Do you look over your shoulder when reversing your car?

[Laura Corin]

Just curious as there are different habits in this household, which may be based on where we learned to drive.

 

ETA: I wasn't clear: I meant, do you turn around to look over your shoulder for the entire time that you are reversing, in preference to using mirrors?  This is how I was taught to reverse.

Edited August 9, 2016 by Laura Corin

[regentrude]

Yes.

And we taught our kids the same.

 

ETA: I expect that these habits may change as more cars come equipped with a backup camera and you can see what is behind the car more clearly and easily on a screen in front. Right now, only DH's car has this feature.

But even with the camera that shows better what is directly behind the car, for a peripheral view it would be necessary to turn around and look.

Edited July 6, 2016 by regentrude

[Guest]

No. I drive a 15 pax van, and you can't see anything anyhow. I use all my mirrors and my back-up camera.

[Bambam]

Yes. I've taught my one driver to do the same. I'm teaching the second one as well.

 

However, when I back into my garage, I do scan before backing, and then I use my mirrors to back in. Everyone in the house has been taught not to come out when I'm backing into the garage, and we have no animals to get in the way. It is rare to see any animals loose in our neighborhood, but if I did before backing into that garage, I would make sure the animal was removed/clear first.

 

[Annie G]

I do.  We recently added a car that has a backup camera and dh adjusted to that immediately but I still find myself looking behind.  It's silly, because this car beeps when someone is coming crosswise, which I can't see, and it has a grid to show me where I'm heading. And yet I turn around and look when backing up.   I'm getting a little better at using the camera but it's hard to teach this old dog new tricks. 

[Wheres Toto]

Yes.  On our old Suburban, I use the mirrors, turn and look and back up very slowly because there's very limited visibility.  On  our newer Accord with a back-up camera, I'll turn and look once to make sure nobody is walking toward the car, then use the back-up camera.

 

[gingersmom]

No. I use all my mirrors.

[JFSinIL]

Yes, that is how I was taught.  Despite this, I did manage to back into a car turning into the driveway across the street - I have a blind spot in the Jeep Compass, and dude was in it. :-(

[kirstenhill]

I used to look over my shoulder, but now I use the screen on my backup camera! :-)

[Mbelle]

Yes.  I even have a rear camera, but i don't rely on it except to make sure there are no small children directly behind me.

[SparklyUnicorn]

I glance back on and off, but don't turn my head the entire time.  I use a combo of the mirrors and turning my head back.  Is that the wrong way to do it?  :huh:

[elegantlion]

I do as I start to back out and then use my mirrors to finish. I have blind spot mirrors on my side mirrors too, which make a world of difference in traffic and help with backing out. 

Edited July 6, 2016 by elegantlion

[jelbe5]

I also drive an older 15 passenger van (no back up camera). I look over my shoulders before I begin to back up as a check but use my mirrors when I do reverse. My biggest fear is backing out of my driveway since the van has a large blind spot. For that reason I almost always back into my driveway so I can easily pull out. I also tend to park farther away from other cars in parking lots and will often back into spots or pull through a spot so I can simply move forward later.

 

And I have admit, I have never parallel parked our van but my husband has!

Edited July 6, 2016 by jelbe5

[DawnM]

No, I use my mirrors and my back up camera

[Angie in VA]

Yes. Rear view mirror. Side mirrors. Over the shoulder.

 

Last week I went to a play which two day care groups attended. I arrived late, so I missed the parking spots that I could pull through or back into. The only ones left were slanted, so if I'd backed in, I would be going against traffic in a small parking lot. 

 

As I was in my car about to back out to leave, one day care group walked behind me. Not only did I check all three mirrors (rear view + 2 sides) and look over both shoulders, but I also got out and walked behind my car to make sure no littles ones were around. (Then I did the 3 mirror and over the shoulders looks again!)

 

Call me crazy or obsessed, but backing into or over someone ranks high on my list of greatest fears.

 

 

Edited to add: This has less to do w/ who taught me to drive or where I learned and more to do w/ being a mother and then getting a big butt minivan. A family member who is trained by whatever that driving organization is taught me that it's safer to back in or pull through when you enter a parking lot or driveway versus when you leave.

This was discussed here years ago and the OP wondered if it were the new, cool thing to do. I'm not cool, promise!

Edited July 6, 2016 by Angie in VA

[Garga]

I do both. I have a minivan and so I can't see short people (like kids) behind my van by turning around. And there are blind spots at the rear sides. So, I must use the mirrors, but I don't trust that the mirrors don't have their own set of blind spots as well.

 

Before backing up I turn and look behind me, I look in the mirrors, I turn and look behind me again. Then I begin to back up ever so slowly, using the mirror, then look behind me, then in the mirrors, sloooowly. I am constantly going back and forth between looking behind me and using the mirrors to try to catch all the blind spots.

 

Whenever it's humanly possible, I pull through so I don't have to back up. I hate backing up in the van. I feel like I can't see anything. It's different in a car. In a car, I can back up by looking the entire time. In the van, I have to rely on both looking behind me and using mirrors.

 

I back into my driveway (no garage) by using only the mirrors, after an initial turn and look check. I live on a mostly non-busy road, so I just check for pedestrians who might be on the sidewalk in front of my house and then back into the driveway using the mirrors. The driveway is narrow and the van is wide, and mirrors are really the only way I can see the edges of the concrete so I don't end up parked on grass. Or hitting the lamppost. Or bumping into the curb.

[fairfarmhand]

Yup. Every time.

[Garga]

Oh, and the reason that I always back INto the driveway is that backing OUT of the driveway is dangerous. While my road is mostly non-busy, I'm near the intersection and there were countless times where I checked to be sure there were no cars, and looked to my right and started backing up and while I was halfway in and out, someone had turned onto my street from my left and I totally didn't see them there. It happens really fast. They turn quickly onto my street and when I'm backing onto my street. In the tiny bit of time it takes me to check my right, there they are at my left. I used to sit there and yell out, "Where did you come from!? Where did you come from?!?!?!"

 

So, I back into the driveway and then pull out. They might still come, but I can turn my neck faster to see them coming when I'm going forward rather than backward.

 

It's usually ok except for when the schools are going in or out. Lots of people cut through my street to get to the schools and people drive like maniacs when they're going to and from schools. Especially the "students on board" vans. Those people are in a hurry.

[MEmama]

Yes.

 

I love love love the visibility in my Subaru and will cry when I am finally forced to give it up. I loathe backup cameras and the limited visibility of new cars. I plan on holding out until car manufacturers come to their senses again.

[Pawz4me]

Yes. That's how I was taught, and so I've been doing it for 38 years. That's a long standing habit. But I really, really need to start using my backup camera instead. The range of vision is significantly better with it than what I can see looking over my shoulders.

[J-rap]

Yes, every time.  There is one spot that I cannot see even with mirrors and backup camera.  If I don't turn my head, I'm paranoid I'll miss something.

[zoobie]

I use the backup cameras and mirrors in the minivan. Looking over my shoulder is useless. In my old Pilot, I would do both.

 

Edited: thinking about it more, I do look over my shoulders out the driver and passenger seat windows. I was thinking of looking out the back window, which is useless in the minivan.

Edited July 6, 2016 by zoobie

[The Girls' Mom]

I have had cameras but rarely use them.  They have a much bigger blind spot than I do.  I usually look behind me first, then use my mirrors.  

[wapiti]

I use it all, mirrors, camera and turning halfway around to look with my own eyes.  All that body twisting is going to get to me when I'm old but I don't feel safe otherwise.  The Suburban is a beast.  The camera is a huge, huge help and I wouldn't be without it, but it isn't enough if I'm turning while backing up, such as backing out of a parking space.

[Leav97]

I look then use the backup camera.

[Guest]

I have a backup camera but learned very quickly that it has blind spots for pedestrians so I turn my head to look over both shoulders before pulling out using the camera.

[TechWife]

Yes, I do. Here, you will fail the driver's test if you do not. 

 

Last year I purchased a new car with a rear camera. I use it when I back onto my driveway, but after that, I look over my shoulder. The mirror distorts distance too much for it to be reliable. In a parking lot, I will look at the camera to see if there are people coming before I begin backing out of my space (it has a wide view), but once I start backing up, I look over my shoulder. 

[mamiof5]

Yeah I do. Use mirrors a bit, but feel better turning. We don't have a camera

[Pink and Green Mom]

I have a back up screen but still look over my shoulder, too - camera only shows what is behind me, not what is barreling down the street or parking lot row.  I am teaching my oldest to do the same (not rely solely on the camera)

[OneStepAtATime]

Every time, along with mirrors (no camera, van too old). The one time I didn't I was backing out of my garage into my driveway and hit DH's vehicle which is normally never parked there.

[Anne in CA]

When I had my van I actually checked behind me once the kids had their seatbelts on and made sure no one was even close to me. I always parked it at the edge of any parking lot far away from other cars, because many people are clueless about the small amount of visibility you have with a large van and drive right behind you or let their children stray behind you.

 

I always turn my head over my shoulder in the car.

[lailasmum]

Yes I mostly look backwards so I'm looking where I'm driving and I have decent visibility in my Scenic but I do obviously use mirrors too if I'm not just going straight back. I was taught to have a good look around before starting maneuvering then keep glancing everywhere but predominantly look in the direction your vehicle is actually travelling.

[gardenmom5]

if you want to avoid blind spots (and there are if you rely upon mirrors), yes, I look over my shoulder.

 

our kid car had no passenger side mirror.  niece was flabbergasted and asked how you see to change lanes . . . . honey, you're *supposed* to look over your shoulder and *not* rely upon your mirrors!

[lynn]

I do.  It's the way my dad taught me and the way I teach my kids.  I think points get taken off on driving tests if you don't look over your shoulder.   My dad also taught us to walk around the back of the car before getting in to see where kids are playing and if there are any bikes or scooters etc.

Edited July 6, 2016 by lynn

[vonfirmath]

Yes. We have a backup camera but it is not useful. I glance at it to make sure there is nothing right behind the car, then I look behind the car where I can see better to actually back off.

 

[MASHomeschooler]

Yes, in addition to using mirrors. Unless you have a backup camera, it could be dangerous not to do so. Blind spots are real, and animals and some people will walk behind a running car.

[hornblower]

I have a kid learning to drive & I know that they'll fail you here if you don't turn around to look over your shoulder, in addition to checking all 3 mirrors. 

I have a backup camera in the new van but I tend to do both.... 

[kewb]

Yes. I taught my kids to look.

And it drives me nuts that I can't see anything through the rear windows of the Honda and have to rely on the camera.

[QueenCat]

Yes, to fully see everything, I need to use the mirrors, the back up camera and my eyes.

[Arcadia]

My hubby still does but his first driver license is for manual. He knows how to drive in flood waters to top of tire conditions and he knows what to do when brake fails. He also had to pass reverse parking and parallel parking on his manual driving test decades ago so I try to get him to reverse park most of the time as we have toddlers running across public library parking lots often in the evenings.

[HRAAB]

Yes.  For 41 years.  Even with a back up camera.  Can't teach an old dog new tricks.

[kroe1]

I was taught to look over the shoulder, but now the sensors do that part.

[poppy]

Yes and I hate when people don't. I have a 2013 RAV4 (very very popular car) and I can tell you 100% that you cannot see everything with backup camera and Mirrors.

[hornblower]

He also had to pass reverse parking and parallel parking on his manual driving test decades ago so I try to get him to reverse park most of the time as we have toddlers running across public library parking lots often in the evenings.

 

That's still part of the test here. Isn't it everywhere?? 

[redsquirrel]

Yes, always. I also use my mirrors of course, but I look behind me with my own two eyes and scan what is back there.  I've never been in a car with a backup camera so I don't know how that would change things. 

 

I am short, like I have to sit on a cushion to see properly when I drive. So, I make a point of turning and looking around when I back up and when I switch lanes. I worry too much about my blind spots.

[KungFuPanda]

I have to back my van to to the driveway. I look over my shoulder to get started on the driveway, then I use the mirrors to back up the hill and into the carport.

[Tap]

I check my mirrors and over my shoulder first and then use my camera to back up.  If I am in an area with children, then I use all three.  

 

I find that a back up camera is really amazing at seeing the large things, but due to the way it shows detail, that it can be hard to distinguish finer details and slight movements.  For instance...if I look over my shoulder I can focus my eyes into a shadow and see the movement of toddler standing by a tree.  On my camera, the same child may be in view, but they don't visually jump out at me the same way.  

[Arcadia]

That's still part of the test here. Isn't it everywhere??

The parking portion when he took the test in California was hyper easy. Just be able to park curbside on a non-sloping residential lane. When there is almost no parked cars curbside, you can just parallel park head first instead of reverse in.

 

He does not have to do the rear/boot reverse parking for the test here but we have to do that in Singapore for parking lots at carparks.

 

California's reverse parallel parking

https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/pubs/hdbk/parking

 

Singapore's reverse parking into vertical lot

http://www.passdriving.com.sg/driving-tips-vertical-beginner.html

[Farrar]

That's still part of the test here. Isn't it everywhere?? 

 

Not here. And not in NC where I learned to drive either. Just park forward in a parking spot. No curb parking, no parallel parking, no reverse. Nothing hard.

[hornblower]

The parking portion when he took the test in California was hyper easy. Just be able to park curbside on a non-sloping residential lane. When there is almost no parked cars curbside, you can just parallel park head first instead of reverse in.

 

 

oh wow. We have to be able to park uphill, downhill, angle, front into a spot, back into a spot, reverse parallel park. I took the test in a hilly town & some examiners make you reverse parallel park while you're uphill. Imagine taking that test in a car with a stick shift LOL