Car parking can be more challenging than driving, especially for new drivers. The situation may get even more difficult in small parking spaces and crowded parking lots. Moreover, for car parking, there are no half measures; you must get it correct. Otherwise, you may face legal complexities, misfortunes, or inconveniences.
However, there are different techniques for car parking, which we’ve listed in the blog. It will make you understand how you should park your car with perfection. So, read ahead carefully.
Method 1: Angled parking
In this type of parking, you need to align your car at an angle. Here taking a gentle turn at a 90-degree angle is required. However, parking in this method is not only easier but also faster. You would generally find such type of parking in garages and streets that have enough space for the traffic to pass. During angled parking, you need to merely accelerate and zoom your car ahead at a certain speed.
Step-to-step guide for angled parking:
Step 1- Signal after finding a parking space:
As soon as you get your room for parking, you should alert other drivers that you’re going to park. For that, slowly drive forward until you get to the centre of the parking space. Also, make sure there’s no one behind you intending to park in the same place.
Step 2-Turn your tires sharply:
You will need to turn your wheel about half a turn. For that, you should make sure you keep about 5-6 feet distance from other cars or the empty parking space. Give a slow pace to your four-wheeler and move forward. Come to a full stop when it is in the correct spot the whole way.
Step 3- Straighten your wheels:
When parking your car, ensure that your wheels are straight so that you can back out of the space correctly. You can do this step while removing your four-wheeler from the parking lot but following it when you park is a good practice. If you want to increase the longevity of your four wheels, then straightening them is a right way. For additional information, read the blog on how to get the longest life from your tires.
Method 2: Perpendicular parking
This technique is common in parking lots, where drivers park their cars for the longest time. Similar to angled parking, you need to park your car at a 90-degree angle, but perpendicularly. Additionally, it requires skilled manoeuvring in terms of turning.
Step-to-step guide for perpendicular parking:
Step 1-Position your car:
To be able to turn correctly on the stop, keep your four-wheeler at an 8-feet distance. Quickly take a look for any other vehicles, pedestrians, or obstacles. Then drive forward slowly until the front bumper of your car is just past the taillights of the car next to your parking space.
Step 2-Pull into space:
Take a sharp turn and get into your parking area until the rear of your car is entirely in the correct place. You can align your mirrors with those on the four-wheeler beside you to do it correctly.
Step 3-Keep your wheels straight:
Do this as soon as your car enters the entire space. You can also go ahead with this step while removing your vehicle from the parking space. However, doing it at the time of parking is the best thing.
Method 3: Parallel parking
It means parking your car in parallel with the other four-wheelers to the curb from the front bumper to the rear bumper. Doing itrequires skills as you may need to park in between the two cars (one ahead and another behind). You may have watched such type of parking happening on the side of the street that has no parking facilities.
Step-to-step guide for parallel parking:
Step 1-Line up your car:
After seeking space for parking, align your car’s bumper with the other vehicle’s bumper or stay 2-3 feet behind it. We would recommend you not to get so close or too far away from another four-wheeler. That could turn out to scrape either of the vehicles.
Step 2-Put your car in reverse:
Keep checking your side mirrors and back up until your bumper is 3-4 feet behind that of the car next to you. After that, reverse your gears and cut your wheels to the right.
Step 3-Turn the steering to the left:
Once your car’s front wheels are next to the back bumper of the car standing in front, you can move your steering wheel to your left. Simultaneously, look through your back window to check the distance of the car behind you. After that, turn your steering to the right and slowly move back to straighten your vehicle. If you’re within one foot of the curb, that means you’ve parked.
Conclusion
A car is an expensive investment, and you may not want to put its life at risk. Unknowingly, you can injure your car by not using the correct technique. There are other ways also by which you’re hurting your vehicle despite providing you signals. If unaware of it, then go through the 8 signs that indicate your car needs preventive maintenance.
Coming back to our original topic, practicing parking a car will help you to get better at it. As a new driver, you can use the above information and practice in and around your residential area.
