How to Find the Most Accurate Reference Points for Reverse Parking as a Beginner?
4 Answers
Observe the position between the left rearview mirror and the parking line. When there is still a small distance between the left rearview mirror and the parking line, turn the steering wheel one full turn to the left plus 90 degrees. Continue reversing while maintaining the current steering angle. If the distance between the car body and the corner of the parking space is too narrow, turn the steering wheel back half a turn to widen the distance, then turn the steering wheel fully to the left again. After the vehicle enters the parking space, observe the right rearview mirror. When the car body is about to be parallel to the parking space, straighten the steering wheel. Check the distance between the rearview mirrors and the side lines on both sides. When the rearview mirrors cover the side lines, you can stop the car.
When teaching my cousin how to reverse, I found that beginners do best by finding fixed reference points. Drive the car parallel to the garage boundary line, maintaining a one-meter distance. When the lower edge of the left rearview mirror completely covers the garage corner line, turn the steering wheel all the way to the right. When the car body forms a 45-degree angle with the garage boundary line, straighten the wheel. Stop immediately when the rear door handle touches the garage corner as seen in the right rearview mirror. This method has been used in our residential garage for over a decade—the key is to adjust the seat to a fixed height. There's also a trick to adjusting the rearview mirrors; it's best to set them so you can see about a quarter of the tire. For the first practice session, drawing a line on the window with chalk to assist observation works particularly well. If you turn the wheel a bit late, don't panic—just reverse in and then adjust. With a few more practices, you'll get a feel for your car's dimensions.
Last time I accompanied my neighbor who just got his driver's license to practice parking, and found a simple but effective method. First, drive the car directly in front of the parking space, focusing on the relationship between the side mirrors and the ground markings. When your shoulder passes the corner of the parking space by about 30-40 centimeters, start turning the steering wheel fully. Pay close attention to the position of the rear wheels—when you see in the mirror that the tires are about to touch the line, immediately straighten the wheel. The guide lines in the rearview camera are very helpful; the junction of the red and yellow lines usually marks the position of the rear wheels. For older cars without a camera, stick a small sticker on the rear window as a marker. Laying newspapers on the ground as reference points during practice makes it very intuitive. Don’t turn the steering wheel too sharply; leave some room for adjustment. It’s recommended to practice ten times at a fixed time every day, and in about a week, you can rely less on markers and start parking by feel.
Beginners should best combine reference points with vehicle body features. I usually straighten the car before reversing, stopping when the lower edge of the driver's window aligns parallel with the parking spot corner. After turning the wheel, focus on the left mirror - immediately straighten the wheel when the rear door handle touches the extended line of the parking spot. Continue reversing when the inner corner becomes visible in the right mirror. The key is matching steering wheel speed with vehicle speed, keeping mirrors at the same angle each time. Using the wiper's raised point as a reference line also works well. If uncertain, get out and check the distance between the rear bumper and the line. Different vehicle models require slight adjustments - SUVs need about half a meter more reversing distance than sedans. Remember to check blind spots by turning your head, using ground reflections as markers at night.
