One thing that's very obvious to newcomers to North America is their different approach to parking. The vast majority of parking over here is 'nose-in', whereas in the UK, we tend to be taught to 'back-in'.

On my project, the HSE Director has just mandated that 'for safety reasons' all project vehicles shall be parked 'nose-in'. (It won't surprise anyone to learn that there haven't actually been any parking-related accidents, it's just that the HSE department must have had a slow day and decided to implement another new rule for no reason.)

That's interesting, because I was once on a UK project where 'for safety reasons' all project vehicles had to be parked 'back-in'. (Again, there had not been any accidents which suggested such a rule was necessary.)

I think the only thing this proves is that safety professionals make it up as they go along.

Anyway, do you try to park properly like a Brit, or do you now just do the Canadian 'drive-in-and-dump'?

It depends on which vehicle I am driving, if it's behemoth of a vehicle I will find a space and drive through when possible, even at -40 even if it's means I have to walk further.

If It's a proper ordinary size something, I'll park however I feel like at the time and a lot closer to my destination I like my Spitfire I can park that ANYWHERE!

Why does it matter? In some parts of NA cars only have rear licence plates. In those places there are laws requiring drivers to drive in so the rear plates are available for police purposes.
Either parking method is neither right nor wrong, IMO.

It's much easier to manouevre a car into a tight space by backing in - the turning wheels are at the front.

But I agree, it doesn't really matter, which is why I find it irritating when people make rules about it. The example you give about licence plates is the most irritating of all.

I nearly always reverse in.

(I'm a girl and I can parallel park too - showing off now )

(That's not me being sexist or otherwise - I have witnessed some shocking parking by my fellow girlies - sorry ladies).

Not just the ladies.

There is parking and then there is take it out of gear coast and where it stops abandon it.

Oh and those yellow lines...you're supposed to line them up with the center of the car, right?

Mind you - if you want to see some car abandonment, sorry, parking - go to Italy. They just leave the car vaguely in the vicinity of a kerb stone. They have such little cars, they somehow get away with it.

There's also the matter of access to the vehicle's trunk. If you've got a number of bags from the supermarket you'd better be sure your backed in car is not cheek to jowl with the front/rear of the car behind you.

Turning my head just turns the pain up so I avoid reversing as much as possible, so I suppose I just drive and dump (obviously not in the 'void faeces from bowels' sense of the word).

If the weather permits, I really prefer to park as far away from all the other cars as possible. Good for exercise and avoidance

You're right, however i think one is more safe than the other.

"Head first" parking produces many blind spots when trying to manoeuvre out of the spot, especially in the confines of a busy parking lot.

"Arse first" parking always gives the driver the most visibility and manoeuvrability, IMO.

That said, reverse camera's make a difference these days.

I always reverse in, but maybe one in 20 people do this from the car parks I go to. I find it easier, because there is more control. Still, it seems that the majority of Canadians have a total lack of spacial awareness in reverse.

What I hate most is people that take up two spaces - especially when it's busy. People that have X5's or nice cars do this a lot because they are precious about them. Twats.

Hmm - it depends where I am parking - BUT I can parallel park into v small spaces with ease -which always pees off my hubby

I tend to reverse in when i'm in the car park at work but nose in everywhere else....strange that!

I actually never really thought about it before now....

Does everyone here drive stick shift? I had a couple of automatics (not any more and probably never again) and found that any subtle reverse control was pretty challenging (if somewhat atrocious).