Back it up

Angle parking is a possibility on Broadway, but what about reverse-angle parking?

Click to see video:
http://www.okgazette.com/oklahoma/article-13023-back-it-up.html

Saw this in practice on South Congress two weeks ago. Saw several examples of near wrecks. Usually what would happen is a car pulls forward of where they want to back in and the car behind them pulls in too close. When the car trying to park would go to backup, the car behind them would honk and not want to move.

I'm sure it will get better as people get used to it, but it was fun to watch the fireworks.

I can only imagine the issues this would cause with elderly drivers. It's bad enough they put their cars through store fronts now they will be running over people and backing in to other cars on a regular basis.

Saw this in practice on South Congress two weeks ago. Saw several examples of near wrecks. Usually what would happen is a car pulls forward of where they want to back in and the car behind them pulls in too close. When the car trying to park would go to backup, the car behind them would honk and not want to move.

I'm sure it will get better as people get used to it, but it was fun to watch the fireworks.

was in austin over the weekend and noticed the same thing on congress. fun and frightening at the same time to watch the confusion...

I think the new parking on Broadway is going to cause more headaches than anything, time will tell.

The reverse angle parking on Congress was completed in late July so it is still in an adjustment period right now. I haven't seen too many issues there the few times that I have been there.

I agree with the fact that there might be an adjustment period. However, forward standard angled parking is highly dangerous when backing up into 40 mph+ traffic. Example- Main Street Norman.

I don't like this. I think this is more of a traffic safety hazard, because the car behind may not be aware of the car in front about to stop and go in reverse. Is this happening in Oklahoma already? Why is there a need to increase such risk? I think its better to just pull in to park and back out when traffic is clear.

Backing out into traffic or backing in while in traffic both seem dangerous. The only advantage I can see (no pun intended) is when backing up IN traffic you can see what is behind you where if you are backing out of a space INTO traffic, there are too many blind spots and you are depending on the traffic to see you and stop. They have that around a strip mall over on NW 23rd & Portland and rather than deal with it, I park behind the building and walk around to the front. They don't even allow back in parking where I live, forward only

Saw several examples of near wrecks. Usually what would happen is a car pulls forward of where they want to back in and the car behind them pulls in too close. When the car trying to park would go to backup, the car behind them would honk and not want to move.

I'm sure it will get better as people get used to it, but it was fun to watch the fireworks.

Brian (et al): This isn't any different than parallel parking. You activate your turn signal and slow, stopping just past the target parking space where you shift into reverse. The motorist behind you sees your back-up lights and parking space, understand your intentions, and either goes around if no oncoming traffic is present, or if there is, they wait for you to back in to the parking space so they can proceed.

Everybody - you're making this far too complicated! It's parallel parking, but without as much streering wheel turning!

Brian (et al): This isn't any different than parallel parking. You activate your turn signal and slow, stopping just past the target parking space where you shift into reverse. The motorist behind you sees your back-up lights and parking space, understand your intentions, and either goes around if no oncoming traffic is present, or if there is, they wait for you to back in to the parking space so they can proceed.

Everybody - you're making this far too complicated! It's parallel parking, but without as much streering wheel turning!
Pretty much...I had a parallel parking person here in Downtown Denver yesterday signal right after they saw and opening and come to a stop, I was already covering the space to prevent them from backing into it. Luckily there wasn't any other traffic around so I was able to move around them so they could park in the spot.

This isn't any different than parallel parking. You activate your turn signal and slow, stopping just past the target parking space where you shift into reverse.

Problem is, most people I see around here trying to parallel park, drive straight into the space - head on - and then spend 5 minutes adjusting their car.

LOL Same reason I avoid parallel parking unless it is a spot at the end on traffic is extremely light

In the 30's this type of parking was the norm in OKC. You can see it in old pictures of downtown. I already back in (or pull all the way through) to almost ever parking space I use just so I don't have to back up into traffic or hope I don't clip the car parked next to me with the front bumper.

BBates - my wife would fall into that catgory...#facepalm

I'm not really a fan of the angle parking approach, but from what I understand, at least it will be the back in angle, which is opposite of Norman's Main St. The problem in Norman is that you can't see at ALL when you pull out. Think about how hard it is to see when you pull out of a space in a parking lot, now add 40mph traffic to the equation....it's dangerous for sure. You have to hope that the street drivers are as much aware of you as you are UNaware of them. Reverse angle at least allows you to see when you leave the space. But as mentioned, you have to be careful pulling it so the traffic behind you pays attention.

1 - turn your blinker on before you get ready to back up...you're supposed to do that when you parallel park too...or really park at all but almost nobody does it.
2 - slow down so it's obvious that you aren't "through" traffic as you approach the space, don't just stomp on the brakes.

It will take time for people to learn it, but they'll get used to it. I'm still not a fan of the conversion, but if it's going to happen then we have to build a bridge to get over it and figure out how to make it work.

I still wish they'd put a live-cam at the round-a-bout (is that what they are called) in Midtown. I get a kick out of watching people trying to figure those out. Never fails some little old lady/man comes to a complete stop and can't figure out when the others are going to stop to let him/her in.

The back-in option is safer because pulling out gives you greater visibility of approaching cars, you're already moving forward in the direction of traffic, and there's no requirement to shift into/out of reverse.

Goes without saying that some people shouldn't be on the road AT ALL, but that might be another thread...

The back-in option is safer because pulling out gives you greater visibility of approaching cars, you're already moving forward in the direction of traffic, and there's no requirement to shift into/out of reverse.

Goes without saying that some people shouldn't be on the road AT ALL, but that might be another thread...
That is for sure....

Goes without saying that some people shouldn't be on the road AT ALL, but that might be another thread...

While sitting in the drive-thru at Taco Bell today a woman of Asian descent entered the drive-thru going the wrong way. Apparently she didn't know what 'reverse' meant so I will leave the rest to your imagination, but I know two people in a minivan next to me that needed a change of underwear. With this kind of person on the road they probably can't be trusted with any kind of parking orientation, but if I had pull out in traffic in front of them, I would rather be backed in. Instead of focusing on the incompetent drivers, maybe we should focus on making it safer for those of us that can drive. Why should my life be put in danger because someone can’t back into a parking space?

Reverse Angle Parking is the Best Idea since Parallel Parking was Invented at Some Point after the Invention of the Horseless Carriage.

I'm guessin' that maybe two more (net) cars could be accomodated along the curb.
And this, in conjuction with the NewAge Parking Meters (an, OKC product, BTW) will add hours of entertainment to the entire experience of "Downtown Parking".

ReverseAngleParking makes absolute and total sense if all Driver/Parkers operate on The Honor System instead of on Cell Phones.

Edited to correct the spelling of "Carriage" . . . "horseless" was OK.
Where the heck is Will Rogers when we need him? =)

This is a pretty good idea....all the benefits of parallel parking, but allowing for 40% plus more vehicles per given length of frontage, and a whole lot easier than true parallel parking. The only problem is the large number of high trucks we have in this market (mine included), that make for visual obstruction....

Would work really well in the Northeast, where there are comparatively fewer pickups and far more cars....

There are plenty of monster pickups and large SUV's in Austin, I don't really see it as much of an issue. I know longer drive a pickup, I have a BMW Z4, much lower and with a longer hood and it hasn't seemed to be much of a problem. The majority of people should not have an issue since they are driving the taller vehicles, it has never been an issue in my wife's 4Runner. People who can't handle reverse angle parking probably can't handle parallel parking and tend to struggle with parking in general no matter the layout.