[RJ555]

I can drive forwards absolutely fine: tight bends, uphill bends, narrow parking bays, not a problem.

I can also do a turn-in-the-road without a problem (as its quite formulaic and you get a good amount of space), if I had it on a test I'd walk it. Reversing around a bend I can do perfectly about 70% of the time.

As soon as I try parking in reverse I might as well be blindfolded. Parallel parking is difficult for me (I'd say i can only do it to test standard about 35% of the time), but I find reversing into a bay far more difficult. I'm within the lines the majority of the time, but I usually end up cutting over the next bay (I could never do it between two parked cars). I'm also usually lopsided (two foot clearance one side and a few inches the other) and can never judge when to stop.

I've literally practiced for hours, to the point where my neck is in agony from swiveling, and I'm just not getting it. I think the largest problem is not having something eye level as a guide (which is probably why I find parallel parking easier), the only guides are the lines on the floor and as soon as you near the bay they disappear (unless you have mirrors angled down to the floor).

I'm using this sort of position but like I said, I'm cutting into the Number 2 bay a bit: http://www.starskyandclutch.co.uk/as...es/BayPark.jpg

I feel like this is something I'm never going to get, and at the moment I'd only ever feel comfortable doing it in an empty carpark, otherwise I'd just drive into a bay. At this rate I fear I will be confined to driving an automatic smart car for the rest of my life.

[Iqbal007]

(Original post by RJ555)
I can drive forwards absolutely fine: tight bends, uphill bends, narrow parking bays, not a problem.

I can also do a turn-in-the-road without a problem (as its quite formulaic and you get a good amount of space), if I had it on a test I'd walk it. Reversing around a bend I can do perfectly about 70% of the time.

As soon as I try parking in reverse I might as well be blindfolded. Parallel parking is difficult for me (I'd say i can only do it to test standard about 35% of the time), but I find reversing into a bay far more difficult. I'm within the lines the majority of the time, but I usually end up cutting over the next bay (I could never do it between two parked cars). I'm also usually lopsided (two foot clearance one side and a few inches the other) and can never judge when to stop.

I've literally practiced for hours, to the point where my neck is in agony from swiveling, and I'm just not getting it. I think the largest problem is not having something eye level as a guide (which is probably why I find parallel parking easier), the only guides are the lines on the floor and as soon as you near the bay they disappear (unless you have mirrors angled down to the floor).

I'm using this sort of position but like I said, I'm cutting into the Number 2 bay a bit: http://www.starskyandclutch.co.uk/as...es/BayPark.jpg

I feel like this is something I'm never going to get, and at the moment I'd only ever feel comfortable doing it in an empty carpark, otherwise I'd just drive into a bay. At this rate I fear I will be confined to driving an automatic smart car for the rest of my life.

I always used a focus point in my car to judge whether I get in without cutting any of the bays.

I would use the one of the parking bay lines, to line with my focus point which was on either side of the car around the door opener. Then reverse right in.

[megadeath999]

Try practising reverse parking starting at a shallower angle to the bay, rather than 90 degrees. Get more of a feel for the steering characteristics, and dimensions of the rear of the car when you're reversing into a bay. By doing this, you'll learn to see when the car is straightening up, and you'll be able to make your adjustments as you back in. Then tighten it up to 90 and see how you get on. Alternatively, keep the 90 degrees but give yourself a little more lateral distance from the bay, so that you don't have to steer quite as acutely, and you get more space and time to adjust your steering.

[IlexAquifolium]

(Original post by RJ555)
I feel like this is something I'm never going to get, and at the moment I'd only ever feel comfortable doing it in an empty carpark, otherwise I'd just drive into a bay. At this rate I fear I will be confined to driving an automatic smart car for the rest of my life.

Not that this will help you much if you're a learner, but it genuinely is much easier if you're parking in a space between two cars because you can see in your wingmirrors where the side of the space is. Plus, you don't have the ability to just give it a go and see - you really don't want to hit something if you go out with someone experienced and practice between cars you may find that helps you get an idea of the angles involved.

[KyraBloke]

I don't think toffee is the best incentive to use to help learn

[RJ555]

(Original post by KyraBloke)
I don't think toffee is the best incentive to use to help learn

OK, swap that for Lindor.

[Darkarium]

Best way is pick the space you want to go into pull up count 3 lines including the edge of the bay and stop with your shoulder in line with the 3rd. Now slowly back in, you may have to straighten the wheel a little to make sure you dont cut the lines.

[ROG.]

Borrow a car and practise with wheely bins - preferably empty ones - upright to start and then laid on side

[RJ555]

(Original post by IlexAquifolium)
if you go out with someone experienced and practice between cars you may find that helps you get an idea of the angles involved.

Yeh, I guess its catch-22, you won't learn without cars there, but there is a potential risk of collision when they are there.

(Original post by Darkarium)
Best way is pick the space you want to go into pull up count 3 lines including the edge of the bay and stop with your shoulder in line with the 3rd. Now slowly back in, you may have to straighten the wheel a little to make sure you dont cut the lines.

I've been doing the whole line thing, the problem is as soon as I get closer to the bay I lose sight of all the lines. I'm also never sure when I should be straightening up the wheel, usually doing it too early or too late.

(Original post by ROG.)
Borrow a car and practise with wheely bins - preferably empty ones - upright to start and then laid on side

Don't think I'd fit a single wheelybin in the car! But I definitely think I need something visual like that. Maybe getting a relative to stand on the line (although I do need an incentive not to hit them...I kid!). Could probably take two recycling boxes down.

[Beatlemania]

When I first got my car, I used to drive into bays all the time until I got to the point where I thought I can't do this forever, so I started reversing more. I used to go a few minutes early to work, I knew that only one car would be in the car park, and I practised reversing easily. Now, I reverse fine, and also reverse onto my drive. When I went into town last week, I was late for an appointment (only had 10 mins) and there was only one space left in the multi-storey, and I had to reverse, very tight, but I overcome it.

Everything comes with experience, and the more experience, the more confident you'll get. I wouldn't be worried at all, can't you just drive to a car park whenever (ie, my local tesco has a massive car park and towards the rear, nobody ever parks there) and keep trying.

[ROG.]

Recycling boxes (4) and chalk for kerb

[NutterFrutter]

This is the method that I was taught:

[RJ555]

(Original post by Beatlemania)
Everything comes with experience, and the more experience, the more confident you'll get. I wouldn't be worried at all, can't you just drive to a car park whenever (ie, my local tesco has a massive car park and towards the rear, nobody ever parks there) and keep trying.

Thats what I've been doing. I can now usually get within the lines 90% of the time, but only after "straightening up" (driving forward then reversing). I only need to do this once but it can't look good on a test can it? Can they fail you for this?

I'm still either under or overshooting the initial turn, despite trying to use identical reference points. It messes with my head.

A major problem I have is having to have mum in the car when practicing. If I was on my own I could stay and practice all night, but anymore than 40 minutes in the car with my mum could be classified as torture under the Geneva Convention.

[ROG.]

(Original post by RJ555)
I can now usually get within the lines 90% of the time, but only after "straightening up" (driving forward then reversing). I only need to do this once but it can't look good on a test can it? Can they fail you for this?

It does not have to be done in one go and you can take a a reasonable amount of 'shunts' to do it safely and end up in the right place
this goes for all manouevres providing other road users are not unduly inconvenienced

[Airfairy]

I feel your pain here, I was/am exactly the same. I passed my test second time. On my first test I didn't get a reverse into a bay, gladly. But second time, I did. Apparently the examiner won't mark you until you have finished and put the car into neutral. So when I first attempted it, the line was bang in the middle of my car but because I hadn't really stopped, I just drove forward and reversed into it properly then. I don't know if that should have passed? But he didn't seem to care because I had parked in the lines eventually. So I would try not to panic knowing that you can give yourself some adjustments. Just hope he picks a bay that is empty both sides I guess.

I still can't reverse into a bay now, two years on. At least, once you've passed, it is one of the maneuvers you can avoid, some of the other ones are essential I would say.

[NutterFrutter]

(Original post by Airfairy)
I feel your pain here, I was/am exactly the same. I passed my test second time. On my first test I didn't get a reverse into a bay, gladly. But second time, I did. Apparently the examiner won't mark you until you have finished and put the car into neutral. So when I first attempted it, the line was bang in the middle of my car but because I hadn't really stopped, I just drove forward and reversed into it properly then. I don't know if that should have passed? But he didn't seem to care because I had parked in the lines eventually. So I would try not to panic knowing that you can give yourself some adjustments. Just hope he picks a bay that is empty both sides I guess.

I still can't reverse into a bay now, two years on. At least, once you've passed, it is one of the maneuvers you can avoid, some of the other ones are essential I would say.

That's not true.

[Airfairy]

(Original post by NutterFrutter)
That's not true.

Eh, that's just what my instructor told me and the examiner seemed to apply it to me

[ROG.]

(Original post by Airfairy)
I still can't reverse into a bay now, two years on.

Bay parking made safe & easy but not as done on DSA training (as far as I know)

I'll use a bay on the left so just change left for right if bay on right

Pull close to the left and stop across the left bay selected with the central pillar ( the one between the front and back seats) positioned in the centre of the bay
This prevents any other vehicle from getting into the bay and puts you in the pefrect position for the next phase

Now drive forward and hard right but not into any opposite bay etc - you vehicle will now be at about a 45 degree angle with the back end pointing towards the bay

Now drive back and hard left until the vehicle is nearly straight then adjust steering to put the front wheels the same as the back ones - all in a straight line - now STOP and look to see if any forward action is required to get a better position

As usual - keep a constant check on all mirrors as well as good all round vision

Practise this in a supermarket car park when virtually empty and choose bays where no others are parked near to make it harder (no other vehicles as references) and less chance of any mishaps