A question about women and reversing?

Question

Basically - why can't they?

I was working on a job the other day and the lady driving the car was actually very good at reversing even reversing around things, but then she drove for a living.

Why is it that most women seem to be encapable of reversing a car or probably anything else for that matter?

Is is something to do with extra blood needed to be supplied to the ovaries and or womb so that part of the brain which deals with reversing is not so enhanced in a woman? I'm not saying it is - it's just a hypothosis. I realise I'm going to get a lot of stick for this question if not have it deleted altogether. I mean my people who don't like cats should be sent to animal laboratories and slowly tortured was axed so why not this?

Anyway, I digress, I would particularly like to hear from a woman who might be able to explain why this might be the case - in amongst the thousands of others I expect calling me a sexist pig!!!

I'd like to give a little more depth to my question, because one of the answerers has accused me of be stupid because I've based my argument on a person's gender.

Well not really. It seems to me, as someone who on and off has been a professional driver that women don't seem to have much spacial awareness generally. When I'm driving out and about in a town, wherever it is, it seems the gender that steps into the road without looking where they're going is women. I have seen men do it, but more often than not it's a woman and you can see they're preoccupied with something by their body language. I've also been told facetiously, ''why should we look where we're going - you men are supposed to be there to protect us"! Well that's one argument I suppose, but if a woman (and I know I'm going to get stick even for the supposition) say is pondering on what she's going to cook for the family tonight, how is that more important than self-preservation. If your dead or end up in accident and

emergency surely logic would dictate the evening meal is academic - but I see women so many times, crossing the road, totally oblivious to the oncoming bus they've just stepped in front of - why is tidying and the way one looks or domestic duties more important than being hit by a bus - please explain?

As a footnote to my earlier comment about us lot protecting women from very large hard moving objects etc., I've seen that too - the man put his arm out as the lady he's with whatever the relationship - to stop her walking into certain death - many times!

Redhead - didn't some of what you were trying to say get edited out by the Yahoo Thought Police - can't check with you, because you seem to be a member of the MCS - see my previous questions for clarification!

Answer 1

It would seem to be simply a function of how much practice a person gets. It is not gender-specific.

Answer 2

In general, women have poorer spatial skills. This is partly based on cultural differences, and as women start playing sports and video games more, we can expect some improvement in that. However, the spatial skills of newborn boys and girls are actually slightly different, so clearly something else is going on there.

Your "blood flow" answer is nonsense. What about the fact that women naturally have better verbal skills? How can they power those skills with the paltry amount of blood their brains are getting? I think men have the market cornered on blood flow to the genital region, if you ask me...LOL Welcome to the *twentieth* century, hun, women are not inherently defecient or faulty in design...that idea went out in the late 1800's.

Many women have good spatial skills. Many others have poor spatial skills. Science has found that there is *some* brain difference based on gender, and spatial skills are one area where there will always be a difference. However, my car insurance is cheaper than my husband's. Want to guess why? Because, based on their own calculations, I am less likely to get into an accident than a man. Food for thought. :-)

Answer 3

Lets see here, a man sets up the stereotype, that women are incapable of learning how to drive in reverse, then blames them for living up to it, then blames their vascular system for being incapable of supplying both ends of their bodies.
And all without more than anecdotal 'proof' or a valid comparison of the male ability to drive in reverse and how long it took him to learn.
Its not that you are a sexist pig, although you do have a bit of self fulfilling prophesy going on, its that you have no proof, and the bit about the blood supply could also apply to a man driving while seeing an attractive woman, as his blood supply could re-route elsewhere too.
Its just a poor question based on a very small fraction of women and obviously no knowledge of biology.
You will also notice that I haven't yet commented on my own observation that because you don't bother with spell check all men can't spell.
And I back up quite well thank you.

Answer 4

I think most women slide through driver's education and teaching from their parents with lots of smiles and hopeful looks. I am 23, and I didn't learn how to reverse properly until this past year. I had to learn how to drive a very large vehicle for my company and the woman training me taught me how to use my mirrors properly, something I should have known all along.

Also, a lot of women just don't drive as much as men. When I was married, my husband drove everywhere that we went together. Now that I am divorced, I am driving myself everywhere and that makes a difference.

Or maybe women just multitask too much?

Answer 5

Bleh - I'm pretty good at reversing, but it did take me a long time to learn.

I am only 5'1", and have a short torso. This means that my field of vision is extremely limited compared to my father's (who is 5'11"). He got very frustrated when teaching me how to drive, because I couldn't do that look-over-the-shoulder thing. He couldn't understand it.

It's not because I am female. It's because I'm short.

I had to teach myself how to drive in reverse using only my mirrors, which will never be quite as effective because of blind spots.

So, IF women are truly not as good as men are, it may not because they are women per se. Women just tend to be shorter than men.

This is compounded by the fact that most of us were taught to drive by our fathers or by male driving instructors. They generally just don't understand - my father literally could not "get" that height has a huge impact on visibility.

It is also compounded by the fact that car manufacturers are more concerned about a tall man's head room (admittedly important) than a short woman's ability to see (also hugely important).

Answer 6

The last person to reverse into My car was a 35 year old Male. Would You believe Me if I were to tell You that it happened at a shopping center and that He is a Police Officer? Do the numbers on that.

Answer 7

I personally have a difficult time backing up for long distances because I am very short (5'ft) and I can't see very well looking backwards.

As far as your question-it isn't so much that it is sexist as that it is a gross generalization. You have stated that 50% of the population can't reverse because of their reproductive organs? That's the stupidty in the question.

Answer 8

women don't have much spatial awareness? hahahahaha!
only a man could look at something 4 inches long and call it 10 inches!

but seriously, i have never had a problem driving in reverse.
it's not only about spatial awareness anyway - it's about being able to think backwards - just like doing something while looking in a mirror.

Answer 9

Have you read men are from mars and women from Venus
theres something about this in there

any ways
i can reverse just fine thanks
and parallel park and for some reason one guy i don't know stopped and watched me once and actually smiled when i did it efficiently

what a cheek

Answer 10

Naturally, men have a greater spatial awareness. This assists in reversing.

But don't get me wrong, anyone can become good at reversing. However, on average (as in it does not apply to everyone) a man will be able to learn to reverse more easily due to this natural (not always) greater spatial awareness they have by default (as in one can overcome it).

Answer 11

Im ffemale and i am also very good at reversing. Im better at pararell parking than my boyfriend. He is rubbish at pararell parking in between 2 parked cars.

He always says there isn't enough room. So i have to do it and get it in with no problems.