ALT-2 How to Parallel Park
Many motorists would rather walk quite some distance or find a shopping center car park, rather than attempt to Parallel Park between two vehicles. Through lack of practice, parallel parking becomes a dormant skill.
When you go for your driving test you more than likely will have to Parallel Park between two poles, but you may be required to perform this maneuver between two vehicles. So, for this purpose a step by step guide on how to parallel park will be described as if it were in real traffic.
These instructions will suit those that drive on the left hand side of the road. If you come from an area that drives on the right hand side just change the instructions to the opposite side.
1. Indicate left and reduce your speed. Drive slowly while searching for a vacant parking sport. Read signs carefully for restrictions, such as time limits, or restricted vehicles only, like taxis or buses or loading zones.
2. Stop just beyond the vacant spot. Look behind over you left shoulder, and begin to reverse slowly to the point where your car is side-by-side with the other vehicle. If both cars are of average size, line up the steering wheels.
At this point turn your steering wheel to left lock. Keep the vehicle moving slowly. Observe the angle the car is reaching.
3. When the car reaches a 45 degree angle (the rate of the angle depends on the turning circle of your vehicle. 45 degrees is an average figure.) turn the steering wheel to full right lock. As you turn the steering wheel right, watch that you clear the car in front of you.
Now comes the core of the exercise. As you turn your wheel further right, observe that the back of your car lines up with the front of the one behind you. The speed of rotation of the steering wheel and the speed of the car (the car may gather speed as it approaches the curb. If you fail to control this roll, you will hit the curb most likely) must be coordinated. This is where eyes, hands and feet must all work together.
4. If you turn the steering wheel too late or too slow, you will hit the curb.
If you turn too early or too fast, you will park too far away from the curb.
As the front of your vehicle approaches the parallel position, straighten the wheel by turning it left.
5. Slowly move forward to a parallel position, equal distance between the vehicles. If another move backwards and forwards is essential, observe very carefully the direction the car is moving.
Remember, the vehicle must be moving slowly as you carefully determine in which direction the front wheels are taking it. Without movement it is impossible to work out which direction they are pointing.
Some important rules to remember are:
Always park legally and at least one meter from other cars.
Watch out for posts, fire hydrants, trees etc that may be positioned close to the curb side.
Don't leave valuables in full view. It only encourages theft.
Lock all the doors.
Always look behind before opening a car door after stopping at the curb side.
Check the road carefully, indicate and give way before leaving from a parked position.
Remember practice makes perfect. Like any skill, without practice you forget how to do it. Why spend all those hours learning to Parallel Park during your driving lessons, only to never attempt it again?
