Maui Leads Nation's Counties in Back-In Parking {NRL}

A national study of parking lot habits by Americans found that more motorists on Maui back into parking spaces than in any other county in the United States.

"We heard a rumor about this not long ago, and I guess this study confirms it," said Rey Makeaka, director of environmental services for the County of Maui's department of Public Works. "Maybe we can use it to our advantage in future planning."

The study, by the Institute of Motorist Habits, was released Wednesday at a time when reducing carbon emissions is high on the nation's priority list.

As part of the study, the institute wanted to find out which areas have the most annoying backing-in trend in the nation.

Maui County ranked No. 1, with approximately half of its cars parked backward in local parking lots, or into their driveway.

Officials are unsure what it means, if anything.

"I mean, it's annoying when you're behind someone trying to find a spot, then they brake so you get excited anticipating that they'll get out of the way, but then ... You see those white reverse lights!" said JoAnn McClanahan of Kahului, while visiting Starbucks at the Queen's mall. "And then they back up all slow, because it's harder to park near other cars that way. It's a time-drainer around here."

"I mean, any parking action will require at least one backing up segment, whether while first parking, or else while getting out of a spot,"Makeaka said. "So it's kind of a wash in terms of air pollution matters. But, perhaps it's high up on the annoyance list for regular straight-in parkers. Maybe, if everyone parked straight in like parking lots were designed for, there would be less stress and fewer troubling incidents out in our parking lots."

Back-in parkers said they don't intend to change. "It's makes it easier to leave easily, man," said Johan Baraves of Wailuku, in his raised Toyota Tacoma as he backed into a spot.