The Student Room Group

Parellel and reverse parking

Hi,

I really can't do this. Can anyone give me some tips or advice?

thanks
Simon
Reply 1
What about them are you having difficulty with? It'd be easier to help knowing which exact bit you're having issues with.
Reply 2
Go to an open safe area and drive backwards and keep driving backwards until is becomes second nature

Then try doing simple things like reversing through two empty wheelie bins or cones

The problem is that you are not comfortable when going backwards so that needs to be addressed first
Reply 3
For paralel parking i got taught points to turn the wheel on ure rear passenger side window. My driving instructor had stickers on it and when they lined up with certain points i new to full lock or straighten out etc. Another tip for reversing round corners was adjust passenger mirror dkwn to the floor helped keep track on distance from curb. After that practice till it becomes second nature

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Reply 4
Original post by Simonthegreat
Hi,

I really can't do this. Can anyone give me some tips or advice?

thanks
Simon


I was taught focus points which were specifically for the car I was learning to drive in, these points essentially told me when to go in.

Like reverse parking, line up 2/3 of the way of the passenger window with the parking line which is one park space away from where I want to get in, and just a full turn and reverse back.
With the parallel parking same as above, line up a point on the rear window with the end of the car in front of the parking space, I think it was 1/3 or 2/3 of a turn to get in and then straighten up until you see the curb getting close then full turn the other way and go in.
Reply 5
The easiest way is to have a system, ask your instructor if they haven't taught you one, because they should.

As other posters have said, you also need to be comfortable with going backwards in general, and with your clutch control.
Original post by haribo87
For paralel parking i got taught points to turn the wheel on ure rear passenger side window. My driving instructor had stickers on it and when they lined up with certain points i new to full lock or straighten out etc. Another tip for reversing round corners was adjust passenger mirror dkwn to the floor helped keep track on distance from curb. After that practice till it becomes second nature

Posted from TSR Mobile


Hi,

Where do the stickers go? I think this might help me and sounds easier to do?

thanks
Original post by SillyEddy
What about them are you having difficulty with? It'd be easier to help knowing which exact bit you're having issues with.



Hi,

My judgement is totally wrong and I can't work out which way to turn the steering and when. The car is totally out of alignment and I start to panic and sweat profusely. I need some kind of proper system or guidance as to when to do what . Any help appreciated.
Reply 8
Close your eyes and 'be the car'.
Reply 9
Original post by Simonthegreat
Hi,

My judgement is totally wrong and I can't work out which way to turn the steering and when. The car is totally out of alignment and I start to panic and sweat profusely. I need some kind of proper system or guidance as to when to do what . Any help appreciated.

Well it's not much different to driving forwards. If you turn it to the left (left hand down), then the car will turn towards the left. If you put the right hand down, it turns to the right. The only difference is that you're sort of steering the rear end... But still, if you're getting too close to the curb, you still need to steer right to counteract that!

It has been a while, but this is how I remember being taught to do the parallel park:

Approach the cars you're intended to park with, and mirror/signal and then slow down. I slowed down in such a way to stop in line with the front car for the parallel park. Thus, the fronts of both our cars are in line with each other.

Put into reverse and do another mirror check. Slowly go backwards and then use the rear seat passenger window (on the far side of the car) to gauge where to turn. I believe the rule of thumb was to turn when the rear of the other car lines up with the middle of that window. Then, begin to turn. Do another mirror check. Try doing one or one and a half full rotations of the wheel (but be consistent so you know where the level position is). When side window of your car lines up with the rear-left-side of the other car, turn the wheel back. If you turned it once to the left, now turn it twice to the right (double what you did) to straighten out.

Then, use the side mirrors to work out how far you are from the curb and where the car behind you is. Feel free to correct as necessary. On my parallel park I had to abort and try it again because I wasn't in a good position (the car I was using had markers in the window to work out where to turn, etc, and the examiner was so large he blocked these out).



It's worth checking out Youtube as well. There are a lot of videos showing how to do it, and they probably explain it better than I do.

This video is pretty good for it. A bit shallow, but it's parked
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 10
i do them perfect with my instructor in the car then i fall apart during the test lol
Reply 11
Original post by Simonthegreat
Where do the stickers go?


Plastering stickers all over the car is something done by substandard instructors who lack the skill to teach judgement. While there is no problem with a solitary sticker used temporarily as a training tool to prove a theory of judgement, a good instructor will quickly wean a student off stickers (a bit like weaning children off armbands when learning to swim) so that they may use mental reference points that work in all vehicles.

To answer your question of where does a sticker go.. well, this will differ with each vehicle that you drive. Only your instructor can answer this, and hopefully not with a sticker alone.
Looking over your left shoulder into the rear passenger door window, reverse back until the rear corner of the target vehicle (the car you're parking behind) appears and then turn one rotation of the wheel left (360º, NOT full lock). Check all around the car, especially over your right shoulder as the front swings out and the back starts to arc towards the kerb. Keep moving slowly until the same back corner of the target vehicle is in the middle of the front passenger window, then turn one rotation to the right (effectively straightening the wheels). Soon after, still looking in the front passenger window, line up the middle of the target vehicle (badge, wiper, boot lock or whatever is there) to the front edge of the front passenger window and turn one full rotation to the right, so swinging the front now towards the kerb as the back arcs towards being parallel with the kerb. If at this point you feel like you might hit the kerb, fully turn to full right lock to try and avoid this. When the car feels straight, turn to the left until the wheel is straight to finish. If you are wide, use a shunt manoeuvre to tidy up (drive forwards slowly turning left/right/left, then reverse back again turning left/right/left).
Reply 13
Original post by WoodyMKC

This is how I was taught by my instructor,


That post was quite unnerving to read actually! It was, pretty much, word for word how my instructor taught me to parallel park and reverse bay park!! :redface:

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