# pull in, pull out and pull over



## kenny4528

Hi, dear all
She _pulled in_ to let the ambulance pass.

I was wondering whether ''pull in'', ''pull out'' and ''put over'' are interchangeable?

She _pulled out_ to let the ambulance pass.
or
She _pulled over_ to let the ambulance pass.

Many thanks.


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## vachecow

If she was driving on a road, it would be _*pulled over*_

_pulled in_ and _pulled out_ don't make sense you say where she is "pulling"


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## kenny4528

vachecow said:


> If she was driving on a road, it would be _*pulled over*_
> 
> _pulled in_ and _pulled out_ don't make sense you say where she is "pulling"


Hi, but this sentence ''She _pulled in_ to let the ambulance pass.''is an example in a dictionary.
I rephrased this sentence by putting ''put over'' and ''put out'' in it.


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## Sallyb36

no,
Pull in = to steer towards the kerb into a lay-by.
To pull out = to steer away from the kerb
To pull over = to steer towards the kerb


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## Zob

To "pull in" means pretty much the same as "pull over", which is probably more US usage. It means to move _out of_ the traffic flow and stop.

To "pull out" means the opposite: to move _into_ the traffic flow.


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## kenny4528

Sallyb36 said:


> no,
> Pull in = to steer towards the kerb into a lay-by.
> To pull out = to steer away from the kerb
> To pull over = to steer towards the kerb


Sorry, I am not so intelligent that I don't understand what you mean.


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## difficult cuss

Pull in, to drive away from the centre of the road
Pull over, to drive away from the centre of the road, possibly to do so and then stop.
Pull out, to drive toward the centre of the road, or to start to drive from a parking position onto the road, or to drive from a side-road onto the main road (etc)


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## kenny4528

Zob said:


> To "pull in" means pretty much the same as "pull over", which is probably more US usage. It means to move _out of_ the traffic flow and stop.
> That is the same as I thought


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## kenny4528

difficult cuss said:


> Pull in, to drive away from the centre of the road
> Pull over, to drive away from the centre of the road, possibly to do so and then stop.
> Pull out, to drive toward the centre of the road, or to start to drive from a parking position onto the road, or to drive from a side-road onto the main road (etc)


But it is how my dictionary defines ''pull in'':
if a driver pulls in, they move to the side of the road and _stop_
This definition is pretty much like ''pull over''.


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## difficult cuss

Yes indeed when one "pulls in", stopping can be a part of it, but you did ask about three phrases.
I was simply assisting by offering slightly different explanations than the previous ones, as you stated that you did not understand them.


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## kenny4528

Now I was confused about terms ''pull in'' and ''put over''.
To myself, ''pull over'' seems a more common term in usage.


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## Sallyb36

If you are just steering towards the kerb and stopping it would be pull over.  Pull in indicates that there is a lay-by or similar to pull into.


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## kenny4528

difficult cuss said:


> Yes indeed when one "pulls in", stopping can be a part of it, but you did ask about three phrases.
> I was simply assisting by offering slightly different explanations than the previous ones, as you stated that you did not understand them.


 
Hi, so ''pull in'' and ''pull over'' are basically interchangeable?


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## kenny4528

Sallyb36 said:


> If you are just steering towards the kerb and stopping it would be pull over. Pull in indicates that there is a lay-by or similar to pull into.


So pull over implied ''suddenly stoped ''?


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## Sallyb36

It could be either pulled in or pulled over in this case.


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## kenny4528

Sallyb36 said:


> It could be either pulled in or pulled over in this case.


I got it.Thanks you all.
Have a nice day.


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## JamesM

I'd like to raise a small voice for a possibility that "pull in" means something different in AE than BE.

In my experience, "pulled in" in AE means to leave the roadway entirely in order to enter some other place - a parking lot, a driveway, an entrance road, a garage. 

"Pulled over" is the same for me - it means to drive to the side of the road and stop, but "pulled in" and "pulled over" are not synonymous in my AE experience.

She pulled in to the parking lot. 
She pulled over to the parking lot.   (doesn't make sense to me)


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## kenny4528

JamesM said:


> I'd like to raise a small voice for a possibility that "pull in" means something different in AE than BE.
> 
> In my experience, "pulled in" in AE means to leave the roadway entirely in order to enter some other place - a parking lot, a driveway, an entrance road, a garage.
> 
> "Pulled over" is the same for me - it means to drive to the side of the road and stop, but "pulled in" and "pulled over" are not synonymous in my AE experience.
> 
> She pulled in to the parking lot.
> She pulled over to the parking lot.  (doesn't make sense to me)


Thanks for your opinion.
That really helped.


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## winklepicker

JamesM said:


> I'd like to raise a small voice for a possibility that "pull in" means something different in AE than BE.


Thank you James - I was dying for someone to say that.

AE _pull over_ = BE _pull in._ (Traditionally, at least, though like many things - Iraq, anyone? - Britain tends to follow where the US leads.)

_Pull out_ is the opposite of _pull over/pull in._

If that helps. I always liked the name of a shop near here that sold jerseys. It was called _Pulloveria_.


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## kenny4528

winklepicker said:


> Thank you James - I was dying for someone to say that.
> 
> AE _pull over_ = BE _pull in._ (Traditionally, at least, though like many things - Iraq, anyone? - Britain tends to follow where the US leads.)
> 
> _Pull out_ is the opposite of _pull over/pull in._
> 
> If that helps. I always liked the name of a shop near here that sold jerseys. It was called _Pulloveria_.


_Hi,could you kindly tell me what this sentence means?_ (Traditionally, at least, though like many things - Iraq, anyone? - Britain tends to follow where the US leads.)


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## Packard

I believe that in American English (at least in the greater New York region) that "Pull over" often has the connotation of a directive. That is, your passenger might say, "Pull over right here". Or the the police might say, "Pull over to the side of the road immediately!"

Also, "Pulled over" can have the connotation of "apprehended", as in the phrase, "The police pulled him over for exceeding the speed limit."


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## Orange Blossom

My two cents addition:

She _pulled *into* _the parking lot.  <-- I wouldn't use _pull *in* _though perhaps it is used in every day speech. This is because _into_ is used when going from outside something into something else.  _In_ is used when you are already in whatever it is.  This, however, is subject for another topic.  Note that JamesM's sentence actually uses _in to.

_With the use of _into_, I can say:

She was scared to _pull into_ the traffic. <-- She was scared to enter the traffic.

_Pull in_ your horns. <-- Slow down.

_Pull in_ your horses.  <-- Slow down.

I had to _pull over_ to let the ambulance pass.  <-- The driver leaves the lane and goes to the side of the road.

My dad successfully _pulled_ the car _over_ after we got hit. <-- He got the out of the traffic and onto the side of the road.

She _pulled up_ to the curb. <--  _Pulled up_ is generally used when someone is in the act of parking.  A curb, store or some other destination is used with the phrase _pull up_.  _Pull over_ does not suggest stopping in itself.  Nor does it suggest the presence of a curb though there might be one.  You can _pull over_ on a highway, but you cannot _pull up_ to a curb on a highway.

She _pulled up_ to the pharmacy. <-- Her destination is the pharmacy.

She _pulled into_ the last parking spot on the street. <-- The focus is the parking spot she is entering, not the traffic she is leaving.  This is why I don't use _pull over_.  I also am not using _pull up_ because my focus is the parking spot, not the curb or the business or home she will enter.

Orange Blossom


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## kenny4528

Orange Blossom said:


> My two cents addition:
> 
> She _pulled *into* _the parking lot. <-- I wouldn't use _pull *in* _though perhaps it is used in every day speech. This is because _into_ is used when going from outside something into something else. _In_ is used when you are already in whatever it is. This, however, is subject for another topic. Note that JamesM's sentence actually uses _in to._
> 
> With the use of _into_, I can say:
> 
> She was scared to _pull into_ the traffic. <-- She was scared to enter the traffic.
> 
> _Pull in_ your horns. <-- Slow down.
> 
> _Pull in_ your horses. <-- Slow down.
> 
> I had to _pull over_ to let the ambulance pass. <-- The driver leaves the lane and goes to the side of the road.
> 
> My dad successfully _pulled_ the car _over_ after we got hit. <-- He got the out of the traffic and onto the side of the road.
> 
> She _pulled up_ to the curb. <-- _Pulled up_ is generally used when someone is in the act of parking. A curb, store or some other destination is used with the phrase _pull up_. _Pull over_ does not suggest stopping in itself. Nor does it suggest the presence of a curb though there might be one. You can _pull over_ on a highway, but you cannot _pull up_ to a curb on a highway.
> 
> She _pulled up_ to the pharmacy. <-- Her destination is the pharmacy.
> 
> She _pulled into_ the last parking spot on the street. <-- The focus is the parking spot she is entering, not the traffic she is leaving. This is why I don't use _pull over_. I also am not using _pull up_ because my focus is the parking spot, not the curb or the business or home she will enter.
> 
> Orange Blossom


_You are very humble._
_You opinion always seems helpful to me^_^_


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## difficult cuss

Oh Winklepicker, you do dig yourself into these holes! I concur though with your suggestion.


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## AWordLover

As I read through this thread, I planned to make the AE case that we use *pull in* when referring to things like parking spaces. When I read Orange Blossom's comments I realized she was right and I use *pull into*.

If I were _driving_ from the front passenger seat and noticed an empty parking spot I might say, "Pull *in/into* there.". I don't think I have a preference.

AWordLover


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## Forero

In relation to driving, we [in Arkansas] use "pull in" for entering a place (such as a parking garage) and "pull out" for exiting.  We use "Pull over" for moving [over] to the side of the road where it is safe to stop.  A policeman's order to "pull over" usually means to "pull over and stop".  It seems to be a metaphor for pulling a wagon, as if one were a horse.  "Pull out" can also be used when you need an opposite for "pull over", which does not have an opposite otherwise.  In this case, "pull out" refers to leaving a place of relative protection.

You can "pull in" to a driveway from a street or "pull out" of the driveway onto/into a street.  You can "pull over" to the side of the road or "pull back out" [back = as before, again] into the traffic lanes.

Using the same language, you can "pull in" to a parking space or "pull out" into the parking lot at large.


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## Macunaíma

difficult cuss said:


> Pull in, to drive away from the centre of the road
> Pull out, to drive toward the centre of the road, or to start to drive from a parking position onto the road, or to drive from a side-road onto the main road


 


winklepicker said:


> _Pull out_ is the opposite of _pull over/pull in._


 


Orange Blossom said:


> She was scared to _pull into_ the traffic. <-- She was scared to enter the traffic.


 


Forero said:


> "Pull out" can also be used when you need an opposite for "pull over", which does not have an opposite otherwise.


 
I'm sorry to bring this up again, but I really need to sort this out in my head...

So, apparently, both _pull in_ and _pull out_ can be used to mean _enter the traffic flow_, depending on the perspective of who's saying the sentence, right? I'm afraid I haven't been clear at all...

If, for instance, I'm telling you that I pulled over at the lay-by and then I _pulled _back _into_ traffic, then it's OK to say_ pull in_, right?

If, on the other hand, I'm telling you that I was was already on the main road driving absent-mindedly and then a car suddenly_ pulled out_ in front of me, then it's OK to use _pull out_, right?

Both mean _get into the traffic flow_, but the perspectives are different. Are both correctly used?

I'd be very happy if someone could give it a short reply.


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## JamesM

"Pull into traffic" is not the same as "pull in". To my mind, it's essentially "pull _out_ into traffic" with the "out" omitted. I hope that helps.

In other words "pull in", in my experience, means to leave the road.  If someone said "pull in" to me I would assume they wanted to me to leave the road and either stop at the side of the road or enter the next driveway I see.


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## Joobs

Orange Blossom said:


> She was scared to _pull into_ the traffic. <-- She was scared to enter the traffic.



She was scared to _pull *out,* into_ the traffic.


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## Joobs

Macunaíma said:


> I'm sorry to bring this up again, but I really need to sort this out in my head...
> 
> So, apparently, both _pull in_ and _pull out_ can be used to mean _enter the traffic flow_, depending on the perspective of who's saying the sentence, right? I'm afraid I haven't been clear at all...


No, and perspective doesn't matter.

"Pull in" = a vehicle leaving the flow, "Pull out" = entering the flow

Try thinking of it as coming in (pull in) and going out (pull out) and it may help you to remember which is which.



> If, for instance, I'm telling you that I pulled over at the lay-by and then I _pulled _back _into_ traffic, then it's OK to say_ pull in_, right?


You would say

"I pulled into a lay-by and then pulled back out, into the traffic."



> If, on the other hand, I'm telling you that I was was already on the main road driving absent-mindedly and then a car suddenly_ pulled out_ in front of me, then it's OK to use _pull out_, right?



Yes


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## Forero

Orange Blossom said:


> ... Note that JamesM's sentence actually uses _in to_.
> 
> [/I]With the use of _into_, I can say:
> 
> She was scared to _pull into_ the traffic. <-- She was scared to enter the traffic.
> ...


Yes, "pull into" is not the same as "pull in (to)".  We have been discussing the adverbs "out", "in", and "over" after "pull" when referring to vehicular motion.  Prepositional phrases are another matter entirely:

"We pulled (the car) over the railroad embankment."
"They pulled their boat out of the water directly into oncoming traffic." 

I understand "to pull into the traffic", but I would say "to pull out into the traffic" to accurately represent the danger of such a manoeuvre.


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## zhonglin

Hi,

Can I possibly say, he pulled out on me so we crashed together"?


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## Forero

zhonglin said:


> Hi,
> 
> Can I possibly say, he pulled out on me so we crashed together"?


That almost makes sense, but it sounds like "Chinglish".

I don't know what you mean to say, but maybe "on" is the wrong preposition. And maybe "we crashed together" should be "we crashed into each other."


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## zhonglin

Forero said:


> That almost makes sense, but it sounds like "Chinglish".
> 
> I don't know what you mean to say, but maybe "on" is the wrong preposition. And maybe "we crashed together" should be "we crashed into each other."



Thanks for your advice, is there other casual way to say " "we crashed into each other.?


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## Packard

zhonglin said:


> Thanks for your advice, is there other casual way to say " "we crashed into each other.?



"We crashed into each other." sounds entirely colloquial to me.  (AE)


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## zhonglin

Packard said:


> "We crashed into each other." sounds entirely colloquial to me.  (AE)



I see. Would it change the meaning when we say "we crashed".. just wondering. =]


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## Packard

zhonglin said:


> I see. Would it change the meaning when we say "we crashed".. just wondering. =]



"We crashed" could mean one car with two occupants or two cars.  Ambiguous.

_Mike and I left the bar; Mike was driving too fast and he lost control and we crashed.

Mike and I left the bar after too many drinks.  We got in our cars and before we left the parking lot we crashed.  Two cars--totaled._


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## Forero

zhonglin said:


> Hi,
> 
> Can I possibly say, he pulled out on me so we crashed together"?


Please provide context and tell us what you want "pulled out on me" to mean.


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## zhonglin

Forero said:


> Please provide context and tell us what you want "pulled out on me" to mean.



When he pulled out into the road on which I'm driving so we crashed into each other"


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## zhonglin

Packard said:


> "We crashed" could mean one car with two occupants or two cars.  Ambiguous.
> 
> _Mike and I left the bar; Mike was driving too fast and he lost control and we crashed.
> 
> Mike and I left the bar after too many drinks.  We got in our cars and before we left the parking lot we crashed.  Two cars--totaled._



This is very helpful. Thanks a lot.


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## Forero

zhonglin said:


> When he pulled out into the road on which I'm driving so we crashed into each other"


"On me" cannot mean "into the road on which I'm driving."

Maybe you mean "He pulled out in front of me and I ran into him."

"Pull out" in this sort of context is an opposite to "pull over" or "pull in". Pulling "out" is something like coming out of a relatively hidden place into a more conspicuous place. The main road is like a clearing or a meadow, "out" of the bushes, "out" of the dense forest. When a rabbit and a fox are hiding in the bush, they do not interact, but when they come out into the open, the fox can eat the rabbit. When a car "pulls out" it is leaving a hidden or protected place and coming out into a place of greater visibility and greater probability of interaction.

The verb "pull" suggests exerting a force in directing a load, as when steering a vehicle.


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