Parallel Parking - tips?

[rumanshu]

This sounds like a silly question but I'm really struggling to parallel park (yes, i am a woman!). I only passed my test recently and the method I was taught was very easy, but assumed that you had 2 free spaces behind you. Now I am driving in the real world, I seem to struggle to get the car in straight without shunting forwards and backwards for about 10 minutes!! Any tips?

[Ralph]

I'm pretty rubbish at parallel parking and I'm a bloke, so it's not just a female thing! A friend showed me how to do it and it made me about 80% better so I'll try and explain.
Pull up beside the car in front of the space you're going into. Try to start with your cars rear window/door pillar in a line with the very back of the car beside you. Put on a full steering lock and start heading backwards into your space looking over your shoulder. When your tail lights furthest from the path are in a line with the car behinds' tail lights, put on the opposite steering lock. It's worth looking at the car in front now to make sure you're not going to hit it, but unless you started too far forwards, you never will! Shortly you'll be parallel to the path. Stop, then pull forwards just a bit to finish. When you get the big smile on your face cos of the job well done, you'll have to pretend it was something funny on the radio.
Let me know if this helps, I'm not often the best at explaining things.

[mr. piper]

read the ministry of transport drivers manual, if you havn't already, even an old copy. i think that had i not read that book cover to cover i would not have passed first time. it is very well written. hope it helps!

[Lillabet]

This is what I was taught and I've found it works for me:

1 draw up parallel to the car you want to park behind

2 reverse slowly - looking at your rear passenger window (obviously looking around as well)

3 As soon as you can see the end of the parked car in your rear passenger window give your wheel three half turns to the left - still moving slowly.

4 Now look in your passenger side side mirror. As soon as you see your bumber appear over the kerb put a full lock on to the right - still keeping moving slowly.

5, Once you are almost fully in the space straighten up.

Hope this helps

[Lillabet]

Obviously I meant bumper at point 4..

[dml54]

Another tip is if you are on a street with shops, use the shop window to accurately tell you how far the back of your car is away from the car behind.

[cockneyexile]

when i was teaching pupils as an a.d i. i used to put a sticker in the middle of the back window and tell my pupils to reverse and once that sticker was over the kirb line to steer in to the space  seemes to help most of them as a rule of thumb once the front wing of your car is level with the rear of the parked car start turning in to the space

[Otrere]

To be perfectly honest I think its just a case of practice. I'm a woman and used to be terrible at reverse parking into a space in a car park - but I kept making myself do it and in the end I have pretty much become a dab-hand at it and can do it with my eyes closed (not quite literally I hasten to add!!).

Just keep at it - you'll get there in the end.

Good luck!

[paddywoo]

i couldnt agree more with the last answer, all it needs is practice, and dont be afraid to make a mistake, you will only learn by them! KEEP TRYING

[rumanshu]

Thanks to everyone for the advice and tips!

I've been "practicing" for about 3 weeks now, and today on my way to work I finally managed to crack it! 

Someone told me to use the door handles as points of reference when I turn the steering wheel and it works - just needs a bit of patience.

[simont]

The best way to parallel park is to take a run up from behind (about 20 - 30 mph is just perfect).  Head perpendicular in between the two cars and as your front lights reach the line of the cars, slam the wheel to the left and apply the handbrake.    You back will slide around and you will slot into the space with your front lights matching up with the car in front.  As soon as you are in position slam the front brake on and you will come to a complete stop completely parallel parked. 

This method never fails for me.  Even when there's only a foot extra between your car length and the gap.

[ianess]

Marvellous answer simont.......think I'll put a note in the diary for next year before trying that technique!!

[Dave.B]

Like anything, practise makes perfect. That's all there is to it - oh, that and observation: make sure you know (even if you can't necessarily see) exactly where all 4 corners of your car are.

Don't use points on the other cars as references, all cars are different so how can you use their door handles and head/tail lights as reference points?

One thing that springs to mind: think of it as 2 parts: get the front out so you can get halfway back into the space, then put full opposite lock on so you can use the rest of the space the straighten the car up.

If it doesn't work, the space is too short.