Reversing Society

Question Number 2 for the week:

Why do people insist on backing into parking spaces?

This morning (like so many others), I had to wait in the parking lot while someone backed their pickup truck in a space between two other cars. Mind you, the people who insist on doing this are never good enough drivers to accomplish it in one try. They weave back and forth and generally hold up the rest of the world from our deadlines and other important matters - in my case getting to coffee and my wip.

So why back into the space? I've heard all the arguments and quite frankly, they're silly. The first is "It's easier to pull out forward when you're leaving." Okay, so let's assess this for a moment. You can take twenty times to back into a space, wedging your SUV in between two other parked cars, OR at the end of the day, you can back into a wide/long exit lane ONCE and drive away. Not buying it, folks.

Then some make the argument that they can leave faster if they're pulling out forward. Okay, while I'll agree that it is certainly faster if you rip forward out of a space rather than backing up then leaving, what exactly do you need that extra three seconds for?????

Now if you're robbing a bank, I totally understand. But the rest of us, you're just going to save that 3 seconds of backup time only to get to the line for the security card exit a little sooner.

If you insist on backing in your car, I guess I'll have to get over it. But let's stop with the stupid reasons already and call it what it is - an OCD.