Q: What are the rules of right of way when someone is backing out of an angled parking spot?
A: This is one of those situations where you have the rules, and then you have reality. Let’s start with the rules. I can’t find a law that describes how to back out of an angled parking spot, but there are a couple of laws that address moving a stopped vehicle and backing up.
The law states, “No person shall start a vehicle which is stopped, standing or parked unless and until such movement can be made with reasonable safety.” I don’t know about you, but to me “start a vehicle” means putting the key in the ignition and turning it to get the engine running. The people who wrote this decided that “start” has the meaning of putting the vehicle in motion. (I’d have gone with “move” but so far no one has given me authority to edit laws.) This law is pretty general; basically it states that if your car isn’t moving, don’t start moving it unless it’s safe to do so. In a parking situation it puts the burden of responsibility on the person pulling out of the parking spot.
The next applicable law states that backing up is prohibited unless it can be done safely and without interfering with other traffic. (On a side note, this law also says it’s illegal to back up on the shoulder or roadway of a limited access highway. That means if your improperly secured mattress flies off the back of your pickup while you’re driving down the freeway, you’re not allowed to back up on the shoulder to retrieve it. The law also requires you to clean up anything that has fallen off your vehicle. Now you’re in a bind, aren’t you? Reminder to self: get some good ratchet straps before buying a new mattress.)
Back to the question at hand. We know we can’t move a parked car unless it can be done safely, and we can’t back up unless it’s safe and doesn’t interfere with traffic. Also, while angled parking isn’t included in the list, a couple other laws tell us to yield to traffic when entering a roadway from an alley, driveway, building or private road. Clearly the general principal is that the car entering a roadway yields to those already on the roadway.
Now the reality of it. Sometimes visibility from an angled parking spot leaves a lot to be desired. Especially if you’re driving a small, or even normal sized, car and the vehicle parked in the spot to your right is bigger. If you’re next to a jacked up full-size crew cab pickup with a long bed, canopy and dark tinted windows, good luck getting a view of who’s coming in the lane you’re trying to back into.
What do you do if you can’t see what’s coming while you’re trying to back out of an angled parking spot? Back out really slow and trust that any oncoming car will stop for you? Wait until the vehicle next to you leaves? Go for it and hope for the best? I don’t have a good answer for you, although I’ll admit I’ve used the “back out really slow” method. And I didn’t like it. If you have a friend with you, they could step out and serve as a spotter to get you backed out. Solo drivers, you’re out of luck.
Some cities have solved this problem using reverse angle parking. For those who are unfamiliar with this style of parking, the angle of the parking spots is reversed (as implied by the name) compared to what we’re used to, and instead of pulling nose in to the parking spot, you’ll pull past it and then back in. The advantage here is that when it’s time to pull out, the driver of the vehicle is in a great position to see oncoming traffic no matter what is parked in the next stall.
People who live in cities that have reverse angle parking tend to look on those of us who still use traditional angled parking as rather primitive. Reverse angle parking is more efficient, and it’s safer for both drivers and cyclists. But again, the reality is that right now we’re dealing with regular angled parking, so let’s watch out for each other no matter who has the right of way.
Here in Oak Harbor the city fathers decided to revamp Pioneer
Way (the ‘Old Town’ waterfront street) to diagonal (angled) parking. Some folks now avoid that ‘Ye Olde Shoppe’ street for the very reason that backing out is inherently risky, and made worse by large RV’s and oversize pickups. Being rather ‘olde’ myself, I remember stories and illustrations of the first days of the ‘horseless carriage.’ So what may be called for in this instance is a uniformed attendant with flag and lantern, positioned at the rear of one’s vehicle, to announce one’s intention to back into traffic. Perhaps this is an employment opportunity for depressed communities: flagger/lantern bearer for hire. Inquire at the nearest Olde Shoppe.