don't often see the use of the correct procedure of using a ninety degree turn for this tactical manoeuvre (yes this is a correct definition which I find particularly appropriate here), this just must get overlooked in the driving schools here. And a quick poke of the driver's head of their air-conditioned cocoons to take a look might also prove useful. On the other hand it's seems much easier and quicker to drive forward into a parking space and reverse out at the same angle in most circumstances. But only when this is not possible I can see backing up into a space as a back-up plan. I've bent over backwards to figure this out but am at a standstill, parked on the matter if you will. I would appreciate if somebody could help change my direction of thinking and reverse my opinion so I can move forward before this drives me crazy!<br><br>

Edited November 26, 2011 by junglechef

[CPT]

Because drivers here don't seem to slow down for those leaving parking spaces (or anything else) and it offers much better visibility? I backed in to parking spots in the US when lots were busy so I could see better when pulling out (limited visibility when backing is less of a problem since the cars I'm moving toward are stationary while pulling out one has to contend with moving vehicles) but I can actually drive and don't require somebody with a glow wand and whistle to direct me when backing for simply parking.

Why are folks willing to leave their cars in neutral in public parking lots here?

[hedonist44]

Some will say it's safer to back in because people behind you will see you stop with your blinker on and then let you back into your space. Upon exiting your space, it's obviously safer to pull out and seeing what is coming at you then it would be to back out of your space blind to traffic coming down the isle.

Personally, I access the situation each time I am looking for a parking spot and will either back in or pull in depending on what I believe to be the easiest way to do so.

But this takes being able to make a snap decision and following though. I'm not pointing any fingers, but some drivers out there have a hard enough time making up their minds when coming to a Y in the road.

[LarryBird]

I've wondered the same thing, JungleChef, and I think CPT answered it!! nice post CPT.

They leave it in neutral so the car can be moved if need be.

[DavidOxon]

It's the only way to get into a narrow gap! Parallel parking is part of the driving test here too...and a common reason for failure in the UK too!

David

[Thailand]

Personally I nearly always back in to a parking space.Plenty of vision going in and even better on exiting.

That said, I rarely see a Thai manage to back in to a parking space in one go more like 3 or 4 in's and outs,one of the main causes of back ups in the likes of Airport Plaza.

[junglechef]

Thanks guys, it does make sense, even if it is more difficult, since ppl. will keep driving around and pass a car pulling out of a space. I guess it wasn't brain surgery but I had fun writing the post. The leaving a car in neutral is another another thing that I had to get use to. I prefer not to do this, as I don't want my car pushed possibly into something etc., but I can see the necessity when the lot is full but places like Central Airport Plaza, where there are plenty of spaces, but one has to walk a bit if a close one is not available (which has covered walkways), but it seems people are just lazy and park close across a few full spaces. I wonder what happens when a weaker person (older, infirmed etc. or just an average middle aged woman if it"s a truck) who cannot push a heavy car blocking them out of the way when there is not a parking attendant to help there, like in the back lot of Central Airport Plaza. I don't enjoy pushing another car out of my way in the heat of the day when I can see there is many other parking spaces they could use just a few rows down. Oh well since these are my big problems in the wonderful life I have here I must admit life is pretty good! And I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.

[iainiain101]

In most cases its just forward planning. They find it esaier to drive out forward when drunk.

[hellodolly]

The city I was living in in Canada did a revitalization on a popular section of town.

They painted the parking lines on the angle parking so you had to back in.

As has been stated here it is much safer for going in and exiting.

They had to change it back because people complained so much about it.

Moral of the story is people are not always willing to change for safety sake.

It is a aging population and change is hard on some of the older people.

Here in Thailand I do not drive and for the most part where I live people do not back in.

Parallel parking should always be done by backing in. Most Thais do not and generally if they can get within 4 feet of the curb consider it a good job.

[sfokevin]

I agree with all the posts but at Bic C/Lotus I think it's wrong... As you can't get to the trunk to load up your groceries!

Also I love all those parking lots attendants with their whistles & flashlights... But then I realized they have most likely never parked a car themselves

[ignis]

The most odd thing here is reversing into a road... Thais will take time to reverse into a parking bay in a car park, but think nothing of driving into a road. driveway. 7/11 etc then trying to reverse out into the busy traffic..

Likewise in a non busy area they are coming out of a junction, house, project and try to cross the traffic, said traffic traveling at 60kh + .. totally mad.. much easier to filter in and then turn right to go the other way, many places the entrances are wide and you can do a U turn anyway = safer, and mostly far quicker..... Then all the drivers that come up to a junction and sit there, when you are almost on them they pull out.

You get used to it, but 8+ years on still makes me shake my head, do find now being over 60, only drive in the dark if I must.

[Thailand]

The most odd thing here is reversing into a road... Thais will take time to reverse into a parking bay in a car park, but think nothing of driving into a road. driveway. 7/11 etc then trying to reverse out into the busy traffic..

Likewise in a non busy area they are coming out of a junction, house, project and try to cross the traffic, said traffic traveling at 60kh + .. totally mad.. much easier to filter in and then turn right to go the other way, many places the entrances are wide and you can do a U turn anyway = safer, and mostly far quicker..... Then all the drivers that come up to a junction and sit there, when you are almost on them they pull out.

You get used to it, but 8+ years on still makes me shake my head, do find now being over 60, only drive in the dark if I must.

+1

[jonwilly]

Must admit I had never notice the local habit of backing in to a car park space.

Certainly at Meechok Plaza by where Kellys is located, folk drive in and back out, it's the way the spaces are arraigned.

Soldiers where in my day told to back in so they could drive out quickly.

In my Condo some go in front some back, personal preference.

john

[MrBrad]

To tag onto this subject if I may, why is it that whenever I park my motorcycle, no matter where I park it, when I come out of the shop or post office inevitably there will be another cycle parked right up next to mine, so close that I cannot move mine without hitting theirs? There must be some magnetism there somewhere. It never fails.

[Semper]

In most cases its just forward planning. They find it esaier to drive out forward when drunk.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

I always reverse in; it's just easier. Perhaps the only place in the world where I wouldn't reverse in is those strip malls you have all over the USA, with acres of space and super wide lanes between the parking spaces. There you could almost get it in sideways.

But in Thailand, or most places in Europe for that matter, you can maneuver better when the wheels that steer are last to go in. (i.e. reversing). That's also the way forklifts work, with steering rear wheels; it's just better for that kind of movement.

Getting out easily again is a bonus.

[Firelily]

Baffled, I was always taught in driving school to reverse into parking slots.

[annabel]

IF>>>> it is easier and more convenient to back up into a parking spot and one CAN do it without creating a long queue of people waiting behind as happens in most cases ,, then yea sure! go for it ... but it i's soooo annoying to be behind someone who thinks they can do it and then keep TRYING desperately over and over again to back into that parking space... To me there is no logic in this at all ..... I find it much easier to back OUT of a parking space than to back into it ++++ Also when you bring your trolley to the car, if you backed in , quite often it is impossible or rather difficult to get it through to unload your purchases if you want to put those purchases in the back seat or in the boot ( trunk for others than Brits ) ... so what's the point ... ???

Some will say it's safer to back in because people behind you will see you stop with your blinker on and then let you back into your space. Upon exiting your space, it's obviously safer to pull out and seeing what is coming at you then it would be to back out of your space blind to traffic coming down the isle.

Personally, I access the situation each time I am looking for a parking spot and will either back in or pull in depending on what I believe to be the easiest way to do so.

But this takes being able to make a snap decision and following though. I'm not pointing any fingers, but some drivers out there have a hard enough time making up their minds when coming to a Y in the road.

[annabel]

We are not talking about parallel parking here which is totally different and yes, the best to do that is reverse into the parking space ,,, we are talking about parking in parking lots such as the ones in Big "C", Makro etc.........

Baffled, I was always taught in driving school to reverse into parking slots.

[xen]

It is also easier to back in if you use your side mirrors instead of the internal rear view but that takes a bit of getting use to but anybody who has driven trucks knows how to do it. What does make it difficult is when you are reversing in and you have it all under control and there is some parking attendent somewhere to the rear of your vehicle going berserk with his whistle because you are ignoring him and reversing in without the benifit of his wisdom.

[ha55ha]

I was taught to drive over here by my girlfriend and always reverse into parking spaces, you're telling me it's not common practice for the rest of the world? I'll try parking forward next time and see what her reaction is!

[arunsakda]

"IF>>>> it is easier and more convenient to back up into a parking spot and one CAN do it without creating a long queue of people waiting behind as happens in most cases ,, then yea sure! go for it ... but it i's soooo annoying to be behind someone who thinks they can do it and then keep TRYING desperately over and over again to back into that parking space... To me there is no logic in this at all ..... I find it much easier to back OUT of a parking space than to back into it ++++ Also when you bring your trolley to the car, if you backed in , quite often it is impossible or rather difficult to get it through to unload your purchases if you want to put those purchases in the back seat or in the boot ( trunk for others than Brits ) ... so what's the point ... ??? "

You hit all the points I would make. I was not used to it at first and once a dude actually got upset with when I was following them, he passed the spot he wanted to back into (without signaling), then I pulled straight into the spot without noticing his intent. From my observation backing in causes more traffic disruption, especially when the driver is waiting for that close in spot to open up and following traffic is stopped all the way out on the freaking road because the lazy can't be bothered to park another 10 metres away.

Other than quick getaways the only other good justification I heard is that it is easier to get a jump start if you ever need it.

Edited November 27, 2011 by arunsakda

[udonguy]

Baffled, I was always taught in driving school to reverse into parking slots.

me too - it's obviously more safer than reversing OUT - can't see the point - my next door neighbour goes forward IN to her parking spot which I think is stupid when you see her reversing OUT and nearly hitting people every day

[changraider]

If OP has visited 50 countries and never seen reverse parking before, then maybe he never got out of the airport lounge, or maybe he just flew over those countries. Either way I'm delighted to see that his invitation to a Thai-bashing party has been treated with so much restraint.

[Fookhaht]

Must be a regional trait. Here in Isaan, 1 in 100 drivers back in to parking spaces. The other 99, when retrieving their car, throw it in reverse and step on the gas to get out, never looking, of course. Anyone behind them, be damned.

[bino]

Considering the life of the average Thai automobile battery, it makes jump-starting much easier!

[junglechef]

As the OP I'd like to bring up another point. Tonight, which was not the first time, I parked parallel to the curb on a side street and some lady comes and tells me I can't park in front of her house. I was not in front of her driveway, shop, door or motorcy ramp, just where there was a curb and then a dirt sidewalk and finally her property which had another meter before her house which was about 30 meters long. Do they own the street too? Discuss.

[x5david]

They back in because they are sober when they arrive, and usually too drunk to back out when they leave....

[x5david]

<br />As the OP I'd like to bring up another point. Tonight, which was not the first time, I parked parallel to the curb on a side street and some lady comes and tells me I can't park in front of her house. I was not in front of her driveway, shop, door or motorcy ramp, just where there was a curb and then a dirt sidewalk and finally her property which had another meter before her house which was about 30 meters long. Do they own the street too? Discuss.<br />

<br /><br /><br />

I'm sure if you had been Thai she would have never mentioned it...they just like to give farang a hard time. But yes they do think they own the street out front. The same principle applies to the sidewalks in front of shops which rent out stalls in front using up every bit of available walking space...

[funcat]

Backing in is easier if you drive a truck and probably half of the cars here are trucks...the parking spaces are considerably smaller,so truck will have a hard time to turn in,definitely not in one shot...so now you see it,the necessity for truck owners and the rest in compact cars are just followers ... :lol:....