I do the pull through when convenient but rarely due to the idea of visibility when coming out of a parking space. Generally speaking most of the places I park, getting in quickly is of a higher priority than getting out, people are so relieved to find a convenient space they will wait 10 minutes for you to load up your stuff and slowly back out at your leisure. Not to mention the most dangerous places in terms of parking lot accidents (i.e. confined crowded mall parking) good luck having space behind you to back up into a spot.

The only close calls I've had when backing out are when someone else is backing out on the other side and literally can't see me because they're in an SUV or truck.

And I think rice is right, most people have a hard enough time pulling into spaces, and are even worse at reversing.

If I have enough time and room, I'll usually reverse in. I'll usually pull forward or pull through if I'm in a congested parking lot or if people are behind me.

I pull in, through, or back in depending how my mood strikes me.

It's easy when you know how to actually park.

Depends what I'm doing and how busy the lot is.

Grocery shopping in pull in forward since I know I'll be unloading a cart into the trunk.

Aside from that I'll pull through if possible, pull in if not. Backing out isn't hard, probably easier than backing in.

Depends on the spot for me.

I park in the manner where I want to drive out forward. Generally it means reversing in, I prefer to have an optimal view when leaving a parking space. Many times I've had to re-park vehicles that were driven in, requiring backing out, it sucked especially when it was a 8 ft box, crew cab pickup truck. It doesn't help when I'm reversing a car out but its between massive SUVs, suddenly you're even more prone to hitting pedestrians or other vehicles simply because your view is so terrible. Add that modern rear windscreens are smaller than they've ever been as far as view goes hence why suddenly we need rear view cameras, add the massive C-pillars of some cars and you got tunnel vision.

Spent some time delivering mail.

Regulations were that backing up was only when necessary, always pull through, or back in.

With regard to backing in the general concept is that by having just pulled past to position yourself for backing in the situation is fresh in your mind and ideally unchanged, leading to less risk. The situation may be different when returning to your vehicle after doing whatever it is you're doing.

Think about how many mail carriers there are and how many stops a day they do. The rules are in place for a reason and they are effective. Most incidents occurred when deviating from the rules.

Was a valet for about a year before I finished college. Always back in. You actually have better control over the position your car ends up in when backing up than when pulling forward. Case in point: Parallel parking. You can't do it forwards if there is only one open spot.

If there are cars waiting behind me, pull straight into the spot. If there are no cars waiting behind me, pull straight into the spot. If there are no cars waiting, and the spot is centered on the exit path (basically a T intersection), I'll reverse in.

I'm used to reversing out. It's just second nature to me at this point.

I read somewhere that backing into a spot then just driving out saves on gas cause when the engine is cold its using more gas or something, and all the time spent reversing out of the spot when you could've just driven away is wasting more gas. No idea if it's true.

Due to the garage layout in my apartment I have to reverse my car in, and I have to start reversing from a very busy street where people love to speed. If I pull straight in then it's at least a 6-step, reverse, pull back a little, 1st gear, pull forward a little process. I should take video of it sometime because I can't believe I do it on a daily basis. It's definitely made me more aware of where my car is though, cause I put a bad dent into my BRZ pulling in one day and I still think about it every time I'm pulling in.

You all are crazy! Whenever I go to park, I find two spots as talked about in the "pull-through" but instead I back in from the first spot into the next... I'm gonna call it the "Reverse Through."
You'll be amazed at the looks you get!

I've read enough of your posts to know you prefer to pull out.

Been valeting for almost 3 years now through college. I can only back into spots. Its so much easier to monitor where you are just by looking at each of your side mirrors. You also have more control on how your car turns into the spot.