Is dry steering bad ?

venomx

Arklight said:

It's where your front and rear wheels are in relation to the back of the front car that determines whether you fit in or not. 

This GIF on Reddit explains it about as well as it can be explained. 

https://www.reddit.com/r/educationalgifs/comments/6lda03/visual_of_how_to_parallel_park/

That way doesn't work all the time for me. I have to be slightly further forward  ( so my rear bumper is in line with rear bumper of the front car )
So if its a long car I'm next to, then look out the rear nearside window and make sure I'm aligned right ?

noitsnotme

venomx said:

Ebe_Scrooge said:

venomx said:

Jenni_D said:

Place the car 12 inches further forward than you'd normally need so you can start reversing before turning the steering wheel. Even a small motion will significantly reduce the steering forces.  

Although from what I've heard, it's not a mandatory skill as you can just park where suits you, even if it means parking further down and then walking 

What do you mean by "not a mandatory skill"?  It's one of 3 "parking" manoeuvres you can be asked to demonstrate on a test - although, an examiner will not expect you park in a space with only a gnat's whisker at either end to spare (Google for Russ Swift if you want to see some mind-blowing parallel parking!).

But in real life, it's an incredibly useful skill to master.  Depends where you live, where you go into town to shop, etc., as to what sort of parking is available.  But in an average town where on-street parking happens to be closest to where you want to be, it pays to be able to squeeze into a tight space rather than having to walk half a mile with bags of shopping.

<puts on smug face.....> Nothing beats the feeling of stopping next to a space, the wife saying "don't be daft, you'll never get in there", then bish bash bosh, parked perfectly.  Admittedly I've been driving a long time - and, joking aside, it's one of those manoeuvres that can seem very daunting to a new driver, but it just comes with practice and experience.

I asked a few experienced drivers in my family and they say that back in the day they didn't used to teach parallel parking,  and that in their long experience of driving they very rarely need to use parallel park.

They must be old, I was taught to parallel park 30 years ago by my driving instructor. The reason your family members rarely parallel park is because they’re probably not very good at it having not been taught.  I parallel park a lot otherwise I would have to walk a lot further to work!

daivid

noitsnotme said:

venomx said:

Ebe_Scrooge said:

venomx said:

Jenni_D said:

Place the car 12 inches further forward than you'd normally need so you can start reversing before turning the steering wheel. Even a small motion will significantly reduce the steering forces.  

Although from what I've heard, it's not a mandatory skill as you can just park where suits you, even if it means parking further down and then walking 

What do you mean by "not a mandatory skill"?  It's one of 3 "parking" manoeuvres you can be asked to demonstrate on a test - although, an examiner will not expect you park in a space with only a gnat's whisker at either end to spare (Google for Russ Swift if you want to see some mind-blowing parallel parking!).

But in real life, it's an incredibly useful skill to master.  Depends where you live, where you go into town to shop, etc., as to what sort of parking is available.  But in an average town where on-street parking happens to be closest to where you want to be, it pays to be able to squeeze into a tight space rather than having to walk half a mile with bags of shopping.

<puts on smug face.....> Nothing beats the feeling of stopping next to a space, the wife saying "don't be daft, you'll never get in there", then bish bash bosh, parked perfectly.  Admittedly I've been driving a long time - and, joking aside, it's one of those manoeuvres that can seem very daunting to a new driver, but it just comes with practice and experience.

I asked a few experienced drivers in my family and they say that back in the day they didn't used to teach parallel parking,  and that in their long experience of driving they very rarely need to use parallel park.

They must be old, I was taught to parallel park 30 years ago by my driving instructor. The reason your family members rarely parallel park is because they’re probably not very good at it having not been taught.  I parallel park a lot otherwise I would have to walk a lot further to work!

Probably, my father took his test in the 1960's, he didn't have to parallel park because in his words on street parking at the time was just a case of pulling up where you wanted (within reason) there simply weren't enough cars around for it to be an issue. Perhaps in the big cities it would have been different, and in and around remote rural test centres it may not have been an issue until much more recently. 

chrisw

I was never taught to parallel park so I've never even thought about lining up bits of my car with another. It just seems to work by looking at the space and reversing in.

I used to live in a terraced house after I passed my test and it became second nature. Although I now have a drive and very rarely parallel park, it seems to be a skill which stays with you and I can still just do it without thinking about it.

lordmountararat

I passed my test in 1963 and I definitely did have to show the examiner that I could parallel park.

Jaybee_16

Passed my driving test in 1975 and was never tested on parallel parking.

venomx

Ya my test was in 2010. Instructor did teach me but on the test back then it would either be reverse bay park, normal bay park or parallel. I can't remember which it was but it wasn't parallel

I've heard that on the test if you are asked to do a parallel park it wouldn't be in a tight space 

[Deleted User]

When I was learning to drive I was told never to do it by my instructor as it's bad for the tyres and bad for the car. You say you're a new driver so either your instructor didn't teach you this or you have just totally ignored everything you have been taught now you have passed. 

venomx

Deleted_User said:

When I was learning to drive I was told never to do it by my instructor as it's bad for the tyres and bad for the car. You say you're a new driver so either your instructor didn't teach you this or you have just totally ignored everything you have been taught now you have passed. 

I passed 10 years ago. Then didn't drive for 8 years due to mental health issues.
I had two refreshers 2 months ago, and my instructor said dry steering is fine, when they told me this I did think it was odd.. although I'll stop doing that now

Ebe_Scrooge

venomx said:

my instructor said dry steering is fine

Bear in mind, an instructor's sole aim is to get you to pass the test.  Dry steering is fine as such - if it makes it easier for you to complete the manoeuvrer, and pass the test.  But as has already been mentioned, it's best avoided if it's you that's going to be paying for tyres and repairs to your car.

The old adage is very true - it's only once you've passed your test that you really start to learn to drive.