A road safety expert has claimed that most Brits are getting it "all wrong" when it comes to parking in supermarket car parks. Police Sergeant Owen Messenger teamed up with George's Car Media on TikTok to demonstrate the correct technique.
Venturing into a Tesco car park, Sgt Messenger explained: "There are some people that reverse into the bays, but there are also quite a lot of people who are 'nosing'." This manoeuvre involves driving forward into a parking space and can cause issues for other drivers, according to the expert.
Sgt Messenger further clarified: "When you are trying to get out, if you are nosed in and are reversing out into the traffic, then it is very difficult to see vehicles and people." Instead, the expert suggests it is "far easier" to drive forwards out of a bay, as he highlighted in a video.
"You've got to weigh up the convenience of loading your shopping into the boot against what is safer and easier for actually driving your car," Sgt Messenger added.
After successfully reversing into a space in the Tesco car park, he highlighted: "Now, when we come out we can see everything that is going on around us and there's far less chance of us running anyone over."
Sgt Messenger, who operates in Devon and Cornwall, concluded by highlighting another potential hazard: "If we had been reversing out, a small child probably would have been out of our view - because if we're looking at the back of our car they may have been under the window level."
The guidance seemed to split motorists down the middle, however.
Writing in response, one TikTok user backed Sgt Messenger: "Much easier to reverse park than to drive into a tight space. The parking bays at Tesco are now bigger so you can get your shopping in no problem."
Another remarked: "Reversing in you can see a bollard if you have a camera, but edging out you don't have the back up of a 180 degree camera warning you. Prefer to reverse in as it is a quicker escape when the car park is busy."
Meanwhile, a third noted: "A lot of companies require you to reverse park in their staff car parks, like warehouses because it reduces the chances massively of causing an accident upon leaving."
Nevertheless, one person who challenged the expert declared: "I normally think your videos are quite good and informative, however you've really not thought this one through. Most people need to access the boot as most people are doing a big shop."
A second added: "I disagree, I do the opposite. If you look and reverse slowly, there's no issue, you hold up traffic reversing into a space because it's narrow. Also how do you get your shopping in the boot."
Whilst a third TikTok user noted: "I just think a lot of people can't actually reverse and don't feel confident doing it so they just drive into their space."
