Those of you that back your vehicle into parking spots, why do you do it?

Because it's safer and easier to reverse into a space and drive straight out than it is to drive in and reverse out, potentially into oncoming traffic or pedestrians.
Unless you specifically need access to your boot (trunk) always reverse in.

Because then I don't have to reverse out, which is far more difficult
- Reversing in is safer than reversing out.

Much easier to park AND drive away. I see very few disadvantages really

I worked at a job site prone to flooding so it was mandated to speed evacuations. I liked it and kept the habit.
Then some misogynist asshat told me it's a masculine thing to do and I should be careful to come across more ladylike. So added on a layer of spite and anti-bigot defenses to why I keep doing it.
- "Your driving is threatening my fragile ego, could you please be worse than me at it?"
  What a douche
- That's the softest. Just the weakest. Disreputably fragile. The secondhand shame is radioactive, I need iodine. I can't even cringe because my face went numb.
- What the actual fuck

Reversing in is actually easier. As your car can turn tigther reversing than going front in.
Guess it's a non issue if you have massive parking spaces, but when space is tight every little bit helps.
- So you could back in, but be unable to get out by going forward?
  
  No, because when you drive out forward, you can start turning the front of your car faster. Hard to put into words.
  I asked AI to explain. It can do it better than me
  [r/NoStupidQuestions] Q: Is it better to back into a tight parking spot or drive in forward? Won’t you get stuck driving out?
  A: Backing into a tight spot is almost always better. Here’s why:
  More control: When backing in, your front wheels (which steer) are free to pivot, giving you tighter, more precise control. Your back wheels just follow.
  Better exit: When it's time to leave, driving out forward gives you better visibility and a wider turning radius—no more blind reversing into traffic or trying to edge out slowly.
  Why you won't get stuck driving out: The same space you needed to back in is more than enough to drive out. Your front wheels can turn sharper, and you can see what’s coming. Even in tight spots, driving out is usually quicker and safer than reversing.
  TL;DR: Back in now, drive out easy later. Your future self will thank you.

In my experience I've learned it seems safer to back in because then I can see better when exiting, which is a time of limited visibility, in many cases, already, and that problem is exacerbated when attempting it in reverse.

Rear visibility in my car is kind of trash so it's safer if I back into the spot so that I can better see what's going on when I'm leaving

so i can exit my conveyance with style and grace and upon returning i can haul ass out of that place

I have a cargo van. It's impossible to see any traffic coming from the passenger's side when backing up, and there's a big blind spot even on the driver's side. It's a larger vehicle, and it's much easier to maneuver into tight spaces in reverse. (It's why we learn to parallel park in reverse. Try it in forward once, and see.) Also, backing into a parking spot can be accomplished with just a steady gaze at one of the wing mirrors. (Driver's or passenger's side depends on which way you're turning.)
That last point will also be important someday when I'm older and don't have as much flexibility to turn and look backwards. (I was appalled once at a city transportation committee discussion about back-in parking stalls when a city alderperson said that he doesn't look behind his car when backing out, because he can't twist his body. If you can't drive safely, you shouldn't be driving!)
- On your last point, there are absolutely ways around that with technology. Reversing and side cameras existed long before they were factory features as aids for disabled drivers.

If there's a line of cars and you want to pull out backwards thats a LOT more difficult. If you want to pull out front first it's easier

I only park backwards at work and it's because I sleep in my car on my breaks, I get more shade on the front side of my car from the tree I park under if I park backwards. Also it is nice saving the ~10 seconds backing out to leave when I really wanna start getting home even though that time saving in practice is miniscule.

My charging port is in back.

Because, unless you're driving a forklift, the point of a vehicle's rotation is in line with the rear wheels, meaning you can take turns at a much more acute angle when reversing than going forwards. Which makes backing into spaces much easier.
Notice that most of the half-assed parking jobs you see are generally people who have driven forward and left the car parked at a diagonal half out of the space, because getting the vehicle lined up in that situation is more difficult.

Depends on the car and the parking lot, for me. When I drive my mom someplace we use her van, it's easier for her to get in and out that way. This van has a shorter front end, and no backup camera to compensate, so I back in and pull out of spaces so I have better views as I'm moving.
When I drive my sedan with my wife and kids, I pull in to spaces and back out, because the sedan has a much longer front end and a great backup camera/radar alert system that makes backing out of spaces the safer option.

Because the front tires move when you turn the steering wheel and not the back tyres

i don't drive, but reverse parking is the norm here in hk.

I worked for a company that provided a car (incidentally a ‘benefit’ I will refuse in any future scenario).
They explicitly told us we had to back in to our parking spots whenever possible. They implied that some data they had showed it reduced accidents.

I work as a valet at a car dealership, and backing into spots makes it easier for people to just get in the vehicle and drive. The thing I find funny is that the sales team can't park worth a shit. They park crooked, can't back into spots, and they still have a sense of superiority when it comes to anything related to the operation of vehicles.

I love parking closer to the car on my right, where the passe doors face one another. If everyone did this, there would be so much more room to get in and out of vehicles.
And yes, I'm aware that not all cars are single occupant... but too many of them are.

I do sometimes, mainly when it’s a car park with crap visibility as it means it will be easier getting out. I can reverse park easily, and having a rear vision camera means there’s zero risk of hitting anything anyway.
Also means the kids are further from the road when getting into/out of the car.

Sometimes backing in seems easier than backing out
- It's also easier to see oncoming traffic because some assholes will not stop.
- The real answer, sometimes the geometry makes more sense to back in 🤷‍♂️
  
  Geometry is a lot of it. It also makes seeing much easier when pulling out. When backing in, I can easily see the traffic lane around me, and they can see me pretty easy as well (I'm the asshole blocking up the whole place). When driving out, only a smaller portion of my vehicle needs to enter the traffic lane before I have a clear view of any opposing traffic. For the case of nosing it, I have a clear view while pulling in; but, when pulling out I need to get most of my vehicle out into the traffic lane, before I can see anything.
- When I have to park in a particularly narrow spot, I find backing in easier due to the better vantage point of the camera.
  
  It's not just the camera, it's the geometry. A car can fit into a narrower space from a narrower lane backing in.
- Especially if your car has a rear camera.
  I've driving long enough that I can "feel" my way through parking normally, but sometimes I just want to play the minigame.

Safer when pulling out of parking stall. Less blind spots.
Although I don’t back in. I drive through from one spot to the next in front of me. So I can drive out.
- The old pull-through. Some places insist on putting those damn concrete Toblerone blocks in front of you to prevent that sort of thing.
  Keep a watchful eye when doing so, because I have seen many an argument break out in a parking lot when someone was trying to pull through at the same time someone else who couldn't see them was trying to pull in to the same space from the outer side. Bonus points if they boop noses in the process. Somehow nobody ever seems to arrive at the simple conclusion, in such cases, of party A just reversing a couple of feet back into the first space to let party B take the second one.
- The only issue with pulling-through in a parking lot is one-way lanes with angled spots (the majority of parking lots in my area) because then you're pulling forward against the flow of traffic or have to make an extremely sharp turn upon exiting. It'd be fine with straight spots or two-way lanes, but people still do it in the former circumstance and end up driving the wrong way.
- I knew a girl in high school who was pulling through a spot too fast and got into a head on collision. Now I’m so paranoid about pulling through
- Oooh la-la, fancy parking.
  Me too, whenever possible, otherwise I back in to show off my superior driving (and parking) skills.

There's a reason a number of large companies that self-insure mandate backing in for all their vehicles (Schlumberger, Cargill); it's demonstrably safer practice that results in less accidents when leaving the parking space. You can see everything when you back in that was there when you pulled up, and when you pull out, you're right up front looking forward into the lane as you pull out. You quickly learn how to back in, even without a backup camera, if you learn how to use your mirrors.
It is by far the statistically less accident prone method.
- This is why I do it.
  You know how the surroundings are now and you don't know how they are going to be when you have to drive out again. Makes sense to prepare for the unknown

Because you have more control and visibility both when you get in and get out.
- In and out of the parking spot right?
- Actually having to sit and watch these morons attempt to back in in the first place says otherwise.
  
  Sounds like projection.
  Lol you cant park? that's soooo uncool.
  Go practice.
  
  Now imagine having to sit and wait and watch them back out instead. Ugh.

I have way more maneuverability backing into a space.
Think of it in terms of circles (well, arcs, really) . If you front park in a space perpendicular to the road, your front wheels make a large circle and your back wheels a smaller one. The parking space needs to be big enough to accommodate the larger circle. If you back into the same space, the larger circle happens on the road.
- Was looking for this one.

It takes advantage of right-of-way to avoid collision while backing.
I'm following you. When you decide to back in to your parking space, you have the right-of-way over the lane until you have completely left it. I have to yield to you, even if you come to a complete stop in the lane of traffic. While your vision and attention is compromised due to backing, I am responsible for avoiding you.
When you are attempting to back out of the parking spot and into my lane, you do not have right-of-way until you are fully established in the lane. Despite your vision and attention being compromised due to backing, you are also responsible for avoiding me. I don't have to yield to you until you are completely within the lane.
- I support this narrative.
  \ Not because it is logical, BUT BECAUSE IT IS FUCKING RIGHT!
  \ GET IT, CHARLOTTE?
  \ I DON'T HAVE EYES ON MY CAR'S TAIL-LIGHT TO SEE YOU WERE COMING TOWARDS ME.

Not only makes it easier to leave when you need to, as you can see everything that you might hit or might hit you.
But going backwards means you can more easily line up in the space as you have more control over your angle.
Like parallel parking is essier when reversing as you dont need to correct once in the space. Just 45 degree to the kerb and straighten up and you are in. Going forward parallel parking takes loads of correction or needs a really big gap to fit in to.

Unless I am going to be putting stuff into the trunk, backing in is better, it's more dangerous to back the car out of the space than into it.
Backing in is the correct way to parallel park too.
- Backing in is the correct way to parallel park too.
  That's because the rear axle is immovable.

Obviously so everyone knows I'm better than them

Backing into a parking bay where the amount of traffic in the bay is close to zero and visibility is great allows you to drive out into the street facing forward where you can see what traffic is coming.
If you drive forward into a bay then you have to back out of it into the street where you cannot see anything except what's directly behind you and you have little to no visibility sideways, unless the bays next to you are empty, so essentially you're backing out with your fingers crossed, hoping that nothing will hit you.
Moreover, the traffic rules, at least where I live, specify that a reversing vehicle has to give way to everyone.
As a bonus, when you're loading things, you're not standing in the street with your back to traffic.
In other words, learn how to back into a bay.

People/oncoming cars/kids are more likely to be in the road than in the spot I’m parking
I have better visibility when I’m facing forward than when I’m in reverse
Therefore I would rather reverse into the spot where people/cars/kids are least likely to be and drive forward into the place people/cars/kids are most likely to be. I personally almost always back in to be safer towards pedestrians and avoid getting hit by other cars.

Much easier to pull out after, and I can leave quicker despite taking slightly longer to pull in.
- Exactly. I'm in no rush to park, but you never know when you might need to fuck the hell off in a hurry lol.

Is backing into parking spots not the norm in the US? Here in Germany we back into parking spots most of the time, mostly because the spots are too narrow or short to enter forward. We also learn this in driving school and it's pretty much an essential skill that's expected from drivers in Germany.
- Americans avoid it like the plague for some reason. I always back in because I can look at the spot for objects or problems before I start backing in to ensure I dont hit anything. Backing out blind can be risky otherwise.
- If I’m shopping, I want my tailgate free for loading or unloading. Similar for road trips or any time I’m carrying anything
  
  See this is absolutely the key point here I think. Because here in Australia where it's similarly rare, the only time I generally see people reverse in, is when there is a walkway of some sort to reverse up too, not another car.

In Australia, you're considered at fault for reversing accidents. Backing out is riskier.

fwiw, I've parked trailers for a living for 10+years--I do it out of habit and a work ethic of 'put the work in on the front end so I can backslide on the tail end' Tho I can see a practicality/safer attempt to having a better view upon departing the parked position. Obviously if you'd like to get into the geometry of it, backing in gives you a much wider range of flexibility to work with in the positioning phases of the maneuver.
Not sure if it's true. but I was also told that changing gears on a transmission that's been running for a bit is easier on the mechanical parts/bits involved (as opposed to swapping gears on a cold startup)
tldr because there's tons of good reasons to do so, and very nearly 0 good reasons not to do so. Leave the rest to the mathematicians and statisticians

- How is it “safe” compared to pulling straight in?
  
  Because afterwards you are not back into traffic going backwards with poorer vision
  
  The parking space is ideally a controlled area, i.e. you can readily assume it is free of other vehicular traffic. The same cannot be said for backing out of a space into the travel lanes through the parking lot.
  
  You can see what is in front of you easier than you can see what is behind you. Over all you have left blind spots in front of you than you do behind you.
  
  Scenario 1. You're in the lane, about to park. I'm following you. You come to a stop in the lane. You have the right of way; I have to yield to you until you leave the lane. You could completely ignore me if you wanted to. You only need to observe and avoid obstacles near your vehicle.
  Scenario 2. You're in the parking space, about to back into the lane of traffic. I am approaching in the lane. I have the right of way over the lane. In addition to maneuvering your vehicle around obstacles up close, you also have to observe and yield to me, approaching from a distance.
  
  It's not. Over here there are signs everywhere saying "please only park in forwards" because they're sick of dented and scraped cars and cars that have been parked askew and take up two places.
  How is parking between two cars safer than pullong out backwards not between two cars? It's not as if you're pulling out onto a main road.

I don't drive, but the way I've always heard it is because people care more about leaving quickly than arriving quickly.
- Which always ignores how so often the total time spent is increased by their shitty driving cause they always take forever to back in cause they are no good at it despite their insistence on this idiocy.
  All while inconveniencing everyone waiting for their sorry asses to figure it out.
  As I drive away finally I ALWAYS see in my mirror how they had to pull and back in again to straighten out.
  Fucking selfish morons.
  
  And if it takes just as much time to back in as it does to back out, I get why some people would rather spend that time before going in than after coming out. There is backing up involved in parking in a parking lot one way or the other, and if you've somehow only ever gotten stuck behind people who are backing in and not people who are backing out then I'd call that extraordinarily lucky, not evidence of the efficiency of backing out instead.
  But yeah there are shit drivers everywhere, even ones who don't back in.

When you are approaching a parking spot you're already looking everywhere and can find obstacles as you back in. If you drive into a parking spot backing out may have issues because you may not have seen obstacles that would be in the way. We are not always as observant approaching our vehicle as we are when we have already been driving it. Plus, it's a whole lot easier to get back out of the parking spot if you can just drive away.
- Simply having to sit and watch as morons poorly attempt to back in suggests they don't have a good grasp of their surroundings.

For years, I worked in a large building that required all employees and visitors to back in for a few safety reasons, with approximately 600 spaces and an almost full lot most weekdays. It was stated in our safety training that it was easier to see other people and vehicles when exiting facing forward and faster evacuation in times of extreme emergency. It had the benefit that it did seem to quicken flow of traffic when everyone left around the same time at the end of the day.
If a parking spot is straight, I tend to back in for those reasons, but if it is an angled spot, it typically denotes a singular directional flow, and it makes more sense to pull in and back out.

It's just easier to get out, you even have to park like that when taking the exam.

You can fit in more easily. Having the steering axle in the back relative to the direction of movement allows you to drive tighter curves (like a forklift).
- Oh yes! This is my reason too. With a back up camera makes it easier

I first learned how to drive on these old pickup trucks at a summer camp I worked for as a teenager.
The nice old fella who maintained the trucks (and who, not incidentally, taught me how to drive) said to do it that way and would get disappointed if you didn’t.
So, I guess it’s because I first learned it that way, but also because I don’t want to disappoint Alan (who may or may not be dead by now, I’m not sure.)

When parking i can get a good view of the immediate area, it's easy to spot pedestrians and oncoming cars. Pulling out is easy. If I have to back out I don't have such a good view. Yeah I get a look as I approach my car but by the time I sit down, click my seat belt, start the car, someone i didn't see could be coming along.

I back into my driveway. Way I see it, I either back in or back out. So what's the difference

My mom does this every time she parks, even in our driveway. She's always said it's so if her car stalls, it's easier to get it jumped or towed out of the spot.

Besides that it is safer, I don't hit my front splitter on the curb.

I'm blind in one eye so find it hard to judge distances and gaps. As a result I find it easier to back in, especially if I am doing it between two parked vehicles, because I can judge it more easily using my wing mirrors.

Easier to get in Easier to get out Safer (was trained to do it) Why do you pull in forwards?
- Literally easier to pull straight in and stay centered between other vehicles. The literally easier to back out since there's far more space available in the parking lot lane I'm backing out into.
  Never had an issue with this in my life. Never hit a car, never took forever to do it, never hit anyone, and cannot believe the mental gymnastics people do to convince themselves backing in is somehow better.
  
  In terms of geometry nah backing in is way simpler. Less turning involved I believe. Not a mathematician but Ive been professionally driving for 10 years

As everyone else has said, mostly convenience. Easier parking, quicker leaving, generally safer. If I'm early to work I'll "drive-through" an empty spot to park with the nose outwards. The rearview mirrors make it very easy to keep track of where your car is going.
Occasionally I've also managed to do some stupidly tight parking jobs where I literally had to climb out of the trunk :)

I guess it depends on the kind of places where you are parking. Where I am, we usually have big open parking lots with lots of space. I rarely ever back into a space, because backing in is more difficult than backing out. However if you are in more of a congested city or something, and the spots are narrow and you have a lot of cars moving around, then the situation flips and it can be more difficult to back out of the space than to back in.
- I almost find it worse in the city because inevitably they rode your ass even with the turn signal on, so once you go past the space and put it in to reverse they’re sitting there blocking the space.
  
  When reversing into a space it can be easier to turn away from it first. So as you approach turn towards it and then just as the front of you car gets to it or just past it turn away from it so the back of you car is now pointing towards the space. Most cars following slow down because it takes them a second to realise what you are doing and it makes the angle you need to reverse it much smaller.

My backup camera has little lines that show where I am backing up and change as I turn. So that combined with the 360 camera I will know exactly how I will fit in a parking spot. Also makes getting out faster since im usually an early bird to places.

My boss apparently backs his truck into his parking space every morning out of a combination of overabundance of a caution and the reduced turning radius while in reverse. Well, he did he did up until I pointed out to him that mostly what this accomplishes for him is making it irritating to load anything into his truck... Which is, not to put too fine a point on it, what we do all day around here.
Our parking lot is very quiet, private only us and the other tenants in our building, has no random pedestrians, and cross-traffic isn't an issue.
Some people think, but for the wrong reasons.