Parallel parking

[k_rock923]

To all you drivers out there, can i hear how you parallel park? I just can't seem to do it. My driving teacher is always telling me and i get behind the car ok but then i always can't seem to straighten out without hitting the curb.

A few things to remember if you're replying:
1)I live in America so i will be driving and parking on the right side of the street.
2)If you don't know what you're doing, kindly refrain from making things worse for me.

[mark]

get a smart and drive straight in.

downside: everyone will think youre gay.

[eleet-2k2]

Here's how I do it:
1) Pull up to the car you'll be parked behid, about 1-2 feet away, and go far enough that your bumper is just a bit ahead of theirs.
2) Roll/reverse back so your bumpers are about aligned
3) Thrn your wheel, fast, to the right, that way you have the maximum angle to back up so you can make tight parks.
4) When your car looks about 45 degres in the road, or depending on the car, you see the guys license plate in the middle of your passenger window, stop for a brief moment to look around, especially at your mirrors, to judge if you'll be able to make the park ok (without running over pedestrians or hopping/hitting the curb).
5) When you've checked and are confident, quickly turn your steering wheel all the way to the left (till it's almost locked, but dont lock it!!) and back up slowly.
6) If all goes well, your car will slide into the spot, close the curb and aligned with the other cars, so then you can just drive forward a little bit to not take up too much space.

I think the best tip you can have for parallel parking if it's really difficult for you, is not to at all possible times. But seriously, the best tool you have is your mirrors, especially the passenger side mirror. If your mirrors are electric, just angle them lower so you can see the curb and the side of the car from your seat which should help you judge how close you are to the curb.

Hope this helps!

[SSJ4 Gogitta]

I was taught like this

1) Pull upto the car you'll be parked behind, 2 feet away, and stop when you can just see the tip of the car you'll be in front of out of the rear passenger side door window. (Ie: Drive untill just before the hood of the car gets out of your view from the rear passenger side window)
2) Turn your steering wheel to the right about half as far as it will turn (ie: dont turn it completely to the right). Start to back in.
3) When the car is 45° to the road, check around you and make sure the coast is clear. Then turn the wheel the rest of the way right, and back in some more
4) As you're backing in, watch the rear window. When the center of the car behind you is in the center of your view of the rear window, start turning your steering wheel left, untill you are lined into the parking place.
5) Turn steering wheel straight ahead, put car in drive, and pull up a bit to straighten yourself out.

[Bazman63]

Come to London for a lesson or get your girl friend to park for you. It's not hard. I can get my car in to a space that leaves 5 or six inches at eaither end.

[sgtfuzzbubble011]

It's usually easier to parallel park a smaller vehicle since they tend to have tighter turning radii. If you're driving a big vehicle, obviously, it's wise to find a parking place other than one that's parallel to the street. But you already knew that.

Also, as I've read other people's advice above, take notice that it's always best to back into a parallel parking spot. This leaves the wheels that are able to turn free to maneuver the front of the vehicle and aim the rear end into the parking spot.

And one more thing... If you find a parallel parking spot at the end of a line, don't park too close to the vehicle in front of you because you never know when someone is going to pull in behind you and leave no room for you to back up and get out.

[Fickle]

drink less.

I drive with my elbows and knees because I'm too busy smacking my bitch or smoking my crack pipe to maintain complete control of my vehicle.

[whiteflip]

I learned to parrallel park in a dodge durango Its easier to park than my intrepid. Anyways quick guide:

1. Match up with car in front with 3-4 feet between you.
2. Go backwards and turn in
3. when your mirror lines up with their tail light turn the other way and keep going backwards.

thats how i do it. something like that anyways. its important to keep going backwards while turning and not stop, turn, go, stop, turn, go.

[griffinn]

• Drive at 90 degrees directly towards the parking space
• Accelerate as you approach
• When you start hearing pedestrians scream, swerve left harshly (or right, depending on which side of the road you're parking on)
• Slam on the brakes while applying handbrake
• Done.

Works great if you're on a 2-way street, the space is on the other side, and somebody on the opposite lane is about to take it.

[Fickle]

or if you're driving a mini cooper and happen to be Matt Damon in The Bourne Identity

[k_rock923]

hey thanks guys. i'll give these a shot tomorrow. how about they make wheels that turn sideways so that you pull up next to the spot and just go in? that would be nice.

[sgtfuzzbubble011]

I saw a concept car from a long time ago in which the spare tire was mounted to a retractable mechanism that lowers out of the bottom of the trunk, so that when you pull into a parallel parking spot, the spare tire is lowered down onto the ground and lifts the rear end of the car up and swings it around into the parking space. Nifty idea... too bad it never cought on.

[henry3k56]

I self-taught myself parallel parking last summer. No help with guidance.

One tip, you may think you don't have the space to park, but if you have been on the road for a while, you can get to judge distances from close objects next to the car that there really is room.

The thing I love doing the best in parking anywhere is parking in reverse. That takes a bit of depth perception, mirrors, and at ease with accelerating and stopping.

[sgtfuzzbubble011]

I irritate my sister and mother by backing into my parking spots all the time. I dunno why I do it, I just like to park that way. I guess since it's easier to just drive out of a parking spot that to have to back out of it...

[cypha]

Originally posted by whiteflip
I learned to parrallel park in a dodge durango Its easier to park than my intrepid. Anyways quick guide:

1. Match up with car in front with 3-4 feet between you.
2. Go backwards and turn in
3. when your mirror lines up with their tail light turn the other way and keep going backwards.

thats how i do it. something like that anyways. its important to keep going backwards while turning and not stop, turn, go, stop, turn, go.

That's about what I do. Have only had to do it once in my life though and that was for my driver's test last year...Best advice I can give you is to use your mirrors

[Fickle]

thats why you have to rock the pull through whenever possible. Two spaces facing each other without blockage, roll right through one into the other, and you've "rocked the pull through." Welcome to my world, where even parking has its particulars.

[d0rk]

Google is thy friend!

[cypha]

Originally posted by cypha
That's about what I do. Have only had to do it once in my life though and that was for my driver's test last year...Best advice I can give you is to use your mirrors

Being able to pull through is among the greatest feelings in the world. It's also extremely popular with other drivers in the parking lot who are looking for parking spots

[GqSkrub]

2 tips for you:

1. Have someone someone tell you when you are close to the car in the back or the car in the front. this will give you a sense of the length fo your car (most people think their car is longer than it actually is)

2. remember to signal when backing in and signal when leaving or you will lose points on your test.

[Vie]

Get a smart car, with the sise of most US cars you can park it across a bay instead of along it, thuss no need to parralel park ever again.

Just a thought.

[protegechris]

Naw, i prefer my method.

1. Madly accelerate down the street.
2. move to the opposite side of the road
3. 10-15 feet from the space, turn towards the right,
4. lock wheel to right
5. pull your e-brake all the way up
6. you'll skid all the way into the spot, performing a 180 in the meantime

I wish I knew how to use flash, and id make a little video of this

[. - .... .- -. ....]

Originally posted by sgtfuzzbubble99
it's always best to back into a parallel parking spot. This leaves the wheels that are able to turn free to maneuver the front of the vehicle and aim the rear end into the parking spot.

Definitely true for tight parking spaces - just pull slightly forward of the car which you will be parking behind, and back into the parking space.

Best thing you can do is "acquire" a couple of traffic cones, set them up in your back yard at home, and practice there.

[. - .... .- -. ....]

Hmm... the "official" instructions would seem to agree with me....
[list=1][*]Select a space that is large enough for your vehicle on your side of the road. Check your mirrors before stopping, and signal to alert other drivers. Pull up alongside the vehicle in front of the space, leaving about two feet between the other vehicle and yours.
[*]Look behind you over both shoulders to make sure you will not interfere with pedestrians or oncoming traffic. Back up slowly, and begin to turn your steering wheel all the way toward the near curb. Look through the rear window, not the rearview mirrors, as you back up. Check to the side and front occasionally to make sure you are clearing the vehicle ahead.
[*]When your front wheels are opposite the rear bumper of the vehicle ahead, turn the steering wheel the other way while continuing to back up. Make sure you clear the vehicle ahead. Look back, and stop to avoid bumping the vehicle behind you.
[*]Straighten your wheels, and pull forward. Allow room for the vehicles ahead and behind you to get out. In your final parking position, your wheels must be no more than one foot (30 cm) from the curb.
To get closer to the curb, alternately pull forward and back up, turning the steering wheel first toward the curb and then quickly straight again.
[*]After parking, remember that you may not open the door on the road side if it will interfere with traffic.[/list=1]

[sgtfuzzbubble011]

Also, another quick tip...

If you're parking on a hill facing downward, it's a good idea to leave your front wheels turned toward the curb. That way, if your vehicle starts rolling for some strange reason, it will stop when the front tire bumps the curb. This will keep it from rolling into the car in front of you or down the street. Also, if you're parking on a hill where you're facing upwards, turn the wheels the opposite direction (towards the street) so that if your vehicle rolls, it will roll backwards and the front tire will bump the curb to stop it.

[ScorLibran]

Originally posted by sgtfuzzbubble99
I saw a concept car from a long time ago in which the spare tire was mounted to a retractable mechanism that lowers out of the bottom of the trunk, so that when you pull into a parallel parking spot, the spare tire is lowered down onto the ground and lifts the rear end of the car up and swings it around into the parking space. Nifty idea... too bad it never cought on.

Hmmmm....

**Looks at BMW....Looks at tool box....Looks at spare tire......Goes searching for something to craft a retractable arm out of.**

That would be nifty if there was a way to do it in a car the size of mine. Need a full-size car or an SUV to have enough internal storage space for the arm and spare tire, probably though. But it's a great idea.

[dlichterman]

man that sign...

http://www.nydmv.state.ny.us/dmanual/chapter07.gif

[MidnightViper88]

If you drive one of the classic VW Beetles, you and your friend could just pick it up to parallel park it...

[sgtfuzzbubble011]

The guys at Station 6 (my dad works for the Fire Department here) actually picked up my dad's car (he's got a '96 Metro) and moved it to another spot behind the station. I think they were just playing a joke on him, but I'm not entirely sure why they did it.

[henry3k56]

sgtfuzzbubble99, you gave me a good idea. Create flash mobs to suspiciously move light weight cars a few feet, or place them parked in the wrong direction.

[sgtfuzzbubble011]

* sgtfuzzbubble99 or any affiliations or relations thereof are not to be held responsible for the actions taken by other parties due to references and/or ideas taken from the responses of the before said sgtfuzzbubble99.

[henry3k56]

Aww, too bad. I already printed out bumper stickers to slap on cars that say: sgtfuzzbubble99 gave me this idea, and the url to this thread.

I'll just stick them anyway.