Parallel parking Options

[Matt Demers]

I didn't want to fray away that driver's license topic any more than it was, so I made a new one only related to this often difficult maneouvre.

90% of the time, I mess this up by ending up too far from the curb. I make the cars meet mirror to mirror,only about 30-40cm apart between the mirrors, reverse a bit back (most of time, not needed) and then turn in until my mirror meets the exact corner of the other car. The problem is, most cars nowadays don't even have a corner! Look at the comparison here:

With a visible corner:


With no corner:


I find it really hard to judge the exact corner of the car. If I don't find the proper way, I end up too far from the curb. Can he be right? Where would the "corner" be on a vehicle like the Murano?

Any other advice to prevent me from being too close or too far from the curb? How did you guys learn it? If so, can you list all the steps for reference points, etc?

[James]

I didn't want to fray away that driver's license topic any more than it was, so I made a new one only related to this often difficult maneouvre.

90% of the time, I mess this up by ending up too far from the curb. I make the cars meet mirror to mirror,only about 30-40cm apart between the mirrors, reverse a bit back (most of time, not needed) and then turn in until my mirror meets the exact corner of the other car. The problem is, most cars nowadays don't even have a corner!

I find it really hard to judge the exact corner of the car. If I don't find the proper way, I end up too far from the curb. Can he be right? Where would the "corner" be on a vehicle like the Murano?

Any other advice to prevent me from being too close or too far from the curb? How did you guys learn it? If so, can you list all the steps for reference points, etc?

Buy one of the cars that parallel parks itself. lol!

[YRT-Guy]

You should try parallel parking a bus! (no, it's not part of the B licence driving test) but years ago I had to do it!

[Matt Demers]

Buy one of the cars that parallel parks itself. lol!

This isn't funny, I don't have 85 000$ for a Lexus LS460.

[Greater Golden H...]

You should try parallel parking a bus! (no, it's not part of the B licence driving test) but years ago I had to do it!

Ick, I've done it a few times in my School Bus, but ONLY BECAUSE I ABSOLUTLEY HAD TO!! It's not overly difficult, there just a lot more to manage, including not taking out people and things on the side of the road with the tail of the bus, but it's best to avoid the manouver if at all possible.

[D. DeLarge]

GO bus drivers do it all the time at Union Station, but they've probably been trained to do it with a 45' motorcoach.

I don't PP much myself, so I can't really comment. Luckily I live in a suburb with plenty of parking lots

[R. McConnell]

With regards to the original post, I back into the space until my car is at a 45-degree angle (I look at the other car's bumper to gauge that.) Then I stop, turn the wheel the other way, and go the rest of the way in.

Most of the time I'm too far away from the curb, so if there's enough room I straighten it out a bit by turning the wheel all the way to the right, pulling up a few feet, then turning the wheel back two revolutions and backing up until my car is closer to the curb.

It's still not perfected, though, and since I live in Los Angeles I don't really have that many chances to practice it, what with all the parking lots here.

[A. Wong]

Keep practicing - know where your rear wheel is, and then when it is close to the curb, start cranking the wheel the other way.

After the test you'll never have to do it again.

I can park my car perpendicular, and it is within the 102" maximum, but it is illegal because the wheels aren't parallel to the curb.

[GM Classic 6247]

Perhaps you need to adjust your right wing mirror so that you can actually see the curb and possibly the wheel. Outside of that practice on a side street, if you still have trouble then get an instructor to help.

[Orion V]

Buy one of the cars that parallel parks itself. lol!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkEu-PdVlK0

[Matt Demers]

Keep practicing - know where your rear wheel is, and then when it is close to the curb, start cranking the wheel the other way.After the test you'll never have to do it again.I can park my car perpendicular, and it is within the 102" maximum, but it is illegal because the wheels aren't parallel to the curb.

But I don't drive the same car always, I can end up driving a different size car or a car of the same class. So, what after that?

Perhaps you need to adjust your right wing mirror so that you can actually see the curb and possibly the wheel. Outside of that practice on a side street, if you still have trouble then get an instructor to help.

The mirror is angled in a way I can see along the sides of the car, the area equivalent of the lane right side of me and bit of the sidewalk. But no wheel view and he doesn't want me adjusting that, he needs it for himself.

[A. Wong]

On the test you can adjust your mirrors however you want.

Hopefully you get a chance to practice more than once in a vehicle. The first time you can get accustomed to the rear wheel, because that's basically where the car pivots when turning sharply at low speeds. Keep that in mind, and try again.

Even if you hit the curb, it doesn't matter (unless it is hard) because you can correct it. They don't finish "judging" you until you put the car into park, and REMEMBER TO ENGAGE THE PARK BRAKE (even though no one does in real life).

[kevlo86]

When I was taught to parallel park, here is what I was taught:

1. Signal/brake in advance, pull up beside the vehicle in front of the spot you want, leaving about half a metre space between the two cars.
2. Start turning the wheel fully the your right ONCE the back corner of the the rear door window aligns with the rear bumper of the vehicle you are parking behind. (so roughly 2/3rd's down the (your car)car length starting at the front).
3. Continue backing in at a 45 degree angle, don't keep the wheel all the way right too long, cuz then you turn too sharply.
4. Turn wheel to left at appropriate time. This is based on how much room you have between cars and the curb.

It takes quite a bit of practice and it does vary depending on the size of car and the car itself. Like landmark points are nice, but every car is different so the landmarks don't always work out as they are intended.

[general682002]

Unless you get a nice luxury vehicle, the side mirror when reversing, it adjusted down to the curb so you can see the rear wheel!

I'm not much of a parallel parking, I do stumbled sometimes but I usually can manage it ok.

[Matt Demers]

When I was taught to parallel park, here is what I was taught:

1. Signal/brake in advance, pull up beside the vehicle in front of the spot you want, leaving about half a metre space between the two cars.
2. Start turning the wheel fully the your right ONCE the back corner of the the rear door window aligns with the rear bumper of the vehicle you are parking behind. (so roughly 2/3rd's down the (your car)car length starting at the front).
3. Continue backing in at a 45 degree angle, don't keep the wheel all the way right too long, cuz then you turn too sharply.
4. Turn wheel to left at appropriate time. This is based on how much room you have between cars and the curb.

It takes quite a bit of practice and it does vary depending on the size of car and the car itself. Like landmark points are nice, but every car is different so the landmarks don't always work out as they are intended.

If I used your technique, I'd be doing this for YEARS until I get it right. Yours require patience, skill and great prediction Kevlo, what do you think about my technique that I learned I posted above? What suggestions to those steps can make me get closer to the curb?

[SMS]

Matt, don't despair or you'll never learn! Believe me sometimes it takes a few tries till I myself get it... rarely do I get it on the first shot. Here's a hint - do it slow. No point of playing bumper cars and ramming the next guy's car. Learn your mirrors and use your depth perception properly.

[Matt Demers]

Matt, don't despair or you'll never learn! Believe me sometimes it takes a few tries till I myself get it... rarely do I get it on the first shot. Here's a hint - do it slow. No point of playing bumper cars and ramming the next guy's car. Learn your mirrors and use your depth perception properly.

Trust me, I do it really slow. I let it coast in and if I go too fast, I brake and coast.

What is depth of perception to you? Where you THINK the rear right wheel is at any given moment in the process?

[A. Wong]

Yes, and where your vehicle is in relation to the curb.

It's really not that hard after you do it a few times. Just practice on a slow residential street with no traffic - best way to do it. I avoid parallel parking on main streets at all costs.

[SMS]

Umm.. let me think about how I do this (I thought Kev Lo described it quite good but here's my take anyway):

Let's say I'm parallel parking on the right hand side of a road.

I line up my passenger mirror with the driver's mirror of the car in front of the spot I want.

I signal (very important - hopefully there's no guy behind me... unnecessary pressure).

My wheels are straight. I reverse slowly straight and then turn the wheel so I come into the space, optimally at a 45 degree angle.

Now here's where experience comes in handy. You have to estimate where to turn the wheel... too soon means you have a huge gap between your car and the sidewalk. Unacceptable in tight places like the Plateau and Old Montreal. Too late means you hit the curb and have to retry again. Set your mirrors accordingly (if you have the capability for pwr mirrors). Hopefully you get it in alright.

Then I advance so I'm in the middle of the spot and don't box in anyone.

This is the theory essentially to me... the practice can be wholly different. I like parking by fire hydrants or intersections or driveways... I'm uneasy parking between vehicles... greater probability for damages and bumps from other parallel parkers.

[A. Wong]

Are you practicing using the same car? It's harder when you are using a different vehicle each time too.