Reverse Parallel Parking Tips?

[D-Mac]

Well I really really suck at this at the moment, I always seem to hit the curb...Is there any technique? I know I could just ask my instructor but then i'll keep wasting lessons and money on it...

Any tips on when to start the first and second change of direction would be great...Dunno if it changes anything but the car is a newish Corolla...

[kleung]

When I was learning to drive, my driving instructor taught me a method that worked perfectly every time, if you got it right. I can't remember what that method was exactly, but this how it went to the best of my recollection:

1. Pull up parallel beside the parked car in front of the vacant parking bay. Make sure you are not more than 1m away from that car.
2. Reverse straight until you can see the driver's side back corner of the car beside you from your passenger side rear quarter window.
3. Stop. Turn the wheel to full lock left and continue reversing until you can see the kerb in your passenger side mirror.
4. Straighten the wheel and continue reversing straight until the front passenger side corner of your car is in line with the back of the parked car.
5. Stop and turn the wheel to full lock right and continue reversing until your car is parallel to the kerb.
6. Straighten the wheel and move forward if necessary to position your car correctly in the parking bay.

This was for a sedan, so it might vary somewhat for different types of cars.

Hope this helps!

Disclaimer: No responsibility is taken if this causes you to hit anything or cause any damage as a result of trying this technique.

[EK4R]

practice and more practice.

get used to your car and "feel" it as it move. have a picutre of it from a birds-eye view.

try it hehe

[JDMiss]

this is just how i generally learnt how to reverse

when i was first learning manual *hahah i kinda sucked too* my trusty dad took me to a 2km or so stretch of straight road near a dump and made me reverse the car from one end to the other at moderate speed and told me to turn the steering left and right so that i learnt how my steering manoeuvres positioned the rear of the car whilst reversing

I would usually be dizzy after LOL but it really does help you understand the feel and direction of your car

As EK4R said, practice and more practice.. hahah kleung nice disclaimer!!

All the best D-Mac!

[CRXer]

As per the first post & also have a quick look at how far off the gutter the rear most car is and when your reversing in.Imagine you have a tow ball on your car & you dont like the personalised number plates on the rear car & you want to put a big dent right in the middle of them(assuming they are mounted in the centre).In other words your trying to line up your car with the rear car.If he was parked really close to the gutter,obviously try & misalign your vehicles a bit so as not to scratch those new rims.

[gelo]

When I was learning to drive, my driving instructor taught me a method that worked perfectly every time, if you got it right. I can't remember what that method was exactly, but this how it went to the best of my recollection:

1. Pull up parallel beside the parked car in front of the vacant parking bay. Make sure you are not more than 1m away from that car.
2. Reverse straight until you can see the driver's side back corner of the car beside you from your passenger side rear quarter window.
3. Stop. Turn the wheel to full lock left and continue reversing until you can see the kerb in your passenger side mirror.
4. Straighten the wheel and continue reversing straight until the front passenger side corner of your car is in line with the back of the parked car.
5. Stop and turn the wheel to full lock right and continue reversing until your car is parallel to the kerb.
6. Straighten the wheel and move forward if necessary to position your car correctly in the parking bay.

This was for a sedan, so it might vary somewhat for different types of cars.

Hope this helps!

Disclaimer: No responsibility is taken if this causes you to hit anything or cause any damage as a result of trying this technique.

i do similar
except i dont go 2 full lock
just 1 full rotation of the steering wheel is enough
so u do 360 degrees to one side
stop then do 720 to the other ( 360 to go back to straight)

[D-Mac]

Cheeers for the help, but when I do the post i'll be using poles I think, so how would I line it up? I tried earlier on today and couldn't get it right in my mums accord

[JaCe]

When I was learning to drive, my driving instructor taught me a method that worked perfectly every time, if you got it right. I can't remember what that method was exactly, but this how it went to the best of my recollection:

1. Pull up parallel beside the parked car in front of the vacant parking bay. Make sure you are not more than 1m away from that car.
2. Reverse straight until you can see the driver's side back corner of the car beside you from your passenger side rear quarter window.
3. Stop. Turn the wheel to full lock left and continue reversing until you can see the kerb in your passenger side mirror.
4. Straighten the wheel and continue reversing straight until the front passenger side corner of your car is in line with the back of the parked car.
5. Stop and turn the wheel to full lock right and continue reversing until your car is parallel to the kerb.
6. Straighten the wheel and move forward if necessary to position your car correctly in the parking bay.

This was for a sedan, so it might vary somewhat for different types of cars.

Hope this helps!

Disclaimer: No responsibility is taken if this causes you to hit anything or cause any damage as a result of trying this technique.

That's exactly how I learnt and could do it perfectly every time in the Corolla. The little Toyota badge was helpful too

With different cars you just need to vary the number of times you turn the wheel/how far you reverse.

[mugeneration]

remember its ok to touch the kurb in a driving test. You'll only use one point. Just drive back out and try again. DONT try to keep going and mount the kurb, as you'll fail.

[D-Mac]

So with a pole, instead of starting the first turn when it lines up on the driver's side back corner of the car beside you from your passenger side rear quarter window, I would line up on the when I see the pole on the passenger side rear quarter window right? Because the pole is 1.2m from the front of the place where u want to park and another 1.2m behind the spot you want to park..

Also how does the point system thing work? How many chances do you get at something and how many times can u screw up?

[dsp26]

1) drive up next to a car and be within 30cm distance while your rear seats are aligned to the rear of the parked car.
2) full lock left and reverse until your passenger side mirror is aligned to the rear of the parked car
3) full lock right and keep reversing CAREFULLY

^^^thats what my instructor taught and it never failed... HOWEVER, it never works on my NX which leads me to believe such measured instructions are void depending on your cars able turn radius.

[tRipitaka]

use your passenger side mirror..
it's very helpful when parallel parking.. it'll show how far you are from the kerb, when you're about to hit the kerb and whether u're straight or on an angle..
and take it slowly, inch by inch.. there's no reason for you to be rushing it..