How to align reference points for parallel parking?
3 Answers
Align the center of your chest with the left edge of the rightmost marking line ahead, then move forward while maintaining this alignment. When your left shoulder aligns with the marking line on the left ground, gently apply the brakes. Depress the clutch, shift into reverse gear, and turn on the right turn signal. Turn the steering wheel fully to the right. Observe the left rearview mirror, and when the car's rear end just covers the corner of the parking space in the mirror, immediately straighten the steering wheel. Watch the rearview mirror to see the left rear wheel. When the rear wheel just touches the marking line, immediately turn the steering wheel fully to the left. When the car body is straight, depress the clutch and apply the brakes to stop. Turn on the left turn signal, depress the clutch, shift into first gear, and slowly drive the car out.
The hardest part for me when learning to drive was the reference points for parallel parking. The instructor taught me to drive the car parallel to the car in front, aligning the rearview mirrors with about half a meter of space in between. When reversing, I had to focus on the right-side mirror and turn the steering wheel all the way to the right as soon as the rear bumper of the car behind appeared in the middle of the mirror. The car would then enter the spot at a 45-degree angle. At this point, I had to check the left mirror to ensure safety on that side. As the rear of my car approached the car behind, I quickly straightened the wheels by turning the steering wheel back to center and adjusted the car to be parallel to the curb. Initially, I often forgot to check the mirrors and scraped the car several times. Now, I practice for half an hour every day in an empty parking lot with an old car to simulate the scenario, and I’ve improved a lot. The key is to develop the habit of observation and stay calm.
Having taught driving for over a decade, the core of parallel parking lies in visual references and timing. Standard steps: First, park the car diagonally in front of the target car at a distance of 1 meter, adjust the rearview mirrors for better visibility; when reversing until the rear car's taillight appears in the right rearview mirror, turn the steering wheel fully to the right, maintaining low-speed control; at a 45-degree angle of the car body, check the left rearview mirror to confirm a distance of about 30 cm from the rear car, then immediately straighten the wheel to adjust the car's front into position. Beginners often neglect mirror adjustment and speed control. It's recommended to practice multiple times in driving school areas first, bring a friend to help watch blind spots to avoid collisions, and accumulate experience to improve judgment.
