How to Deal with One Side Wide and One Side Narrow When Reversing into the Garage?
3 Answers
Methods for reversing into the garage with one side wide and one side narrow: 1. Left wide and right narrow: You must turn the steering wheel earlier than usual, and the rear of the car will move straight toward the left rear. Then observe the rearview mirror. When you see that the distance between the left and right rear wheels and the garage edge is the same, straighten the steering wheel. 2. Left narrow and right wide: You must straighten the steering wheel 1-2 seconds later than usual. The rear of the car will then move toward the right rear. Then observe the rearview mirror. When you see that the distance between the left and right rear wheels and the garage edge is the same, straighten the steering wheel. Precautions for reversing into the garage: 1. There is a key point in reversing into the garage, which is that the distance between the car body and the garage corner should be 30 cm. As long as you find this point, reversing into the garage is actually not difficult. If it is more than 30 cm, you must turn the steering wheel fully; if it is less, you must adjust it back. If it is too narrow, you can straighten the wheel first and then make adjustments. During the reversing process, you must remain steady, and the speed should be slow, so that you will have time to adjust the car. 2. During the reversing process, you must step on the clutch properly, and the speed must be steady. If the speed is slow, even if you miss a point during the process, you will still have time to correct the car. It is best to wear thick-soled shoes when driving, preferably travel shoes with a thin front and a thick back with a slight slope. Thick soles make it much easier and more stable to step on the clutch, which is very suitable for beginners. 3. Turn the steering wheel fully early rather than late. If you turn it fully early, you can still adjust it back, but if you turn it fully late, there is no way to fix it. 4. The car body must enter the garage. Many people fail the test because the car body does not enter the garage. The reasons for the car body not entering the garage are either missing the point or stepping on the clutch and brake in a hurry due to excessive speed. Therefore, it is still necessary to control the speed. 5. After the car body enters the garage, pay attention to the two rearview mirrors to adjust the car body. Turn the steering wheel toward the side where the rear of the car is wider.
I've been driving for over twenty years, and when reversing into a parking space, one side often ends up wider than the other, usually because the car isn't aligned properly at the start. Every time this happens, I make it a habit to first get out and check the parking lines or surrounding reference points to ensure the car's front is parallel to the space. If the misalignment is significant, I just drive out and start over instead of forcing it. If the gap is small, I make minor adjustments by turning the steering wheel slightly—about half a turn toward the wider side—to slowly straighten the car. Keep a close eye on the rearview mirrors, especially the changing gap between the two sides. After parking, always check if the car is centered in the space to avoid scratches or crossing the lines. Practice reversing in different parking scenarios, like in residential areas or shopping malls, and over time, you'll develop a better feel and reduce such mistakes.
When I was learning to drive, I often parked with one side wider than the other, and the coach scolded me countless times, but I gradually figured out a solution. This situation may be caused by turning the steering wheel too quickly or too slowly, or being distracted by looking at the rearview mirror. When this happens, don’t panic—immediately brake and stop, then observe which side is wider. Next, make small adjustments toward the wider side while reversing slowly to evenly align the car. Be careful not to overcorrect at once, as the car may lose control. During practice, use lines or markers on the ground as reference points to gain more confidence. At first, I also found it difficult, but with time and patience, I got used to it, and my mistakes decreased significantly.
