How to Find Reference Points for Reverse Parking?
3 Answers
Shift into first gear, release the handbrake, and straighten the vehicle body. Stop when your shoulder aligns with the ground control line, then shift into reverse gear. Pay attention to maintaining a 30cm distance between the vehicle body and the parking corner. Once the vehicle body enters the parking space, observe the side mirrors. When the vehicle body is parallel to the boundary lines, straighten the steering wheel.
When I was learning to reverse park, I always parked crookedly. My instructor taught me some key techniques: first, drive the car parallel to the parking space with the rear end half a meter past the corner of the space. Shift into reverse and slowly back up, keeping an eye on the right rearview mirror. When the corner of the parking space appears in the lower part of the mirror, turn the steering wheel hard to the right. Once the car is angled into the space, continue watching the left rearview mirror. When the rear corner of the parking space is fully visible, straighten the steering wheel. At this point, the car should be straight, and you can make minor adjustments. Stop when the lower edge of the left window aligns with the parking line. The key is to adjust the rearview mirrors beforehand—don’t set them too high, or you won’t see the tire positions. With enough practice, it becomes second nature, and you won’t even need to think about it.
Parallel parking alignment requires a three-step approach: First, adjust your position by driving the car parallel to the parking space at a distance of 1.5 meters. Begin reversing while focusing on the right side mirror—immediately turn the steering wheel fully to the right when the parking space corner disappears from view. Then, shift your gaze to the left side mirror, and when the car body forms a 30-degree angle with the parking line, turn the wheel halfway back to the left. Finally, observe as the rear of the car enters the space, and once the body is nearly parallel, fully straighten the wheel. Throughout the process, maintain a snail-like speed to synchronize steering adjustments with observations. If the mirrors aren’t properly adjusted, don’t force the alignment—prioritize safety by stepping out to check twice if needed.
