Fine for backing in car raises eyebrows

[Rhiannon12866]

SARASOTA, Fla. - You may not realize it, but backing your car into a parking spot is illegal in certain parts of Sarasota, including the Palm Avenue parking garage. That's where $35 tickets are being issued on a daily basis to those who don't follow the rules.

That fine is raising a few eyebrows. Recently, local photographer Cliff Roles received a ticket in the garage for backing into a space. He says it's the only way he has ever parked his car.

"My peeve in the whole thing was basically the amount of money that was being asked of me," said Roles. "I hope the person that determined this amount of money might reconsider and think about a friendly warning, or reduce the amount of money he is going to take from people breaking this absolutely ridiculous ordinance."

The garage does have signs indicating that backing in is prohibited. Roles admits he did not see the signs.


http://www.mysuncoast.com/news/local/fine-for-backing-in-car-raises-eyebrows/article_9a4b16f8-ccb9-11e2-945e-001a4bcf6878.html

[SwissTony]

1. What if the parking area has parking bays which are H-shaped with no obstruction between the bays

i.e. you can drive forward through the bottom half of the H and park in the top half. It looks like you've backed in but you haven't.

Of course, a wall at the end of the bay renders this impossible.

Edited to add: I don't get the number plate business. Don't US cars have number plates back and front?

[Tyrs WolfDaemon]

2. It is my understanding that some states require the front plate while others don't.

As to why some states would let you go without the front plate is beyond me.

[TxDemChem]

3. Texas requires front & back plates

And our company has a policy where you can't back into spots either. We don't have any H parking. One issue is what is behind the vehicle. Depending on the spots, two trucks could actually hit each other. Or you could damage a structural wall. Furthermore, we have had people who don't know how to back into spots hit many cars. My job is also a highly regulated business, so every incident - even if you slip on an acorn and fall in the parking lot (which happened to an older coworker) - is recorded. All car accidents on the property as well. After a certain amount of incidents, we have to report to a few regulatory bodies. So to make it easier, no backing in.

[Rhiannon12866]

4. Looked it up and apparently Florida doesn't require a front plate

Seems odd to me, too, since I'm in NY and we have both front and back plates.

[Initech]

5. My school has that rule and it's strictly enforced.

[FSogol]

6. I think that backing into spaces is a form of mental illness.

I don't know how much time I've wasted waiting for some knucklehead to try and back into a parking space while holding everyone else up.