How to Align the Rear of the Car During Parallel Parking?
3 Answers
Before parking, assess whether the parking space can accommodate your vehicle based on the model you are driving. Adjust to an appropriate distance. Align your car parallel to the car in front, maintaining a 0.5m gap between the sides. When your right rearview mirror aligns with the middle of the car in front, prepare to reverse. Turn the steering wheel fully inward and start reversing. Continue until your car forms a 45° angle with the car in front. Straighten the steering wheel and continue reversing. Stop when the right front of your car just passes the horizontal line of the rear bumper of the car in front. Turn the steering wheel fully in the opposite direction and continue reversing. Once parked, wait for the front of your car to straighten, then straighten the steering wheel.
I remember when I first learned to drive, aligning the rear of the car during parallel parking was a real headache. Later, I figured out a little trick: when reversing, I focus on the center rearview mirror inside the car. When the bumper of the car behind me appears right in the middle of the mirror, the rear of my car is basically aligned. Don’t rush to turn your head to check the back—it’s distracting and can easily lead to an accident. At the same time, glance at the right side mirror to ensure the wheels are about half a meter from the curb, not too close to avoid scraping. With more practice, I started using roadside objects as references, like stopping when the window frame aligns with a utility pole. Remember to keep the speed slow and turn the steering wheel gently, or the car might tilt awkwardly. Once, it was dark and I didn’t see clearly, leaving the rear noticeably crooked—so embarrassing! Now, it’s become second nature. The key is to practice more, stay calm, and confidence will come naturally.
When I first started learning to drive, I always struggled with aligning the rear of the car during parallel parking. Searching for tips online, I found many people recommending the rearview mirror technique: after starting to reverse, look at the car behind through the center rearview mirror inside the car. When the midline of its hood is centered in the mirror, the rear alignment is pretty much spot on. I also tried directly aligning the rear with roadside objects, but turning the steering wheel too sharply would twist the front of the car. Sometimes, I also used the right-side rearview mirror to check if the gap between the wheel and the curb was even. Practicing multiple times in the training area helped me get a feel for the car's dynamic changes. For example, when parking in narrow alleys, extra caution is needed—slowly reversing while combining the view from all three mirrors. Don’t be afraid of failure; at first, I practiced for half an hour every day, and now I’ve improved a lot. Remember, safety comes first—if visibility is poor, stop, step out to check, and then continue.
