Parking Despair

Sleuthy

I'm a learner driver and recently bought my first car. I haven't a clue how to park and live in a really busy street so it's quite traumatic. Earlier my boyfriend and I were in the car and I was attempting to parallel park (it's the only way to get parking in my street as there are always loads of cars parked). I was trying to park and ended up reversing into a car.

Luckily, there is hardly is no damage on the car but I obviously left a note just in case. My poor wee car is scraped but that's the least of my worries.

I feel really disheartened and absolutely terrified about trying to park again. There are no parking bays in my street so it's absolutely vital that I learn to parallel park quick=smart. Practice is the only way, I know, but practising fills me with dread now if I'm likely to scratch every car near me.

I've done some parking when I'm out on lessons with my instructor but it's a very different scenario when you're in your own street in your own car.

Any advice?

MascotDec85

I really don't know why this isn't part of the driving test here but that's another story.

Watch this video tutorial http://www.2pass.co.uk/parallel.htm

If you've any others questions just ask

af_thefragile

I'm pretty bad at parking myself. Infact its the only thing I'm pretty poor at.
I've parallel parked just once with my instructor talking me through it. Never had the courage to do it since.

I think it really helps get familiarised with your car's proportions and know how far forward or backwards you can go without hitting something. And this comes from practice and using reference points. Eg. Like while going forwards, as long as you can see the front car's bumper, its safe. Once the bumper start to disappear, you're too close. And something similar for going backwards. It depends on the car and how high you're sitting in it so these pointers will be different from car to car and person to person.

Or you could get yourself one of those parking sensors from halfords and they should help you out...
Like this one:
http://www.halfords.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_11101_catalogId_15551_productId_196951_langId_-1_categoryId_212417#dtab
http://www.halfords.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_11101_catalogId_15551_productId_219910_langId_-1_categoryId_212417

Alanstrainor

As with everything, the more you practice the better you will get. I know you say you're worried about it, but maybe if you find some cones and practice in an empty car park? Practicing with your instructor would also be good, i know you mention you have done so in the past, but if it's bothering you i'd ask to do some more.
You have to take what you learn in lessons and apply it without your instructor in the car, as this is exactly what you'll have to do in the test.

erwinvr101

af_thefragile is right. use reference points on your car. ask your instructor to point it out for you. good luck with driving

samhail

I remember getting out loads of boxes and putting them a cars length apart to practice parrallel parking.

and the reversing sensors are very handy espicially in a larger vechicle and one you are not used to.

you could get someone out of the car and get them to motion you back until you have to stop. that way you get practice actually doing the parking (so you can estimate the distances). dont be afraid to put the car in park and get out and have a look !

MascotDec85

Reversing sensors are all well and good but they provide you with a false sense of security. Drivers rely on then far too much without knowing the true size of the car.

In effect, imo, they are like having a crutch.

If you learn properly there's no need for them. Ask your ADI to show you

greenie

When I first started learning I found it incredibly hard to parallel park..could not do it at all and didn't feel comfortable trying either. I just put it at the end of the list and concentrated on my actual driving. I did notice though that the more practise I had and the more experienced & confident I got, the easier it became. It didn't just happen overnight but bit by bit it became less awkward.
The fact that it's freaking you out right now is going to make it a bit harder to get it right so I'd let your bf do the parking for the moment. It is something that an awful lot of people struggle with so dont be thinking it's just you. It will get easier in time:)

Jamie-b

I think its the worst thing when learning- you cant make a little error or you can hit someone. I can't park if anyone isnear me. I think im going to book a lesson in the dual control car so my instructor can stop it if i go to far. Might park the folks cars outside with a spot in the middle for me- at least if i bump them i'll get away with it;)

Sleuthy

Thanks for all your advice guys - much appreciated.xx

Faith+1

I wonder will the RSA introduce parallel parking in the near future??

MascotDec85

Faith+1 wrote: »

I wonder will the RSA introduce parallel parking in the near future??

Who knows

ADI's have to do it for Stage 2.

They should also bring in the emergency stop.

Hal1

MascotDec85 wrote: »

I really don't know why this isn't part of the driving test here but that's another story.

Watch this video tutorial http://www.2pass.co.uk/parallel.htm

If you've any others questions just ask

I learned a lot from that site in the run up to my driving test. I practically lived on there, and spent a lot of time practising what I had learned and doing practise online tests. It's the only way to learn and move on from mistakes made. You will get better.

af_thefragile

I parallel parked today.
Had to cuz I usually park by the sidewalk in front of my house and today there were two cars parked either side on the sidewalk to my house leaving barely about 2 car lengths space for me to park into.

Took me a bit to get it right but its actually not that hard. Its easier than you think it is. You've just gotta go slow and know the dimensions of your car so as to stop before you'ld hit anything.

Though I think it's still a while before I'll be trying this in traffic.
One reason why I managed to do it without much hassle was because there were no cars driving, fortunately, and I could take my time with it. Without having to put up with any impatient motorists honking at me!!

So I'ld recommend you to first familiarise yourself with the dimensions of your car.
Get someone to help you out with this. Drive in your car upto maybe another car and tell the person to tell you to stop when he thinks you're too close to the car you're moving towards. Notice a point here which you can take as a reference like how much of the bumper you can see or something like that. Once you know this, you can use this reference point in the future everytime you're moving towards another car and you'll know at what point you're too close to the car and stop before you do any damage!

Once you know the dimensions of your car everything will become a lot easier as you'll know how far you can go and when to stop and you won't be as nervous that you might hit something.

mark renton

Faith+1 wrote: »

I wonder will the RSA introduce parallel parking in the near future??

its a driving test - not a parking test

MascotDec85

john47832 wrote: »

its a driving test - not a parking test

Parking is an important part of the overall ability to drive and should be part of the test. The standard of parking you see around the place reinforces this imo

samhail

john47832 wrote: »

its a driving test - not a parking test

yeah Faith+1 - like when pilots get their flying licence its only a flying licence, its not a landing licence.

Can someone confirm that you dont do parking in the test. i am pretty sure it was when i did it !

mark renton

MascotDec85 wrote: »

Parking is an important part of the overall ability to drive and should be part of the test. The standard of parking you see around the place reinforces this imo

Parking has nothing at all to do with driving, what next, taking down the roof on a cabriolet?

mark renton

MascotDec85 wrote: »

Parking is an important part of the overall ability to drive and should be part of the test. The standard of parking you see around the place reinforces this imo

I agree, the standard of parking is terrible, so we should have a parking test - no?

MascotDec85

john47832 wrote: »

Parking has nothing at all to do with driving, what next, taking down the roof on a cabriolet?

Again, clearly you know best so I'll bow out :rolleyes:

challengemaster

john47832 wrote: »

Parking has nothing at all to do with driving, what next, taking down the roof on a cabriolet?

No offence meant to the OP here but.... if they weren't driving when they bumped into that other car attempting to park, what exactly were they doing?

Last I checked, you don't get out of the car, tell it to park and it goes and does it by itself. You're still driving it.

mark renton

challengemaster wrote: »

Last I checked, you don't get out of the car, tell it to park and it goes and does it by itself. You're still driving it.

technically yes, but to append it to a driving test that is already fundamentally flawed is madness

**Timbuk2**

john47832 wrote: »

technically yes, but to append it to a driving test that is already fundamentally flawed is madness

But surely adding parking to the test would improve it, not add to its flaws.

When you're driving in real life, you're going to be parking a hell of a lot more than reversing around a corner. If parking was part of the test (like it is in the UK), then people would be a lot better at it, thus making day to day driving more pleasant.

My instructors says that it's actually really easy to parallel park, it's just that most people get frightened by the traffic behind them. He says to practice first behind one car, then in between two cars spaced widely apart, and then in between two cars that don't have much of a gap between them.

MascotDec85

**Timbuk2** wrote: »

But surely adding parking to the test would improve it, not add to its flaws.

When you're driving in real life, you're going to be parking a hell of a lot more than reversing around a corner. If parking was part of the test (like it is in the UK), then people would be a lot better at it, thus making day to day driving more pleasant.

My instructors says that it's actually really easy to parallel park, it's just that most people get frightened by the traffic behind them. He says to practice first behind one car, then in between two cars spaced widely apart, and then in between two cars that don't have much of a gap between them.

Behave, that's far too sensible

Reloc8

john47832 wrote: »

technically yes, but to append it to a driving test that is already fundamentally flawed is madness

It incorporates car control, consideration for other road users and safety aspects.

Your issue seems to be that someone else (a tester) gets to decide whether you have demonstrated on the occasion of your test the required minimum standard of competency.

erwinvr101

**Timbuk2** wrote: »

But surely adding parking to the test would improve it, not add to its flaws.

When you're driving in real life, you're going to be parking a hell of a lot more than reversing around a corner. If parking was part of the test (like it is in the UK), then people would be a lot better at it, thus making day to day driving more pleasant.

My instructors says that it's actually really easy to parallel park, it's just that most people get frightened by the traffic behind them. He says to practice first behind one car, then in between two cars spaced widely apart, and then in between two cars that don't have much of a gap between them.

+1. if i had to choose between parallel parking and reversing around the corner it will be the former. it's more practical. both focuses on car control though i think it's easier to do parallel parking so maybe that's why reversing around the corner would be the choice as a measure of one's competency with regards to car control

mark renton

**Timbuk2** wrote: »

But surely adding parking to the test would improve it, not add to its flaws.

my issue with that is that it is just adding to an already padantic test, which proves very little about competency - aready we have seen the variance for pass rates in country is a joke, its being currently treated as a driving perfection test by some testers, to add futher cause to overcomplicate a driving testers mind is surely not welcome

Melia

If you can't drive perfectly, or near perfectly, on a short drive in an area you should know well, when you're driving absolutely as well as you can, after at least six months of preparation (more if you want it) then you don't deserve to pass.

This is coming from a two-time failer!

MascotDec85

john47832 wrote: »

my issue with that is that it is just adding to an already padantic test, which proves very little about competency - aready we have seen the variance for pass rates in country is a joke, its being currently treated as a driving perfection test by some testers, to add futher cause to overcomplicate a driving testers mind is surely not welcome

Let's just have another Learner Amnesty.

Full Licence's available soon in Lucky Bags from your local Sweet Shop

mark renton

Melia wrote: »

If you can't drive perfectly, or near perfectly, on a short drive in an area you should know well, when you're driving absolutely as well as you can, after at least six months of preparation (more if you want it) then you don't deserve to pass.

This is coming from a two-time failer!

not everybody has the luxury of having a driving test route in their areas

mark renton

MascotDec85 wrote: »

Let's just have another Learner Amnesty.

Full Licence's available soon in Lucky Bags from your local Sweet Shop

Hey - no big deal, as i have previously stated, I have yet to be prevented from doing anything as a result of not holding a full driving licence

Lucky bag is already in process, its called "the driving test"