Parking tips

rachos89

Just wondering if anyone has any tips for someone learning to park! Any parking tips would be much appreciated, it's just something I need to work on more because it still makes me a bit nervous, particularly reversing into a space or parallel parking, I keep thinking I'm going to hit one of the cars on either side of me. As a side note, if anyone knows of any good places to practice parking in Cork I'd be eternally grateful, went looking tonight and was disappointed by the lack of potential practice areas!

overshoot

you could always throw a few planks of wood down around your house if you have the space, that way you feel the bump same as the footpath if you have failed. a space is (supposed to be) 2.4 x 4.8m. just something that springs to mind, if you are nervous about hitting other cars.
you just need a bit of practice and to learn your car's turning circle and get some confidence in your throttle control. you will get there.
any churches nearby? their carparks are usually empty 98% of the time

**Timbuk2**

I used to find reversing into a space difficult - oddly enough, I found it easier if there were cars either side, as I could see the cars at all time, whereas if there were empty spaces either side, I couldn't see the lines as well.

I practiced in a large carpark that was more or less empty on a Sunday. You get the hang of it quite quickly. You'll be surprised that reverse parallel parking isn't that difficult - it's easier than the reverse around the corner in the test, for example. What makes learners nervous is that on busy roads, they are holding up traffic while doing it. Find a road that has a lot of parallel parking but not much traffic - usually big wide residential roads are a good candidate. Pick a car, and try to parallel park behind it.

For reverse parking. If you are driving up a road and want to reverse park into a space on your left, drive just past the space and turn right (so you face a 45 degree angle away from the space). This limits the amount you have to turn while reversing, which makes it considerably easier.

Here's an online video showing you the same idea, although it's hard to see the observation required in these videos - as you are going backwards, you need to go slowly and have 360 degree observation at all times. There could be kids running between cars, runaway shopping trolleys, anything really!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79AA6owE2Bs

And bay parking to the right

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMJ1RaPTBWk

(Note: that method isn't an "official" way or anything - it's just one way of doing it, and in my experience, the easiest).

And for reverse parallel parking.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggU4wpd1Eh0

The method sounds a bit ridiculous but it seems to work. All cars are different though. I find it harder in my dad's car because it's a much longer car than I'm used to driving and I often leave turning too late and bump the kerb on the way back

When practicing, try reverse parallel park with no cars nearby. Then try behind a car (with no car nearby behind you). Then try between two cars.

cruizer101

Empty Carpark and some cardboard boxes.

I think it is very hard to learn in just empty carpark, when you have no reference it much harder to judge your position, thats what the boxes are for.

Put the boxes where two other cars would be either side of a spot and then try reverse in.

I still often mess up when parking if there are no other cars around.

rachos89

Thanks a million for the replies, I'll be trying all of the above I do find I end up with the car at a slight angle if there aren't any cars on either side of me, but I do need to learn to reverse in ASAP as I work in a shopping centre and my current method of finding two spaces back to back and just driving straight through one into the other can't work every time :P

ADIDriving

S
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Keep the speed very slow, using clutch control. This allows time for observation and adjustments.
Good ideas from the other posters.

Foxhole Norman

OP I'm currently Learning to drive too and I'm learning with my dad at the moment at the Mahone Industrial Estate next to the Blackrock golf course. It is quite from 7 onwards and has a roundabout, car park, places to reverse around corners, hills and an open stretch to get the car into 3rd-4th gear.

rachos89

Thanks!!! Went to the cinema last night and successfully reversed into a space first go, so very pleased with myself Will keep up the practice!

stevenmu

This might be obvious but use your wing mirrors a lot while reverse parking, they make it very easy to see where the back of your car is in relation to other cars.

Foxhole Norman

Rachos89: I didnt see you around the Mahon Industrial Estate tonight did I? In a red Micra or a dark blue 206? If so i was in a blue skoda superb in case you saw me!

rachos89

@Foxhole Norman, nope!spent the evening jobsearching on the internet!but i'm a blue clio in case we do ever run into one another :P

Foxhole Norman

Cool, I'll keep an eye out for ya.