How to Determine the Distance Between the Car and the Roadside
3 Answers
Here are methods to determine the distance between the car and the roadside: 1. Sit in the correct posture: Turn your head to the right. When your eyes, the base of the second wiper arm (counting from the left) of a typical family car, and any object on the ground align in a straight line, the car body is approximately 30 cm away from the right-side line. 2. When your eyes, the roadside, and a reference point form a straight line: The tire is about to touch the roadside. As long as you maintain the correct posture, the spatial geometric relationship changes minimally. After parking, always turn your head to observe the side and rear traffic conditions before opening the door to exit the vehicle. Below are precautions for roadside parking: 1. Before the car comes to a complete stop: Do not open the door to let passengers in or out. 2. For temporary parking on the right side: The driver must not leave the vehicle immediately. If obstructing traffic, drive away promptly. 3. Intersections, railway crossings, curves, narrow roads, narrow bridges, steep slopes, tunnels, and sections within 20 meters of these locations: Parking is prohibited. 4. Sections with pedestrian guardrails, crosswalks, construction zones, or opposite obstacles: Parking is prohibited.
When I first started driving, figuring out how to judge distances was quite tricky, but with practice, it became easier. First, adjust the side mirrors so you can see the rear wheels or the lower part of the car's rear end in the reflection. This helps you clearly see how close the wheels are to the roadside, especially when parking or reversing. While seated, lean slightly forward to observe the gap between the car body and the roadside. In good lighting, use reflections or shadows on the road to assist with positioning. From a safety perspective, beginners shouldn’t skip practice—try parking multiple times in a lot and practice parallel parking in open spaces to gradually develop spatial awareness. Relying too much on intuition can lead to accidents, especially in poor visibility conditions like rain or dusk. Always stick to using the mirrors for a safer approach.
After driving for many years, these things become second nature. Keeping the car centered in the lane means you don't have to constantly watch the roadside; when parking, use the sense of the car's body being parallel and the curb as reference points, and stop when the wheels get close to the curb. The key is to slow down, like reducing to a crawl before parking, using peripheral vision to check the gap under the right side of the car, and avoiding sudden turns. Different cars' seat heights affect visibility, but once your seating position is fixed, you adapt quickly, and over time, you can judge distances instinctively. For safety, remind yourself that roadsides often have potholes or stones, and getting too close can lead to a flat tire or undercarriage scraping. Developing good habits is more efficient than straining your focus every time.
