Zero sum game. You’ll pick up just as many spots (because others have to turn around) as you’ll lose by having to turn around yourself. Parking facing the wrong way does not create extra spaces.
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Zero sum game. You’ll pick up just as many spots (because others have to turn around) as you’ll lose by having to turn around yourself. Parking facing the wrong way does not create extra spaces.
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Exactly. Pulling on to the wrong side of the road and reversing in only blocks one lane temporarily. 3-point turn blocks both directions simultaneously. Not done, sir. Bad form.
(But I will happily do a 3 point turn out of a space on the wrong side, if the traffic is light. If not, drive in direction faced and find a place to turn.)[quote=“winkybber, post:41, topic:102491”]
Parking facing the wrong way does not create extra spaces.
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You don’t say?
You seem not to grasp that in many built-up high streets in UK where the only parking is on-street, the spaces are sparse and if a space on the opposite side comes free as you approach it, if you can pull on to the opposite side and reverse in, you do. Or cruise up and down the entire high street again, and again. I prefer to do the former not the latter. And I am afraid I cannot fathom your point about others having to turn around so I’ll pick up as many spots. I suspect (but happy to be shown I’m wrong) that you have limited driving and parking experience in built-up and variably congested areas in UK. Try my local high street on a Saturday lunchtime and you’d soon appreciate the convenience of not being banned from parking in one of the directions available to you.
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Let me guess, you live in north america? I don’t think you quite understand how small and densely populated the uk is and that there are large areas with only terraced housing. What you’re proposing is only allowing wealthier people access to cars who can afford detached housing with fancy driveways.
I’d quite like to know where you’d put a driveway here…
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I completely understand. I lived in Bristol for a few years. I lived in a converted Victorian townhouse on Caledonian Place. Only street parking. I simply didn’t have a car. It wasn’t that hard. I was always wondering why so many people simply double parked. I realised that they didn’t actually choose to, but that was simply where they had run out of petrol while cruising, looking in vain for spot. Why the fuck anyone would own a car in the south of England completely escapes me.
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The simple logic is that you’ll be more likely to find a spot on your side because vehicles travelling in the opposite direction didn’t nab it. As I said, it’s a zero-sum game. Everybody plays by the same rules and your chances of finding a spot will be identical.
Sadly, I have plenty of experience in trying to find parking. I choose now to drive as little as is humanly possible.
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If you’re living in an urban area, sure. The further into the sticks you go the shittier the public transport, believe me. I could do without the expense and hassle of owning a car but getting rid of it would be limiting.
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For some reason my mother can not drive backwards out of her driveway. I tell her that keeping the steering straight got the car to where it is so steer straight going the other direction, and she still turns the wheel and steers into something.
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That was intensely frustrating to watch. I kept wondering what sort of medical condition must account for it.
Unicorn chaser?
… and…
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Not everybody ever plays by the same rules. As the lady in the video demonstrated. Some won’t ever try to parallel park. Some will only try it on their side of the road. Some will try it where they ought not. Some will try it without the faintest clue. Some only if the space is generous. Some will opportunistically, swiftly and effectively put their car into any space a mere foot or three longer than the vehicle, on any side of the road.
Anything that helps spots get filled quickly (and in most cases emptied more quickly given the task requiring parking is going to take as long as it is going to take once parked), with less cruising and fuel consumption, helps improves road use and parking space usage efficiency. And in many high streets there is more parking space on one side than the other, and/or at different points in the road. I’ve never been tooted (honked?) with impatience by any other road user when parking on one or other side of the road or exiting from same. We all get it and are happy with our practice. YMMV in other cultures or road/traffic layouts.
Because public transport is non-existent, takes three times as long and costs as much as a car or simply does not go where you need to be and/or you need to carry passengers/equipment? Etc?
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A surprisingly large number of people never learn the ability to translate between forward and backward movement. I have offered my seat to people on the tram and had it refused because it was facing backwards.
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I solved that by choosing to live near the places I wanted to be. I combined this by giving up on going many places that weren’t nearby. Walking, cycling and some public transport took care of the rest.
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Ah okay but it doesn’t really address the issue. Does it “completely escape you” that some people want to go to places where they can’t cycle, walk or take public transport? I ride a bike to work but I own a commercial van for going bush.
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I had to double check that it wasn’t my husband. He can’t park to save his life (and I won’t drive mountains and we live in Switzerland). I lived in Jersey Cit for five years doing alternate side street parking in a Volvo 240. I can park on a dime.
Once he was parking so badly, I told him to just get out of the car and let me do it. I couldn’t take it any more.
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Only once? I’m a lot more impatient than I thought!
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Obviously, I’m using hyperbole here. Exaggerating for effect, if you must. My point is that car use is a choice. The choices may not seem obvious. For me the choices began when I paid attention at high school, so I could get into a good course and get a good job. Many years later, I am able to make the choice to live near most of the places I want to be. It’s a bit circular, though. Because I hate driving so much, the things I want to do and the places I want go are mostly within walking or cycling distance.
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But it’s not “some people” is it? It’s nearly bloody everybody. We traded the ease of movement and speed of motoring for distance, not for time saved. We all now live very far from our family, friends, place of work, and from recreation. It doesn’t have to be this way, but it is. Choices.
This could be me.
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Given the pokey little roads, it’s actually a really good idea.
Lightbulb moment…oh, that’s what a Central Reservation is.
I always just assumed it was the name of a park somewhere.
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