How to Correct the Steering When Reversing into a Parking Space Too Early?
2 Answers
When reversing into a parking space, if you steer too early, the correction method is to straighten the steering wheel immediately when the car body is about to align. Before reversing into the parking space, it is essential to adjust the position of the rearview mirrors. Both the left and right side mirrors and the interior rearview mirror should be positioned so that the horizon is at the midpoint of the mirror when the driver is in the normal driving position. Additionally, the side mirrors should show no more than one-quarter of the car's body. Steering techniques for reversing: Engage reverse gear, release the handbrake, slowly lift the clutch to the semi-engaged position, and after starting, maintain steady clutch control to adjust the speed and reverse slowly. Turn your head to observe the right rear door's triangular window. When the front middle pole reaches the front edge of the triangular window, quickly turn the steering wheel fully to the right. If you notice the right rear of the car is about to hit the middle pole, quickly turn the steering wheel to the left and then fully to the right again. Once the rear of the car successfully enters the parking space, observe the left side mirror. When the left body line is parallel to the left line of the parking space, quickly straighten the steering wheel to the left. After the front of the car successfully enters the parking space, observe the left side mirror to check the parallelism between the car body and the boundary line and make necessary steering corrections.
When reversing into a parking space, turning the steering wheel too early can cause excessive body tilt. When teaching driving, I always emphasize that the correction method is to lightly turn the steering wheel back to a straight position by about half or one full turn immediately. Then, slowly reverse while observing the rearview mirror to see the direction the rear of the car is moving. If it drifts to the left, slightly adjust the steering wheel to the right, and vice versa. This will gradually straighten the car's position. Don’t rush—low speed is key to prevent the wheels from scraping obstacles. Practice multiple times to find reference points, such as visual alignment points with the parking space corners. I’ve noticed that beginners often make this mistake, so I recommend practicing repeatedly in parking lots, using the rearview camera as an aid but not relying on it entirely. Timely corrections during actual practice can avoid awkward situations and ensure smoother, safer parking.
