As part of your driving test you will be required to carry out a series of manoeuvres to demonstrate your control of the car and you ability drive safely and with the correct technique in a variety of situations.
One such manoeuvre is the parallel park. This is arguably the most advanced manoeuvre you will carry out in your driving lessons and if you have not practiced, practiced, practiced it; it can be your downfall. Fortunately One Way Driving School (A Driving School in Portsmouth, UK) has helped put together a guide of how to master this manoeuvre.
Find the best space: If you feel comfortable that you can safely get your car into a space without making contact with another car then you can proceed with the next steps. Feel free to drive around until you find a larger that you will feel comfortable with. You will need a space that’s several feet longer than your car that leaves plenty of room for adjustment.
Check what’s coming: Use your mirrors as you approach the space to ensure another car is not too close to you before proceeding to stop in the road. If there is a car, ensure that you signal before you approach your space and slow down in time. If another motorist rides up on your rear, simply maintain your position and keep signalling. You might even need to roll down your window and wave the other driver around; they might not have realised you’re trying to parallel park.
Take your position: Get yourself next to the car that is parked directly in front of the space you want to reverse into. Don’t get too close on the side, or you might scrape the other car when you make your move. But you also don’t want to be too far away – two or three feet will suffice. Position your vehicle parallel to the parked car, aligning your bumpers or staying two or three feet behind.
Make your move: After another check around you, SLOWLY begin to turn your wheel left and move into the space. Make sure you remain far enough away from the rear bumper of the vehicle in front of you as you slide in. If your rear tire hits the curb, you’ve gone too far; just put it back into 1st/Drive and pull forward a few feet to give you the room you need. (Trust me, even Lewis Hamilton will do this from time to time)
Straighten up: Once the backend of the car is adequately into the space (this will vary on the type of car you are driving), still going backward turn the steering wheel hard to the right and straighten up the car. Ensure you have left enough room to straighten up without grinding the curb and that the space is big enough to not touch either the car in front or behind.
Make the Finishing touches: If you have room or you are a tad too close to the car in front move forward gently toward the curb and ensure you are nicely centred and close to the curb.
You’re Done! If you have followed these steps correctly you should be nicely tucked into a space. If not, check your mirrors and pull out of the space and try again. Your driving instructor should be able to pick out what went wrong and take you through it to achieve parallel parking perfection.
Parallel Parking is something where practice genuinely does make perfect. You might not get it the first few times. But don’t give up… there is nothing better the first time you achieve parallel parking perfection.
One Way Driving School will be writing a series of articles full of hints and tips about all aspects of your driving education.