If a collision occured, what would you think?

[searchlight]

Ok, you are on a car park which has one way in and one exit. This section of the park has large white arrows on the road surface indicating the direction of travel. The bays are not quite at right angles to the kerb due to the restricted width of the roadway.
You are parked with cars either side of you when you start to back out. Watching for cars approaching from behind and in the correct direction of travel but also aware of all possible traffic you have reversed out almost far enough to straighten up when a car passes behind you moving in the opposite directions to the arrows.
Well this happened to me but as I was prepared for such an event there was no collision. I received a filthy look from the other driver.

[bookbinder]

If there had been a collision, I would have said that the other driver was at fault. But, in a court of law, you would probably get saddled with being 50% to blame, because the magistrates would say that you were not keeping a proper lookout. My sympathy would be entirely with you, but don't forget - the law now says that places such as public car parks are subject to the same traffic rules as the public road.

[north star]

please expand that last point bookbinder \'cos as it stands I think it\'s b0llocks

[bookbinder]

What it means is that you can be charged with a traffic offence that's committed off the road, namely in a public car park.

[bookbinder]

north star, here's a bit of justification for what I said earlier:
Highway Code 2004 page 86.
http://www.honestjohn.co.uk
http://www.pistonheads.com
http://penaltychargesforum.co.uk (Multistorey car park is a Public Place under RTA. See: Bowman v DPP (1991) RTR 263)
http://www.direct.gov.uk
http://www.hse.gov.uk/foi/internalops
If you are a road user, you should be aware of the law, whether you think that it's bollocks or not.

[north star]

Agree, many are, drink driving, insurance requirements, dangerous / careless driving....yes. Speeding? er, no, Obstruction? er no. Ignoring traffic signs? er, no. It's the assetion that ALL traffic rules apply that is incorrect.

[lesblue]

All good drivers will REVERSE into a parking space, thus making it so much easier to get out. The filthy look probably came from a driver who was thinking the same.

[Hammer]

But when the spaces are at an angle they are usually facing the direction of forward travel, so reversing in and driving out is not practical, you would have to turn more than 90 degrees.

[cassa333]

I'm not sure if this is correct but I have always been told that the reversing driver is at fault even though most would say that the other driver could see you and should have stopped!!!

[oldmaggie]

If you reverse into a parking spot in a supermarket carpark you are often back to back and next to other cars making unloading a trolley into the back of the car difficult.

[TWR]

Easy answer to that oldmaggie, leave space behind you.

[oldmaggie]

Easier said than done TVR if you leave plenty of roon behind there is usually some dumbo who parks close up

[mr_g_uk]

Just to add to the surket bit... I always go into spaces forwards so my tailgate is easily accesible to load up. I wouldn't dream of parking next to somebody who had reversed in as, knowing my luck, that would be the sort of person who would also try to get their trolley between the two cars :-)