Parallel Parking and people who cannot:

Diamondmaker

Go on how many people will admit to avoiding PP where ever possible???

I saw a woman trying to park a ciaquento into a decent sized space on Fri. I stopped behind and waited patiently.

She proceeds to driv in head 1st as I realsie I could be in for a long wait.
As suspected she does the old in and out in the same arc routine oblivious as to why she does not get into the psace any further,,,in fact sometimes she seemed to come our further.
After a while I sqeezed by her and noticed she was cute so offered to her that she should drive as far forwrd as she could with the wheel the opposite way she had at so as to rverse and as if by magic allow her rear wheels get to the kerb....
She took offence and snapped at me she was only going to be here a minute!
She was the 2nd car around a blind bend and I hope her protrudung car got what it deserved...I done really.

There are so manuy numpties out there who cannot PP even one of my 28 yr old male mates...what do expect I spose if it not taught on the diving test!!

Capt'n Midnight

It's on the UK test, then again we don't have much of a testing system here,

Actually we don't have any testing here since it's only optional. You can self certify and tens of thousands have driven this way for over ten years.

It's amazing how many people still don't realise you can move the front end of the car left or right very easily by reversing a few feed, but that you have to go a car length if you want to move the back end at all.

Nuttzz

i rarely have to parallel park, dont see what the big deal is....

Omikron1

Im a fairly new driver and i think im pretty good at nearly all aspects but i gotta say i usually try to avoid parallel parkin. im not terrible at it but sometimes im not sure of the distances so it could take me a couple of trys. and i don't wanna look like a spa so i usually avoid it

Squirrel

I've only had to PP once since I've started driving and that was in a fairly tight space up a hill in Dun Laoghaire with a Range Rover sitting on my rear bumper when I went to start it. It took me two attempts, I was in the first time but the afforementioned RR decided to try take the whole drivers side off my car so I re-did it to move it 3 inches closer to the kerb.

Wishbone Ash

A little trick that most people don't realise is that, when parking in a street with shop/office windows, use the reflected image in the window as a guide. You can easily reverse back quickly to within one inch of the vehicle behind and then straighten up. It looks impressive to those who are unaware and they think you're great at parking.

mike65

If you can't PP you really should'nt be allowed the privilege of a car! Theres is a method but once learnt tis easy.

Mike.

dudara

PP is a skill that you do have to work at, but quite easy when learned. I had to parallel park my car most days in Cork, when I'd only just gotten it. Tough learning curve, but you do learn!

Wishbone Ash

dudara wrote:

PP is a skill that you do have to work at, but quite easy when learned. I had to parallel park my car most days in Cork, when I'd only just gotten it. Tough learning curve, but you do learn!

Parallel parking a van with no rear windows is a good way of learning - mirrors only.

luckat

OK, experts, explain exactly how to parallel park, please.

ninty9er

I love to PP. It's like a challenge to see how small a space I can get into. Most people will just pass spaces that are easily manouverable because they have absolutely no PP skills.

I will admit to driving into a space this morning on the way to work because it's only 10 seconds from the front door of work and was on a corner. But I know from experience I could drive my car into that spot.

It's really all about knowing your car

ninty9er

luckat wrote:

OK, experts, explain exactly how to parallel park, please.

Pull up next to the "car in front" with the back of yours at the back of it. Steer towards the footpath. reverse. when your rear wheels are near the path straighten up.

Therte will be variances depending on the overhang

cormie

I love parallel parking too, in fact, I always choose the most difficult space to park in purely for the challenge of it. Got into a really tight spot in Dun Laoghaire with a bus behind me and a bus coming towards me too. Over and done with within seconds. Wanted to take a photo of the spot it was so tight! lol.:D

Wishbone Ash

cormie wrote:

I always choose the most difficult space to park in purely for the challenge

I have no difficulty parking but I will avoid tight spots as the motorists front and rear will probably do some annoying minor damage to my car when they are exiting.

cormie

Wishbone Ash wrote:

I have no difficulty parking but I will avoid tight spots as the motorists front and rear will probably do some annoying minor damage to my car when they are exiting.

Not an issue when you have a banger:D

luckat

"Next to the car in front"? How near it?

I seem to remember something about when your rear window passes the back of the car beside you...?

Stark

I've been able to do it on the occasions that I've had to. I rarely get opportunity to practise though.

bigtimecharlie

Was in Antwerp earlier in the year and while sitting in traffic, I noticed the worst case of parrallel parking ever. Guy did not have a clue, hit both car's more than 4 times, car was left 3 feet from kerb and the left the hazard's flashing while he ran down the street.

Sandwich

I think the mistake made by those who find it difficult is that they leave too much space when between themselves and the-car-in-front when they align before reversing. The bigger the gap between the sides of the two cars, the higher the angle you approach the footpath as you reverse and the greater thje lock required to realign with the footpath after turning in (if more than the car can do then you're stuck and cant complete the manouvre). Go close side-to-side with the car infornt - but you need a good sense of the corner of you car then as you reverse. Leave too comfortable a margin and you just wont be able to straighten in a limited space.

mike65

Wishbone Ash wrote:

Parallel parking a van with no rear windows is a good way of learning - mirrors only.

This is true when I'm in the van PP is a breeze despite only having wing mirrors to see.

Mike.

kilasser

This is a good web page on PP: http://www.2pass.co.uk/parallel.htm
http://www.2pass.co.uk/reversepark.htm

Fey!

It's made a lot easier if you have electric mirrors - adjust the mirror down so that you can see the path beside your back wheel. Driving a 206 with manual mirrors at the moment (my own car is still off the road), and I find it a nuisance to park. That said, it's made easier by the fact that the end of the car is at the back window!

Another thing that makes life easier is parking sensors - you can get a proper set fitted for between €250 and €350. Bear in mind that the 2 sensor sets are rubbish, and there is a special kit available if you have a towbar fitted.

BTW, I can actually parallel park without the aids. The reflection in a window trick is excellent - you can use the windows across the road from you too.

My pet hate is people trying to guide you into spaces - I know that they're just trying to help, but I find them to be a distraction, not a huge amount of help a lot of the time, and they sometimes stand in the way!

digitaldr

Check this out:D

elexes

i refuse to pp basicly because i am in full belief that the people around will damage my car . ive seen many people use other cars as bumpers and then move off . i hate when i get a small scratch on my car .

americans have the right ida about parking . then again they have usually better streets

lau1247

ninty9er wrote:

I love to PP. It's like a challenge to see how small a space I can get into. Most people will just pass spaces that are easily manouverable because they have absolutely no PP skills.

I will admit to driving into a space this morning on the way to work because it's only 10 seconds from the front door of work and was on a corner. But I know from experience I could drive my car into that spot.

It's really all about knowing your car

Yeah I totally agree on this.. it's a great way to test out your skill and make a self assessment..

I always drive up half way from behind to the car in front, stop, then swing the steering almost full towards the footpath while reversing. Once I feel that I can swing the front of the car in by turning the steering the other way and not hitting the front car, I'll swing it. This is where you need to familiarise yourself with your own car length in the front, that should usually do it.

After it's just few minor adjustment for allignment

mikedragon32

I used to have a major mental block about PP but I'm okay now!

It's great watching drivers on the contintent (esp. France) clatter the cars in front and behind while they shoe-horn their car into a space...

Irish Salfordia

digitaldr wrote:

Check this out:D

Good thing that is not part of the driving test or there would be a high fail rate!

Irish Salfordia

kilasser wrote:

This is a good web page on PP: http://www.2pass.co.uk/parallel.htm
http://www.2pass.co.uk/reversepark.htm

This is a great site in most aspects.

It does contain a number of things not in the Irish test, but as many people say we dont have a lot there

galah

Ahhh, one of my pet hates is people who can't parallel park...
My neighbours are ALL very very bad at it - and it's not even the fact that their cars are sticking out miles into the road or that it takes them ages to do it (somehow it seems to escape them), but that they park sooo stupidly as to block 3 perfectly fine car spaces with one car...and don't even care. I don't have a driveway, and there's only on-street parking, so you'd think people would be a little more considerate...


(I can rant about this forever...).

I'm a stickler for perfect parallel parking (a friend of mine make a habit out of measuring the distance to the curb - it's almost always exactly 5 cm...perfect..;-))

Johnny Storm

Many years ago I was sitting in the Elephant and Castle in Temple Bar and a guy was trying his best to parallel park accross the street. The whole restaurant was in stiches. Eventually he noticied everyone looking at him and laughing and got a big reddener and drove off.

I have to admit that it was MANY years after I got my driving licence that I finally learned to PP. PP and emergency stops should defo be part of the test.

seamus

I'll generally avoid it when I can, but I won't drive for miles just to find somewhere I don't have to parallel park.
The main reason I avoid it in heavy traffic is because the guy behind you will *always* drive right up your ass, preventing you from reversing, and leaving those few seconds while you look at him to see if he'll reverse back, and he's just looking sheepish/confused/angry.