How to accurately judge the 30 cm distance when reversing into the parking space?
2 Answers
When the lower edge of the left rearview mirror aligns with the stop line, you can turn the steering wheel fully to the right and slowly reverse while controlling the speed. When the rightmost line becomes visible and the distance between the car body and the corner of the parking space is about 30 cm, turn the steering wheel back halfway. After confirming that the right rear wheel can smoothly enter the parking space, observe the left rear wheel. Use slight adjustments to correct the vehicle's position. When the car body is parallel to the parking space line, quickly straighten the steering wheel. Adjust by turning the steering wheel toward the side with more space. When the lower edge of the left rearview mirror aligns with the parking space line, you can press the brake to stop.
Having been a driving instructor for so many years, when teaching students to reverse into a parking space with a 30cm margin, I always emphasize finding reference points first. Observe from the right rearview mirror—when the angle between the parking line and the car body is about the width of a finger, that’s roughly 30cm. Different car models have different rearview mirror angles, so I recommend sitting in the driver’s seat and having someone measure the actual distance first, then memorize the visual representation in the mirror. It’s also crucial to watch the distance between the rear wheel and the parking corner; the optimal position is when one-third of the corner is visible in the mirror. Maintain slow speed to allow room for adjustments—if it’s too close, steer slightly in the opposite direction. Practicing multiple times will build muscle memory, which is far more effective than rigidly memorizing reference points.
