What did you do Today 2018

[Sam Longley 1Participant @samlongley1]

Posted by Bazyle on 13/03/2018 22:56:10:

People reversing in just slow the process down for everyone trying to sensibly just drive in to the hole and stop without pratting about.

 

Slow you down a darned sight longer reversing out !!!

Edited By Sam Longley 1 on 14/03/2018 09:14:57

[MuzzerParticipant @muzzer]

Modern autos seem to have a gradient sensor, so change down when descending a hill etc. And you couldn't shift up or down anything like as quickly if you were driving a manual, particularly in sport mode.

If you look ahead and anticipate the road conditions, you find you can significantly reduce the amount of braking you need to do, even in an auto. Safer, better fuel economy and less wear and tear. Lower insurance costs too….

I like the notion that you can make a fast getaway in an emergency if you are facing out. Presumably if you are doing a runner from a restaurant or encountering a mistress's angry partner. Not something I generally consider when parking – it's about as likely as brake failure.

Murray

[Gordon TarlingParticipant @gordontarling37126]

In some places in the USA, it's illegal to reverse into a parking space. The reasoning being that many cars there don't have front number plates, so law enforcement patrols need to be able to see the rear number plate. Personally, I prefer to reverse in to a space where I can, which is why I once received a telling off whilst on holiday in the US!

[Gordon WParticipant @gordonw]

I've had a couple of automatics, old borg warner things and a belt vari', didn't like either. The modern ones work well until something goes wrong, what's wrong ? Can be a very expensive experience and finding just a dud sensor.

Parking, always back in when possible, it's just daft to reverse into traffic if you don't have to.

[Cornish JackParticipant @cornishjack]

Reverse in or reverse out?? – depends on circumstances. Given the general incompetence of Brit drivers and the stupidly narrow spaces allocated to the relatively healthy and non-reproductive car users, I park, ideally nearside-to-nearside, as close as sensible to make opening my (driver's) door less restrictive. Often defeated, of course, by the clown who replaces my neighbour and takes over the extra space! Parking, like the use of indicators, is obviously far too complex a science for Brit driving 'intelligence'!

rgds

Bill

[Martin KyteParticipant @martinkyte99762]

An old mate of mine used to have a mini moke (remeber them? If he parked in Hemel Hempstead multi story he just used to get out and push it under the stairs. With the top down it was only about three feet high, sort of like a rather large roller skate.

[Martin KyteParticipant @martinkyte99762]

Oh and as for what am I doing today, working my last full time week. My pension cuts in on the weekend so I have to reduce my hours to 3 days a week. Quite looking forward to it but it does feel a little strange.

regards Martin

[colin branniganParticipant @colinbrannigan54160]

Martin, I have been on 21 hours a week now for 3 years since turning 65, I have a couple of days left to work this month and then I will fully retired from toolmaking after 52 years.

I have done enough.

Colin

[MikeParticipant @mike89748]

I don't care whether people go into parking slots backwards or forwards, but I wish someone would explain to me why, whenever people in a supermarket car park see a car's reversing lights come on, they go into automatic suicide mode and stand either directly behind it or, worse, in the blind spot all modern cars seem to have.

[David Standing 1Participant @davidstanding1]

Posted by Mike on 14/03/2018 13:11:31:

I don't care whether people go into parking slots backwards or forwards, but I wish someone would explain to me why, whenever people in a supermarket car park see a car's reversing lights come on, they go into automatic suicide mode and stand either directly behind it or, worse, in the blind spot all modern cars seem to have.

'It won't happen to me' syndrome.

It won't, if you don't allow it to in the first place.

[mechman48Participant @mechman48]

Todays parking spaces are old hat, designed for the smaller car that hit the masses… Austin sevens, A30/40's moggi minor, minis, not todays SUV's. If car park designers took a leaf out of the US highways parking system & mark out the spaces at 45* not the silly small spaces that we have now, that would only necessitate a two point reverse out, not the requisite 3 – 4 – 5 point manoeuvres that some drivers have to do nowadays.

​George.

[Rik ShawParticipant @rikshaw]

"I have done enough.

Colin"

Me to Colin – enjoy your retirement.

Rik

[Mike PooleParticipant @mikepoole82104]

44 years was enough for me.

Mike

[henrybParticipant @henryb]

Posted by jann west on 13/03/2018 21:52:07:

I'll grant automatic gearboxes are miles better than they were … perhaps more efficient than a manual … but automatic gearboxes can't engine brake … seems like a compelling safetynet argument for slowing the car down if there is a brake failure … perhaps going down a steep hill.

At the end of where i live is a little steep bit and after it snows i have to put the car neutral or the automatic box pushes you down,it just slides.

[David ColwillParticipant @davidcolwill19261]

Posted by mechman48 on 14/03/2018 23:18:01:

Todays parking spaces are old hat, designed for the smaller car that hit the masses… Austin sevens, A30/40's moggi minor, minis, not todays SUV's. If car park designers took a leaf out of the US highways parking system & mark out the spaces at 45* not the silly small spaces that we have now, that would only necessitate a two point reverse out, not the requisite 3 – 4 – 5 point manoeuvres that some drivers have to do nowadays.

​George.

I'm sure there was a news article where someone got a ticket for parking across 2 bays. It turned out that the council / owner had made the bays too small and had to repaint them.,

regards.

David

[MeunierParticipant @meunier]

Caught this on BBC news today and wondered if Neil might be interested in 3D printing a replacement for his metal garden shed ?
**LINK**
DaveD

[MuzzerParticipant @muzzer]

Posted by Gordon W on 14/03/2018 11:17:55:

Parking, always back in when possible, it's just daft to reverse into traffic if you don't have to.

You'll have to explain how you reverse into said space without "reversing into traffic". You lost me at that point….

Murray

[FMESParticipant @fmes]

Always gives me some entertainment watching someone trying to unload a trolley full of shopping into the boot of their car when they have reversed into a double lined bay, and someone has parked an SUV etc directly behind them.

I probably gave some of the same entertainment to others when having parked the 'Disco' nose in at ASDAs, two cars parked so close to me I couldn't open the doors, had to clamber in via the rear door – couldn't have done that if I'd gone in stern first.

I wouldn't have minded but I parked in the most remote part of the car park with no other cars anywhere near me at the time.

Goes to prove that if you park in the middle of a deserted carpark, someone will always come and park next to you.

Regards

Lofty

[Gordon WParticipant @gordonw]

Muzzer- I'm lost also. Reverse into the parking space, pull-out forwards into traffic, what's the problem ? If someone parks behind me and a trolley has to be unloaded I just move forwards a couple of feet, or in dire need pull out and repark. Only had to do that once. PS I don't have a 3 ton truck, just a little motor so can usually just lean on it to move.

[SillyOldDufferModerator @sillyoldduffer]

Reversing or not into a parking space isn't as serious as the toilet seat question. On that one daring to debate the issue is liable to end in divorce. Should you leave it up or down? And why? No wonder modern life is so stressful…

[Mike PooleParticipant @mikepoole82104]

I spotted this brilliant bit of parking at Tesco

[Sam Longley 1Participant @samlongley1]

Talking about supermarkets (which we weren't). My wife is really careful to try and avoid getting her car marked by stupid hit & run drivers who cannot park properly. So she always tries to find an area of car park where there are lots of free spaces even though it might involve a longer walk to the entrance & she parks in the middle. She always comments how weird it is that when she returns there will nearly always be someone who has decided to park right along side her, as if trying to start another row. Even though there are loads of empty spaces

[modeng2000Participant @modeng2000]

She is not alone, this often happens to me.

[martin perman 1Participant @martinperman1]

I used to own a 1969 Bedford CA Dormobile Camper, I took my wife to Tesco's in it and reversed into a space, my wife went off to shop and I sat waiting, after a few minutes a volvo estate backed into the space behind me and a lady go out and went shopping and after half an hour she came back with a trolley and started crashing it into mine screaming why did I have to park my heap so close to her car as she couldn't get her rear door open, I politely told her I was there before her and got back in my Bedford whilst she cursed and moved hers

[JimmieSParticipant @jimmies]

Forget about car park problems, After 35 years of neighbourhood bliss a selfish ba****d moved in 8 months ago, who insists on leaving his car directly opposite our driveway despite being asked politely to park slightly up or down from his usual position which he could do without any problem. Every house has a driveway and he is the only one not using it. With it being a cul-de-sac, the road is quite narrow, which means that I often have to drive past, do a 3-point turn, drive back past his vehicle before reversing in.

I thought he only picked on us but recently, when his wife was on the footpath using her mobile, he came out and tried to snatch it. I must admit I was waiting to dial 999 should he lay a hand on her if only for the joy of seeing him being ‘scooped’.

Jim

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