Parallel parking

chrisw

I didn't even realise there was a method, I thought it was something you just did.

engineer_amy

I don't use a method, it was always just trial and error to start, until I learnt how much the car moved when I turned the wheel this much etc. it is all about judging the size of the space, how much lock you need to put on to swing the nose in.


My first batch of lessons were in my mums estate car, it was a beast to park, but because I got used to parking a massive car early on, it meant I can now park almost anything in really tight spaces.


only suggestions I have are to practice as often as you can. not always easy on a busy road. possibly try to find a quiet cul-de-sac where you wont have a queue of traffic behind you while you do the manoeuvre. Or failing that, round up two friends and their cars, go to a local industrial estate on a sunday afternoon when there is minimal traffic and get them to park at the curb with varying distances between them while you try to parallel park between the cars.

loskie

get some extra lessons and ask the instructor to specifically focus on this and any other areas you are worried about. It will work out cheaper than having a minor parking bump and now the pressure of passing your test is off you may find learning easier.
Or find an empty car park at night and parallel park between cones.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhMq8jDr3HI

IamNotAllowedToUseMyName

FWIW, I have never got the park assist on my Merc to convince me it is doing it right (it gives you prompts but it clearly works to a different scheme than I do).

The principle you are trying to get is to get the rear wheels to about 1/3 in the space at a shallowish angle, so that when the nose of the car clears the car in front, you can swing it in. Depending on the size of the space the angles vary, but the picture you are trying to get is the rear wheels near the curb but not at the curb - as you swing the front of the car in, the kerb rear wheel moves back a bit and across a bit.

In my day, you understood the technique with a Corgi Austin Cambridge driving school car with steering wheel on the roof. Works wonders for visualising what goes on.

http://thumbs2.ebaystatic.com/d/l225/m/mKibbGaOZcRIvWNCizNNYXw.jpg

AdrianC

I find it profoundly depressing that people think their driving test pass was "lucky" because it only included the things they could do competently...

If you can't take EVERYTHING that the test might throw at you, you ain't ready for it.

force_ten

khw wrote: »

Does anyone have a more foolproof way to parallel park? Thanks.

yes buy a BMW with Fully Autonomous Park Assist.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NO3GfXDwRS8

Hardly money saving but it is a foolproof way to parallel park

Ectophile

Foolproof? I've been driving for over 30 years, and I still get it wrong from time to time.

It helps if you cheat and angle the passenger-side door mirror down so you can see the kerb and just see the side of your car including the back wheel. That way you always know how far out from the kerb you are.

My general approach is...

1. When the front of the your car reaches the back of the car in front of the space, turn right so the nose of your car is pointing out into the road, then straighten up the steering.
2. If you've got it right, you should be lined up so that you won't hit the car in front of the space if you reverse straight back (check this in the door mirror), and if you were to reverse straight back you would hit the kerb just in front of the car behind the space (rather than hitting that car). Getting this angle right is the critical part - once you can do that, the rest should be easy.
3. Reverse straight back until your back wheel is getting close to the kerb (but not too close).
4. Turn the steering rapidly to pull the front of your car in to the kerb (right hand down) while creeping back. Obviously watch for the car behind.
5. If you can't get the nose in before hitting the car behind, creep forward while turning the steering hard the other way (left hand down) to continue pulling it in.
6. You should now be close enough to the kerb that you shouldn't need anything more than a bit of wiggling back and forth to get neatly tucked in.

If you get it wrong, it can be easier just to give up and pull out into the road again, rather than shuffling back and forth for ages.

SeduLOUs

Think it just needs practice and judging each space as it comes rather than attempting to follow a set of rules.

I stayed with a friend for a few months who lives on a crowded one way street (but the neighbours all politely bunched up to make a space for me), and I had to park with the kerb on the driver's side which threw me out of whack completely - for the first week or so I'd give up after a couple of attempts and end up parked on the next street along, but eventually I was taking photos of the spaces I was squeezing into first try because I actually amazed myself I got in!

Went back round a few weeks ago and totally fudged it again...

Richard53

IanMSpencer wrote: »

In my day, you understood the technique with a Corgi Austin Cambridge driving school car with steering wheel on the roof. Works wonders for visualising what goes on.

http://thumbs2.ebaystatic.com/d/l225/m/mKibbGaOZcRIvWNCizNNYXw.jpg

Hey, my Dad bought my Mum one of those when she was learning to drive! I played with it more than she did, and passed first time. She gave up after five tests. As you say, brilliant for visualising.


To add to whatever else has been said, you should steer fairly gently to get the car heading back into the space, but once you are between the two parked cars, don't be afraid to use full left and right lock. I have seen so many people park badly or fail altogether because they are too timid with the steering. As long as you keep the wheels rolling gently, you can go from full left lock to full right lock in about a foot. This will prevent the awful situation (and an appearance on YouTube) of shunting back and forth 86 times and still be pointing out into the street.


Also, never be too proud to ask a passenger to get out and spot for you. I've been driving for 44 years now, and I still resort to this on occasions. In a town, shop windows can be very useful visual aids as well.

Gloomendoom

Ectophile wrote: »

It helps if you cheat and angle the passenger-side door mirror down so you can see the kerb and just see the side of your car including the back wheel. That way you always know how far out from the kerb you are.

Is that cheating? I've always done it. My current car does it automatically when I select reverse.