Just passed my driving test, now I need parking help!!

bethg2009

I passed my driving test last week quite confidently, with only two minor faults, and since have been driving my little 12 year old Micra here there and everywhere :j
I am quite confident in my actual driving abilities on the road and whilst this is fine I just can't seem to park my car and then when I do manage to park it, I have the same bother getting back out again! I always seem to be at the wrong angles. :mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

I just can not get it in my head in what direction I need to steer and how much steering is needed I am sooo frustrated it's putting me off getting back out there.

Any advice, hints or tips would be brilliant.

They do say you only start and learn how to drive once you've passed your test lol

vax2002

Can we have the name of the test centre you passed at please so I can book my lad in.

dacouch

Why don'y you ask your old driving instructor for another hours lesson of parking ?

Meepster

Why not go onto a car park and just spend a couple of hours practicing? Just chose a quiet part of the car park and chose a space that has no other cars around it. Once you can park well into a completely empty space, it will make parking where other cars are present even easier...

shaun_from_Africa

See if you can get hold of a few bollards and set these up somewhere and practice parking between them.
You can space them well apart and as you start getting the hang of it, move them in closer a bit at a time.

Mr_Smith_3

They don't teach you how to park your car these days? I think the advice above is best; practice, practice, practice

wba31

What kind of parking are you talking about? If it's bay parking my only advice is reverse in every time. I used to own 1988 Nissan Micra's and have got bigger and bigger cars, and always reversing in is the simplest way. It may require more effort to begin with, but means getting out is simple.
with parallel parking, my driving instructor was a genius, and when i pull up outside my house and have to parallel park into a space, i hear his voice talk me through the method... i havent mastered accelerating up the road and performing a handbrake turn into the space yet...

but as people have already said, practice. and if you're unsure on distances etc, dont be afraid to put the handbrake on, pop into neutral and get out to have a quick look... better that that damaging your car on a post/wall/car

Crazy_Jamie

Meepster wrote: »

Why not go onto a car park and just spend a couple of hours practicing? Just chose a quiet part of the car park and chose a space that has no other cars around it. Once you can park well into a completely empty space, it will make parking where other cars are present even easier...

I would go along with this. The technique for reversing into a car parking space (which I always do where possible) is more or less the technique for reversing around a corner, so you already know how to do it. It's just a matter of practice at this point. Learning the dimensions of your car, how it moves, and how much steering to apply is all a matter of experience. It can be inherently difficult to grasp because when reversing into a space the bit of the car that turns (i.e. the front wheels) is not where you're looking, so it really is a case of doing it enough times that you learn how the car moves. Eventually it should become second nature.

spiro

From memory (learnt 35 years ago) with parallel parking you reverse until 1/3rd of your car is behind the car you are parking behind, turn in for the next 1/3rd and turn the other way for the last 1/3rd.

Whilst google returns descriptions of how to park on UK website, this one from the States includes diagrams (you just need to swap left and right). http://www.fearlessdriver.com/stresslessparallelparking.html

don9999

Am I the 'only' person to think that it is 'usually' better to drive into a car parking space FORWARDS, rather than backwards?

I often see people advising to 'reverse' into a parking space, because it makes driving out simple.
I agree with the second bit, because, of course, driving forward is easy (you can see where you're going).
But it means the initial reversing into the parking space is more difficult (reversing isn't particularly difficult for 'me' or many other people, but I DO appreciate that it is difficult for many people, and certainly more difficult that driving forward).

So...why do 'I' recommend driving FORWARDS in to a parking space?

Well firstly, you are driving forwards, so can see where you're going, so is relatively simple. (In many car parks, I am prepared effectively to do a mini-three point turn if necessary, to get into a space forwards. ie. drive forwards turning into the space; if it is tight or awkward, reverse a little continuing the turn; finally drive straight into the space. Is very simple.)

Secondly.....getting out. YES. You DO have to reverse. But......you are reversing into a BIG space. NOT reversing into a tiny parking space. Surely it is MUCH simpler to reverse OUT of a parking space (where you are reversing into a big space without cars on either side) that it is if you are reversing IN to a parking space where you have to avoid cars on either side?

I often see people trying to reverse into a space, and having a lot of difficulty. They inch backwards, trying to look over both shoulders. Never sure where the back of the car is. Forwards, backwards, forwards, backwards. Inch by inch by inch.

Sometimes I see friends doing it and when asked they say they do it so that it's easier to drive out afterwards. It's only when I point out the irony of the situation, that they realise it would be a lot simpler to drive FORWARDS into the parking space, and then the reverse out afterwards is very simple - quick reverse out, and drive off. SIMPLES.

SailorSam

wba31 wrote: »

What kind of parking are you talking about? If it's bay parking my only advice is reverse in every time. I used to own 1988 Nissan Micra's and have got bigger and bigger cars, and always reversing in is the simplest way. It may require more effort to begin with, but means getting out is simple.

One of my pet hates, people who drive into parking bays and always end up at a angle so if you're parked next to them you struggle to get out.
Or at home they drive onto their paths and expect to be let out when they're reversing into the road, I always give way and let people out, but only when they're coming out forwards.