# Is there a street-legal car I can buy in the US with back-wheel steering? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 2, 2010, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-street-legal-car-i-can-buy-in-the-us-with-back-wheel-steering/548940 "2010-08-02T21:51:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-street-legal-car-i-can-buy-in-the-us-with-back-wheel-steering/548940/1 "2010-08-02T21:51:02Z")
I’m sick of trying to back out of parking spaces. I want to just steer out of one at same angle as I used to get into the space. Is there a street-legal car I can get in the US that allows me to switch to a back-wheel steering mode? ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-street-legal-car-i-can-buy-in-the-us-with-back-wheel-steering/548940/2 "2010-08-02T21:57:51Z")
[Honda Prelude - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_Prelude) The 88 to 91 Prelude had 4 wheel steering. There may be some still on the road. ---
**Author:** ![GHO57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df788c/32.png) [@GHO57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GHO57)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-street-legal-car-i-can-buy-in-the-us-with-back-wheel-steering/548940/3 "2010-08-02T22:08:04Z")
Here…some with 4ws only active in high speeds, > **[Steering | Four-wheel steering](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steering#Four-wheel_steering)** > > Four-wheel steering is a system employed by some vehicles to improve steering response, increase vehicle stability while maneuvering at high speed, or to decrease turning radius at low speed. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-street-legal-car-i-can-buy-in-the-us-with-back-wheel-steering/548940/4 "2010-08-02T22:22:52Z")
There were a few 3-wheeled vehicles that had rear-steering, but I don’t know if they were street legal in the US. ---
**Author:** ![GHO57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df788c/32.png) [@GHO57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GHO57)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-street-legal-car-i-can-buy-in-the-us-with-back-wheel-steering/548940/5 "2010-08-02T22:29:28Z")
> [@GHO57](#): > > Here…some with 4ws only active in high speeds, > [Steering - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steering#Four-wheel_steering) It was supposed to read…“Here…some with 4ws only active in high speeds, some with low speed 4ws, some with both.” Apparently I pasted the URL while having a part of the text selected. I’s a noob. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-street-legal-car-i-can-buy-in-the-us-with-back-wheel-steering/548940/6 "2010-08-02T22:43:04Z")
> [@GHO57](#): > > > [@GHO57](#): > > > > Here…some with 4ws only active in high speeds, > > [Steering - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steering#Four-wheel_steering) > > It was supposed to read…“Here…some with 4ws only active in high speeds, some with low speed 4ws, some with both.” > > Apparently I pasted the URL while having a part of the text selected. > > I’s a noob. Thanks! I can actually afford some of those, always a plus! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Fubaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2010, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-street-legal-car-i-can-buy-in-the-us-with-back-wheel-steering/548940/7 "2010-08-03T01:17:05Z")
Test drive them well first. I’ve driven those GMCs with qudrasteer and it’s very strange watching the rear move sideways when backing into a space. I could whip a regular truck into a space faster than carefully watching every corner of one of those with 4ws. Sounds like you’re more interested in something smaller though. Also, I wouldn’t call the Infinity Gs on that wiki list “active” 4ws. IIRC, it is more like a flex in the rear suspension that causes the wheels to pivot slightly when cornering. I doubt it’s even linked to the steering. I guess it depends on the definition of “active”. I’ve never heard of 4ws on many of those cars so I bet a lot have that little bit of flex, or whatever, and aren’t directly rear-steerable. ---
**Author:** ![rogerbox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/76d3ee/32.png) [@rogerbox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rogerbox)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2010, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-street-legal-car-i-can-buy-in-the-us-with-back-wheel-steering/548940/8 "2010-08-03T02:01:37Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > I’m sick of trying to back out of parking spaces. I want to just steer out of one at same angle as I used to get into the space. Is there a street-legal car I can get in the US that allows me to switch to a back-wheel steering mode? Why dont you just back INTO the space instead of buying some expensive weiro car? I hate backing out of spaces too, because I have a tuned car with a manual transmission that is a pain in the ass to slowly reverse. (I remember an SDMB thread where some genius hated to see people “bragging” about backing into a parking space. I love how insecure people can turn a flaw like shitty drivig ability into an asset…human nature is strange like that, but I digress.) ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2010, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-street-legal-car-i-can-buy-in-the-us-with-back-wheel-steering/548940/9 "2010-08-03T04:41:47Z")
How about a SmartCar? IIRC, they are so short you can often park perpendicular to the curb. Or, get a high end Lexus that parallel parks itself 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![ivn1188](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e480ec/32.png) [@ivn1188](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivn1188)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2010, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-street-legal-car-i-can-buy-in-the-us-with-back-wheel-steering/548940/10 "2010-08-03T05:56:44Z")
> [@julius blaze](#): > > > [@YogSosoth](#): > > > > I’m sick of trying to back out of parking spaces. I want to just steer out of one at same angle as I used to get into the space. Is there a street-legal car I can get in the US that allows me to switch to a back-wheel steering mode? > > Why dont you just back INTO the space instead of buying some expensive weiro car? I hate backing out of spaces too, because I have a tuned car with a manual transmission that is a pain in the ass to slowly reverse. > > (I remember an SDMB thread where some genius hated to see people “bragging” about backing into a parking space. I love how insecure people can turn a flaw like shitty drivig ability into an asset…human nature is strange like that, but I digress.) People backing into spaces is annoying because a) they are aiming the wrong way if the spaces are angled, and b) because their exhaust blows directly onto the car in the opposite space. This is why many garages allow head-in parking only. ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2010, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-street-legal-car-i-can-buy-in-the-us-with-back-wheel-steering/548940/11 "2010-08-03T13:37:11Z")
> [@ivn1188](#): > > People backing into spaces is annoying because a) they are aiming the wrong way if the spaces are angled, and b) because their exhaust blows directly onto the car in the opposite space. This is why many garages allow head-in parking only. If the spaces are angled, then it becomes much easier to back out of the space, so I agree that backing in to the space should not be used in that situation. But why is b) a problem? I can only imagine you are concerned about the exhaust getting the other car dirty. But if you exhaust is dirty enough to cause that, you need to fix your car. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2010, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-street-legal-car-i-can-buy-in-the-us-with-back-wheel-steering/548940/12 "2010-08-03T14:37:36Z")
> [@ivn1188](#): > > People backing into spaces is annoying because a) they are aiming the wrong way if the spaces are angled, and **b) because their exhaust blows directly onto the car in the opposite space. This is why many garages allow head-in parking only.** Bolding mine, Uh. Cite? That makes no sense. I suspect it’s because if it’s crowded, and someone is right on your butt looking for a spot too, if you pull forward enough to back in, it can cause a traffic jam wherein other people have to back up too. Can’t find a cite for that though. Really doubt it’s because of exhaust. Too bad really, often, backing in is your best bet. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2010, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-street-legal-car-i-can-buy-in-the-us-with-back-wheel-steering/548940/13 "2010-08-03T14:49:04Z")
> [@ivn1188](#): > > This is why many garages allow head-in parking only. I always figured it was to do with license plates. Not all states require a front plate. If the cars are parked nose-in, the lot attendant can just drive down the aisle and see all the plates on the backs of the cars. Or maybe it’s the police. I actually got a ticket for being backed into a space once. It was bullshit. ---
**Author:** ![rogerbox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/76d3ee/32.png) [@rogerbox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rogerbox)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2010, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-street-legal-car-i-can-buy-in-the-us-with-back-wheel-steering/548940/14 "2010-08-03T14:53:24Z")
> [@ivn1188](#): > > People backing into spaces is annoying because a) they are aiming the wrong way if the spaces are angled Can you explain what you mean by this? I pull into ANY parking space COMPLETELY in the center and parallel between the two lines, it doesn’t matter whether they’re angled or straight. Also, my exhaust getting on other cars reason: :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2010, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-street-legal-car-i-can-buy-in-the-us-with-back-wheel-steering/548940/15 "2010-08-03T15:19:21Z")
> [@julius blaze](#): > > Can you explain what you mean by this? I pull into ANY parking space COMPLETELY in the center and parallel between the two lines, it doesn’t matter whether they’re angled or straight. I think the idea is that in parking lots where the spaces are in a herringbone pattern, it’s natural for each aisle to flow in one direction. (Drive down the aisle looking for an open space, turn 45 degrees left or right to park, when you’re leaving, back out of the space and proceed in the original direction.) It wouldn’t surprise me if those parking lots even have thinner lanes, since they’re shouldn’t be any need for cars going in opposite directions to squeeze past each other. If you’re backed into a spot in such a lot, you’ll naturally drive out in the wrong direction for that aisle. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2010, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-street-legal-car-i-can-buy-in-the-us-with-back-wheel-steering/548940/16 "2010-08-03T16:14:14Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > If you’re backed into a spot in such a lot, you’ll naturally drive out in the wrong direction for that aisle. And, in order to have backed into such a spot in the first place, you would have had to either: a) been driving the wrong way up the aisle originally b) made a very tight turn to back into the space (i.e., more than a 90-degree turn) ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2010, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-street-legal-car-i-can-buy-in-the-us-with-back-wheel-steering/548940/17 "2010-08-03T17:17:13Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > And, in order to have backed into such a spot in the first place, you would have had to either: > a) been driving the wrong way up the aisle originally > b) made a very tight turn to back into the space (i.e., more than a 90-degree turn) Not necessarily; you may have [sprewed](http://www.addictionary.com/words/930/sprew) it. ---
**Author:** ![rogerbox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/76d3ee/32.png) [@rogerbox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rogerbox)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2010, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-street-legal-car-i-can-buy-in-the-us-with-back-wheel-steering/548940/18 "2010-08-03T17:18:55Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > If you’re backed into a spot in such a lot, you’ll naturally drive out in the wrong direction for that aisle. This is not an issue if you only pull out of the parking space when there is plenty of room, which is what I would do because to stay safe I assume all other drivers are asleep at the wheel. ---
**Author:** ![rogerbox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/76d3ee/32.png) [@rogerbox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rogerbox)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2010, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-street-legal-car-i-can-buy-in-the-us-with-back-wheel-steering/548940/19 "2010-08-03T17:20:55Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > And, in order to have backed into such a spot in the first place, you would have had to either: > a) been driving the wrong way up the aisle originally If both lanes are clear of cars and it is safe to do so, you only need to veer slightly into the other lane to back into a space (unless you can do it at a sharp angle). I wouldn’t back in unless there was plenty of room to do so already. ---
**Author:** ![gurujulp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ba9def/32.png) [@gurujulp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gurujulp)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2010, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-street-legal-car-i-can-buy-in-the-us-with-back-wheel-steering/548940/20 "2010-08-03T17:21:54Z")
> [@ivn1188](#): > > > [@julius blaze](#): > > > > Why dont you just back INTO the space instead of buying some expensive weiro car? I hate backing out of spaces too, because I have a tuned car with a manual transmission that is a pain in the ass to slowly reverse. > > > > (I remember an SDMB thread where some genius hated to see people “bragging” about backing into a parking space. I love how insecure people can turn a flaw like shitty drivig ability into an asset…human nature is strange like that, but I digress.) > > People backing into spaces is annoying because a) they are aiming the wrong way if the spaces are angled, and b) because their exhaust blows directly onto the car in the opposite space. This is why many garages allow head-in parking only. When I was a delivery driver, the reason “Don’t back into spaces!” was posted at some companies was because the payload on explosive force was much greater from a bomb in the trunk if you backed into a space facing a building or support structure. Didn’t have anything to do with exhaust. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-street-legal-car-i-can-buy-in-the-us-with-back-wheel-steering/548940.md?page=2)