Tag Archive: parallel parking
Driving Lesson: Road Parking Tips
May 20, 2012
Parking is as much an important part of driving as driving itself. Learning how to park in different circumstances is an important part of the road test. The road test examiner may ask you to park in a parking lot space, to parallel park, or both. You need to know the proper procedures:
Signaling – Remember that you should signal your intentions at all times; even in a parking lot. Turn on your turn signal before you begin your turn into a parking space to let other drivers know what direction you are turning in. You should also signal as you exit the space to let other drivers know what direction you will be going in as you exit the space.
Parking lot– The examiner may point to a specific parking spot in the parking lot for you to park in. The spot may be lined on either side with orange cones to represent cars in the adjoining spaces. If you were to hit one of the cones, it will mean an automatic failure. Practice parking in a space by looking toward the center of the space before you begin your turn and keeping your eyes on the center of the space as you pull into the parking spot. Don’t look at the hazards on either side; look at where you want to put your car. Keep practicing until it is second nature.
Parallel parking – The examiner will point out a spot and ask you to demonstrate your ability to parallel park and, just like in the parking lot, there may be cones in front and back representing the bumpers of other cars; you don’t want to hit them. Parallel parking is really easy but it takes a lot of practice. Pull up even and about two to three feet away from the vehicle in front. Turn your wheel all the way to the right and slowly start to back up. As you come even with the rear bumper of the car next to you, start turning your wheel to the left. Once you enter the space, adjust your car so that it is parked an even distance between the car ahead and the one in the rear. You should be no more than eighteen inches from the curb.
Parking on a hill – The examiner may ask you to demonstrate or explain the procedures for parking on a hill with or without a curb.
- Downhill with or without a curb – Parking facing downhill is easy. Whether there is a curb or not, you should always turn the front wheels to the right so that, if your brakes should fail, the car will roll off of the roadway.
- Parking uphill without a curb – Parking facing uphill without a curb means you should turn your wheels to the right. Just like parking downhill, if your brakes should fail, the car will roll off of the roadway.
- Parking uphill with a curb – This is where it gets a little different. When parking facing uphill with a curb, you want to turn your front wheels to the left, toward the center of the road. Once you have turned your wheels, you will want to back up just a bit until you feel the wheels bump up against the curb. In this case, if your brakes should fail, the car’s front wheels should jam up against the curb and prevent the car from moving any further.
Parking properly is easy but it does take practice. Make sure you practice each maneuver until it becomes second nature to you before you take your road test.
Need extra practice? Take our behind the wheel road test course. It’s 100% online and shows you exactly what the examiner will be looking for.
Tips for Proper Parallel Parking
July 14, 2011
Probably, the maneuver that most strikes fear in the heart of a new driver facing a behind-the-wheel driving test, is the parallel parking maneuver. Maneuvering your vehicle, backwards, into a tiny parking spot without hitting the vehicle ahead or behind is daunting even for experienced drivers who don’t have to do it very often but it doesn’t have to be all that scary. Just like any other skill, all it takes is practice…. lots and lots of practice.
You shouldn’t start practicing in a real environment with actual cars in front and back; making a mistake while learning to park around real cars could be costly. Instead, you should begin learning how to perform this maneuver in an empty parking lot with a pair of cones or some other type of marker to represent the front and rear bumpers of the car ahead and behind.
Step one – Illuminate your right turn signal to let other drivers know your intentions. Slow down and pull up alongside the other “car” (cone) until your rear bumper is even with the front vehicle’s rear bumper. Check your mirrors for other traffic and don’t begin until you are sure the way is clear.
Step two – Put the car in reverse and turn the wheel to the right. Turn the upper part of your body to the right so that you can clearly see everything behind you. Start backing slowly and steadily into the space behind. When your passenger door comes even with the rear bumper of the front vehicle, stop.
Step three – Turn the steering wheel to the left and continue backing into the space making sure you aren’t coming too close to the vehicle ahead or about to hit the bumper of the vehicle behind. Once your front bumper has completely cleared the vehicle ahead and your car is completely in the space, stop the car.
Step four – Now put the gear shift into drive and ease the car forward until you are completely centered in the space with enough clear space ahead and behind for you to get out later.
Step five – Put the car in park and get out to see if your car is fully centered. There should be roughly, an even amount of space between your vehicle and the vehicles ahead and behind. Your car should be facing straight ahead and not parked at an angle and the side of your car should be no more than 12 to 18 inches away from the curb.
Keep practicing this parallel parking maneuver over and over until it is second nature to you. With enough practice, you will be able to dazzle the DMV examiner with your skill and confidence.