VIC Reverse Parking INTO a parking bag

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8 November 2017
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Hi ,
I was in a minor fender bender in a parking lot today. See a free car space to my left , indicate , pull up a little past it and put the car in reverse to back into the car park & the car behind me for what ever reason was over the space i was backing into and I clipped his front end, am I at fault for reversing into him or should he have given way to me whilst I was reverse Parking into a spot ? Help !
 

Rob Legat - SBPL

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Not sure of the road rules in Victoria, but the general rule is that if you're reversing in a lane you need to give way to all oncoming traffic.

I had a similar thing happen to me a couple of years ago. As I was turning into a driveway at a parking lot, a guy who had gone past decided he wanted to go in there too and reversed into me. He was deemed at fault by the insurers.
 

Clancy

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6 April 2016
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Not sure of the road rules in Victoria, but the general rule is that if you're reversing in a lane you need to give way to all oncoming traffic.

I had a similar thing happen to me a couple of years ago. As I was turning into a driveway at a parking lot, a guy who had gone past decided he wanted to go in there too and reversed into me. He was deemed at fault by the insurers.

Actually the OP is talking about a reverse park, which is a specific procedure. The cars behind have to give way.
I would say, so long as the OP indicated his intention according to proper procedure then the car behind is actually at fault! If the OP 'suddenly' decided to park there and not give proper time for the cars behind to give way, then the OP is at fault.
 
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Rob Legat - SBPL

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I don't think it matters that the reverse park is a "specific procedure", and that term isn't used anywhere in the Victorian Road Rules that I can see. However, Rule 296 does say, "The driver of a vehicle must not reverse the vehicle unless the driver can do so safely."
 
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Clancy

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I don't think it matters that the reverse park is a "specific procedure", and that term isn't used anywhere in the Victorian Road Rules that I can see. However, Rule 296 does say, "The driver of a vehicle must not reverse the vehicle unless the driver can do so safely."

Oh ic... well in NSW a reverse park is a specific procedure you need to learn when you get your drivers license. .... and it is clearly stated you must give way to a car in front doing a reverse park.
 

GC.

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Oh ic... well in NSW a reverse park is a specific procedure you need to learn when you get your drivers license. .... and it is clearly stated you must give way to a car in front doing a reverse park.

Clearly stated?
I'm in NSW and I've never heard of this before. In fact, I was under the impression that any vehicle reversing was required to give way to everyone else.
I searched through the "Road Users Handbook" (the one that the RMS issues to people who are about to do their L's test), and the Road Rules in NSW Legislation and I found nothing about giving way to a vehicle doing a reverse park (although I did find rule 296 with the exact same wording as the Victorian rule 296).

If this is "clearly stated" somewhere, can you please provide a reference to it?
 

Tim W

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Hi ,
I was in a minor fender bender in a parking lot today. See a free car space to my left , indicate , pull up a little past it and put the car in reverse to back into the car park & the car behind me for what ever reason was over the space i was backing into and I clipped his front end, am I at fault for reversing into him or should he have given way to me whilst I was reverse Parking into a spot ? Help !
You are at fault.
 

Clancy

Well-Known Member
6 April 2016
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Clearly stated?
I'm in NSW and I've never heard of this before. In fact, I was under the impression that any vehicle reversing was required to give way to everyone else.
I searched through the "Road Users Handbook" (the one that the RMS issues to people who are about to do their L's test), and the Road Rules in NSW Legislation and I found nothing about giving way to a vehicle doing a reverse park (although I did find rule 296 with the exact same wording as the Victorian rule 296).

If this is "clearly stated" somewhere, can you please provide a reference to it?

That is what i was taught, but i just googled it and found nothing! Ok cool, from now on i wont have to bother giving way to people doing reverse park, woohoo!