Turn in your man card

happydave

Hey you have to move your truck! Why? I have to get my car out and down the driveway! I just smiled and walked back inside.... his garage is the far left.....

the_donut

So hard to park in garage...now I have to what...wah! I had one with twice that space. Didn't even acknowledge. Just kept carrying my water heater.

EBEBRATT-Ed

Those of us that drive vans and can't use a rearview mirror (because of blockage) always rely on side mirrors with out any problems. We can back it up anywhere.

Most that drive cars can't back up just using side mirrors or are just back up challenged using any method.

A relative of mine just bought a full size pick up. Hates to drive it , can't back it up

delta T

My wife thinks I'm crazy for always backing my truck into parking spaces, I think its way easier than pulling in straight.

Gordy

I always get the wife going when I back into tight places never once turning my head to look behind me she asks how in the hell do you know where you are going? See those mirrors on the door both sides........

Steamhead

A long time ago, when we'd first started our company, I went to look at a job on a residential street for another contractor. There were vehicles already in the driveway and in front of the house, so I parked on the street in front of a neighbor's house.

Well, this neighbor obviously had some mental issues, because he came out and started yelling at me because I had parked in front of his house. Mind you, it was not a "no parking" zone.

I told the guy who had called me that I was ready to call the police. But he said "no, you have to move your truck".

I moved the truck all right- away from the jobsite, leaving him without the heating guy he had wanted. What was that old song- "Take This Job and Shove it"? I don't work for such people.

Jamie Hall

delta T said:

My wife thinks I'm crazy for always backing my truck into parking spaces, I think its way easier than pulling in straight.

Not only is it easier, it gives you a fighting chance to get back out again.

I learned to use the side mirrors a long time ago when I was driving semis one summer. Nothing to it, once you get the hang of it.

unclejohn

Always safer to back in and pull out. I'm talking parking.

Fred

unclejohn said:

Always safer to back in and pull out. I'm talking parking.

Always safer to pull out, no matter how you got in!

kcopp

I will say the cameras in the trucks now do make things safer. Especially if you HAVE to back out on to a busy street. The camera gives you a fisheye view.

JUGHNE

IIWM with happydave's situation I would have directed him as he backed out.
Considering the PIA and grief that could occur if he sideswiped your van it would have been worth my 4 minutes of time.

Some insurance companies have clauses concerning accidents that occur on private property....even though he would have to went over to the neighbors property to hit you.

It seems insurance companies have many ways to get out of paying anyone anything.

NE has the "No fault racket" set up to where they simply say most incidents were a mutual failure on both parties that caused the accident, no one was liable. So neither company has to pay out.
Unless you have been paying for collision coverage (with maybe 500 deductible BTW), you have to fix your own vehicle at your own expense.

I have had 2 vehicles T-boned at intersections; the car was hit in the right back door and on the other the pick-up was hit on the left front fender and it had the "right of way" so to speak; in the intersection and on the right hand side of the situation.
By promoting "No fault" situations they seldom have to pay out on the liability portion of the policy (that would be full payment..no deductible) .....they pay only if you have been paying the extra charge of collision and get out of the deductible portion, be it 500 or so. And they are quick to call your vehicle totaled out and pay you a fraction of what it is really worth to you.

Nebraska touts the fact that we have the only supposedly non-partisan Unicameral state legislature in the country. Things pass simply without all that extra bickering and discussion from 2 parties.

However lobbyists have touted that it is convenient that you have to only entertain one house to promote your cause.

End of rant.

Mad Dog_2

Great stories. I love that one Frank! Ha ha. "HEY....YOU'RE NOT ANGRY ARE YOU????"
Nope. GOODBYE!!!! Mad Dog

KC_Jones

> @delta T said:
> My wife thinks I'm crazy for always backing my truck into parking spaces, I think its way easier than pulling in straight.

When I worked for the power company backing in we company policy with company vehicles. It was also policy with personal vehicles on company property. You could be disciplined if you didn't. It was all about safety.

nicholas bonham-carter

Many city parking spaces have become the “back in” variety, which I think is more dangerous for the average, (inattentive) driver.
If you are going to be hit while moving out from a space, do you want the hit to be in the back of your car, or up front where you sit?
When I am expecting a tradesman to arrive, I always make sure that close parking is available, to make the visit as short as possible for the sake of cost.—NBC

Jamie Hall

You may be right, @nicholas bonham-carter , about the average more or less inattentive driver -- which is one reason why I drive at a walking pace in a shopping mall parking lot. People back out of their slots all the time without looking, which makes things rather sporty.

One would think with the nifty new backup cameras which show a grid where the car is going to go that backing into a spot would be simple. Not so much... a member of my family managed to back her car into the garage door post at speed, using one.

The other factor on backing into a slot: in anything of any size, one can get into (and out of) a much narrower slot if you back in rather than nose in. Not so obvious for a small car -- but consider a semi. I can back one into a slot it's own length and 10 feet wide, but if I were to try to nose into the same slot it would have to be about 40 feet wide! And even then I wouldn't wind up straight...

Solid_Fuel_Man

I'm with you all, it's a man's duty to be able to get any vehicle (including a trailer) into and out-of all situations. If you drive it, you should be able to actually drive it!

Nothing says it's just a man's job either, just that is where the pride seems to be about driving.

Gordy

KC_Jones said:

> @delta T said:

> My wife thinks I'm crazy for always backing my truck into parking spaces, I think its way easier than pulling in straight.



When I worked for the power company backing in we company policy with company vehicles. It was also policy with personal vehicles on company property. You could be disciplined if you didn't. It was all about safety.

That's becoming the norm on many construction sites, and factory parking lots KC. All It took was someone who couldn't back up. Someone (insurance institute) determined the odds were greater of an incident backing out after work verses backing in before work........

GroundUp

I can see it both ways kinda... Some people only drive in a year what I do in a day, so experience is pretty limited. I agree that nobody should be on the road if they can't drive what they drive, but that'll never happen lol. I've had roommates for 11 years now, a total of 7. My driveway is about 150 feet long and the house is about 40 from the road, but zero of those roommates have been able to back out the driveway. Every one drives to the bottom and makes a 5 point turn by the garage, then drives out. The current one brought home a 5x8 trailer last week with his ATV on, and I bet it took 10 minutes to get in the driveway. Mind you this is a farm kid who's been in a truck for 20 years.

Ever watch someone parallel park? There isn't a stoplight for 30 miles in any direction from my house so I don't see a lot of street parking locally but I work near the capitol a lot and it seems every person I see trying to parallel park hits at least one other vehicle in the process haha

Jamie Hall

Don't be too hard on the farm kid -- those teeny weeny utility trailers are a pain to back. Can't see them in the mirrors, and they jackknife at the drop of a hat. I'd much rather back a 53 footer...

Solid_Fuel_Man

I have a small 5x8 as well. Worst thing ever, I haul it behind my tractor most of the time which is better cause I can see it!

Zman

Worst think I have ever backed up is a mini wood chipper. The only part you could see in any mirror was the chute and is was not perpendicular to anything.

Shalom

Jamie Hall said:

consider a semi. I can back one into a slot it's own length and 10 feet wide, but if I were to try to nose into the same slot it would have to be about 40 feet wide! And even then I wouldn't wind up straight...

Why on earth would you nose in a semi anyway? How would you unload it if the nose is at the dock and the hind end is out in the parking lot?

FinishGuy

Long ago I visited San Francisco with the first wife who got us a car to borrow. First time I went to park it was parallel parking, open spot on the left side of a down hill one way street (so opposite the practiced way), backing uphill with a beat clutch.

I remember that one clearly. Thank Heaven my dad had taught me how to use the parking brake to assist.