BackingIn.com My thoughts about stuff…

GOINGFORWARD

Below is a rebuttal to my derision of the act of backing-in by my good friend and backing-iner, Craig Lipset:

Time to defend those who backin, because I AM ONE OF THEM.
So I'll admit I first got into the habit during my 911 days; you always back in an ambulance (both to unload a patient but also to get out in a hurry).

But here are the reasons why I do it today:

(1) It's safer
I just pulled up to a spot.  I know what's around me.  I know if there are kids or old ladies shuffling near the street.  I know if there are cars behind me.  Now is the time to go backwards, because there are fewer things that are going to jump out and surprise me.
I can back out later, but after loading the kids in the car and then getting in and starting it up, I don't know if that old lady has started shuffling or those kids started playing.  Yes, obviously I am looking as a back up.  But I don't like surprises.

(2) It's the SUVs
If you are parked in those that are perpendicular to the street (not the parallel ones) and you are in head first, good luck backing out and seeing what's coming if you are parked next to an SUV.  And when are you not parked next to an SUV?  If you are backed in, now you can see what's coming.  And you won't be that dufus that needs to back out at 0.001 mph to avoid getting creamed before you can see around the SUV.

(3) I just want to go home
Call it getting the "hard part" done first, or the "time consuming part".  Whatever.  But when it's time to go I just want to GO.

You should try the joy of just getting in your car in pulling out.  Forward.  Just going.  It's very liberating!  Declare this your week of GOINGFORWARD(.com).