How good are you at parking?

[obi_waynne]

The less I do the worse I get. When I was parking on the street every day I could park in a space with just a 6 inch gap between me and the car in front.

How many times have you hit a bumper and do you find it hard to park if someone is watching?

What about when some bystander comes along and starts directing you into the space? Does that make you nervous?

Have you ever driven past a space and then as you walk past it realise you could have got a small bus in there

 

[Pixel]

Not to sound big headed...

...But yeah, im a damh good parker! haha

Bay parking is my strongest as quite simply, it is the easiest.

As for parallel parking, I couldnt for the life of me do it the way they want you too on a driving test but doing my own thing, I can do it quickly, safely and get into some of the smallest spaces!

 

[pgarner]

same as pixel hell yeah im a good parker. sometimes look at the space and the wife al say theres no way thatll fit . just to make her be quiet al get it in.

only ever hit a bumper once, however have hit a low wall on 2 occasions when parking in bays.
yeah when someone is watchin i find it a lot harder to parallel park

 

[georges]

I would say I am pretty good. Bay parking is the best, i can do it really quick and safely.

Parrallel parking, I follow what the instructor taught me (I know - but it really works). I laways adjust my mirrors to see the kurb, and i don't rush it. I can park it in tight spaces. The hard part is getting the initial turning right.

 

[herb]

i have always been good at parking every car and van i have drove until the leon the rear view vision is terrible with the rear head rests and how low i have my seat that was until i discovered that my n/s wing mirror dips when i put it in reverse it is honestly a god send parking is easy again

 

[obi_waynne]

I took the middle head rest out of my Audi for the same reason it makes quite a difference Herb. It's pretty cool that the mirror dips, my wife moves our mirrors when she parks so as I drive along I can't see any cars in the inside mirror!

What tips did you get from your instructor then georges? (I wonder if it is the same as what I was told, it would be good to compare notes.)

 

[georges]

Well, it goes like this. there is space between two car parked on teh side of the road. Pick the first car, and park (at an a door disstance from the car) parallel to that car, a bonnet ahead. Now start reversing and turn into the space keeping an eye on the car behind you. As soon as you see the kerb approaching the rear wheel (pretty close, watch teh arches) then start turning fast to straighten the car. Do tyhe necessary adjustments. Thats what i remember and thats what I do. It took a lot of practice. Tight spaces are harder and need a lot of adjustments. As I said earlier the initial turning is the important one. That's what need practicing.

I always used to admire people who do bay parking (reversing into the space) in one go. I do it now, just practice (although I find the right side easier).

 

[obi_waynne]

I was told to watch for the inside light of the car behind in my mirror then countersteer and you are in. It works for me - both methods are pretty similar. It's a question of planting the back wheel where you want it and then shuffling in the front of the car.

Moving this thread on a bit then, what is the most manovers you have made to park a car - I probably have a few over 10 forward and backward moves to get in but in my defence they were tight spaces.

I hate to see cars drive over the pavement (with the front nearside wheel) into a space - anyone on here guilty of that?

 

[HDi fun]

I find that an audience never helps, perhaps subconsciously it makes me rush the job. And I refuse to let tyres and rims contact the kerb stones which slows me down against someone who doesn't care.

What is really funny though is when you see somebody taking 40 fwd/back moves to get a Micra in to or out from a space. I thought the idea was that small cars were easy to manoeuve!

 

[herb]

I hate to see cars drive over the pavement (with the front nearside wheel) into a space - anyone on here guilty of that?

dont hate me but i am guilty of this dont see the harm as long as their is no pedestrians or really high curbs

as for parallel parking mine is more 45 degree parking i basicly swing the front end in and then back out till the rear bumpers are level reverse back in till the n/s rear wheel is close to the curb then counter steer works every time for me and allows me to get in to tighter spaces :bigsmile:

 

[obi_waynne]

I wont hate you herb Have you thought about what this is doing to your tyres and tracking? I bet you get a lot of wear on your nearside outer edge, and probably a fair bit of torque steer!

 

[georges]

I was told to watch for the inside light of the car behind in my mirror then countersteer and you are in. It works for me - both methods are pretty similar. It's a question of planting the back wheel where you want it and then shuffling in the front of the car.

Moving this thread on a bit then, what is the most manovers you have made to park a car - I probably have a few over 10 forward and backward moves to get in but in my defence they were tight spaces.

I hate to see cars drive over the pavement (with the front nearside wheel) into a space - anyone on here guilty of that?

The most manouves I would say is in my Golf Mk2 (no power steering), it is a nightmare to do parallel parking in tight spaces. I remember once it took me around 10 minutes to park in a tight place in London (I had no other choice but to park there). I was sweating buckets, and needed a massage for my arms .

 

[obi_waynne]

Remember the guy from the Montego advert - he could park. Full speed - front in, hand brake on and stop!

My neighbours all brought Landrovers will bull bars after my practice attempts.

 

[georges]

Remember the guy from the Montego advert - he could park. Full speed - front in, hand brake on and stop!

My neighbours all brought Landrovers will bull bars after my practice attempts.

LOL, I saw a similar stunt on 5th gear. Amazing. Wish I could do that and I'll beat my neighbour to the parking lot.

 

[herb]

I wont hate you herb Have you thought about what this is doing to your tyres and tracking? I bet you get a lot of wear on your nearside outer edge, and probably a fair bit of torque steer!

tbh mate i dont do it at any speed like i have seen others do i do it nice and gentle and in all honesty i dont have any of the problems you mention maybe a little torque steer but dont all fwd cars with over 200bhp ??

 

[Hayley1]

i need an empty car park to park my car, very rarely unless theres a gap for 2/3 cars will i park in the street and then take up 2 spaces to allow room to get out.
worst parking was in hellfrauds when it took me 8 attempts of reversin and going forward to get in between the lines.

 

[HDi fun]

Which hellfrauds do you use? Ever tried the one at Roundswell in Barnstaple? The spaces are designed for minis only!!

 

[Prince]

I think I'm alright at parking. With bay parking I just whack it in...if it's not exactly right then I'll just adjust it...simple as! Parallel parking...well I've only done it like 3 times in 2 years...each time I got in perfectly ok, but if I thought the space might be a bit tight I'd find another one...possibly use 2 spaces so I can get out. I find it really annoying when someone tries to tell you how to park...especially if they have no license!!

 

[pgarner]

iit took me 8 attempts of reversin and going forward to get in between the lines.

yeap thats like me if im trying bay parking and going in head 1st. revese into one no problem, but cant do head 1st in 1 go

 

[Hayley1]

I've never been to that one, i thought the taunton ones were bad enough, my wheels were literally a cm away from the white lines either side.
you'd think now that cars are generally getting bigger that thry'd make the spaces a bit bigger!

 

[andym1fjg]

Im always leaving a wide berth at kerbs...yehh I get told off about it but Im protecting the expensive veilside skirts.:amazed:

 

[ChrisGMOC]

Im always leaving a wide berth at kerbs...yehh I get told off about it but Im protecting the expensive veilside skirts.:amazed:

My mate used to say " he was taught, that if you can put your foot between wheel & curb, your ok!, He says I can park in middle of road then & still be ok,
( size 12 feet ) He says mine are not feet they're yards lol.
I prefer bay parking, front first or reverse in, I don't mind. Parallel park the most I think I have took is two forward,three back. But I have to say I hate left reverse, as I can't turn left to look through rear window & have to use mirrors only, prefer right reverse! Hence parallel park needs to be a bit bigger than the normal.

Chris.. :blink1:

 

[andym1fjg]

:amazed: Yep another thing is protecting them nice wheels we have, stop the kerbing etc.only a couple of days ago I parked fine foot gap etc I was well pleased took me a few reverse & forwards thou,anyway thoughout the day I got blocked in about 8 inches front & rear....
Now this made me mad coz I had to give it the forward & reverse thing but coz i was so close to kerb I clipped my veilside kit,so its a wide berth for me no matter how big the space.I aways leave a good space between vehicles I do expect them to do that to me too.so if this happens again Im sorry but if I cant get out then the car to blame will get a flat sole kick..Any of you lot had this???

 

[andym1fjg]

I found a good spot to park LOL:bigsmile: ..Thing is the whole car seems to stick out a bit,its in my images on the grass there.Give me a couple of days I try show you what the realality parking is like on my street.

 

[andym1fjg]

Im trying this post a Image here too via the the quick upload thing.is this right??

 

[pgarner]

yeah using the quickupload should allow you to get something off yur computer

 

[billyo]

I took a tyre off whilst parking. At least the tyre deflated. It made me more caerful.

 

[obi_waynne]

I never thought I could but I'm now squeezing the A4 into pretty tight spaces! It just goes to show that you can get used to any car size given time and practice.

 

[Zwaf]

When I was young boy father wont let me drive the car untill I proved I am able to park anywhere in anny direction. I do not know what paralel or bay parking mean, but nevermind - any how in any circumstances I will do it in minimal maneuvres taken.
Later I got my licence as a driver, an after that ministry of education issued mi an license for driving instructor after I did all egsams (there was practical egsams also) taken.
'Cause of that I think if you do not know where your wheels are when you drive at speed of human walk - how can you know it when you are riding considerable faster?
Driving is all about precision and smootheness regardless how fast you go.

P.S. It is just my opinion! Any of you are valid to disagree at will.

 

[T9 man]

I am pretty good at parking and have had to pass the skills on to her indoors as this was never her strong point.
You would think that in London where spaces are tight, that you would see much better examples of parking. In some of the NCP car parks that I visit, some peoples cars look more like they are abandoned than an actual parking attempt was made.

 

[SLEEPER]

Amazing at how everyone is so amazing at parking.................

Well Im not !

However I will explain - When I park the stagea my main objective is not to kerb the wheels ever , even the smallest amount.

So I take my time and always park a distance away from the kerb and leave a decent gap between any cars either side .
Why ? well park too close to some cretin who doesnt value their car and I have a damaged bumper which is ireplaceable.
Same in a car park I just park nowhere near anyone then I dont have the car damaged.
I have even been known to park across two bays and buy two tickets in the local sainsburys car park as the bays are sooooo small.
I got ticket for that but appealed and won because the judge agreed that if the bays were not big enough ( the stagea is 4.8 m long) I could do little else.

 

[Prince]

I do not know what paralel or bay parking mean, but nevermind - any how in any circumstances I will do it in minimal maneuvres taken.

Parallel parking is parking in between 2 cars next to a kerb and bay parking is parking in a supermarket car park style space.

I think those of us who are lucky enough to have driveways suffer when it comes to parking as we don't do it very often.

 

[Zwaf]

Parallel parking is parking in between 2 cars next to a kerb and bay parking is parking in a supermarket car park style space.
.

Thank you, Prince! Suspected that but was not sure.


Well, the secret is to choose proper start position. When doing parallel man should put car in parallel of front car in parking space, but about 1,5 m further forward and about 1 meter clearance from that car. Then shift in "R" (reverse, not roquet! ) and slowly move and simultionusly ading the steering wheel to aim back of your car into the parking lot. Most time you will reach almost full lock. When front door is in position with rear bumper of front car steer in other direction. (If necessery sometimes you would move a little with non steering wheel aded.)
When your car front door passes rear bumper of an car in front, then you make counter steer. Again, most times you will needing almost full lock. Front of your car should suck onto parking lot. All you have to do next is to counter lock one more time and straighten your car.

When doing bay parking it is even easier. Trick is again to choose proper position to make maneuvre. If you go front in - you start with atleast 1,5 widness of your car and aim with your iner headlite the center of parking space. After you straighten up you should be in the midle of parking space.
If you go rear in, again choose proper start position, and aim in such way you can see the corner of neighbour car in side mirror. After that, check the other side mirror and if necesery turn your head to see better. (I do not remember when was the last time I turn my head to look behind either parallel or bay parking - imagine you are in Ford Transit or VW LT) After that is just reverse driving with minor adjustments.


Hope I helped someone with my (obvious, maybe even not necessery) tips. If I speak better english I could be more clear what to do, but hope interested people would try and conclude them self what I meant to describe.

During training for driving instruktor parking was one of tests. Candidates for drivers license can make one adjustment, but we needed to do in one attempt.
One of tests was also slalom driving up front and in reverse with time meassuring - but we must for every turn the put the blinkers on. (Is that an word?-those blinking lights that shows in what direction you attend to turn)

 

[Prince]

One of tests was also slalom driving up front and in reverse with time meassuring - but we must for every turn the put the blinkers on. (Is that an word?-those blinking lights that shows in what direction you attend to turn)

We call them indicators mate.

 

[Zwaf]

We call them indicators mate.

Remind me to buy you beer, mate!
So, indicators it is...Thanks!

 

[envious]

I once parked next to the curb and realized i had a nice half inch gap between my tyres and the curb. Brilliant i thought as i scraped the lovely rims on my jetta.