How to judge the distance between the right side of the car body and an object?
2 Answers
By looking diagonally along the center line of the car's front, if this line reaches the roadside line, it means the right wheel is only 30 centimeters away from the edge. To estimate the distance to an obstacle on the right, if you can see a very low position when looking from the right side of the car's front, it indicates that the obstacle is still far away. If, when looking diagonally, the obstacle extends more than 10 cm to the left of the center line of the windshield, the car may collide with the obstacle.
When I first started driving, I was always worried about hitting things on the right side, especially when parking or navigating narrow roads. The most reliable method is to use the right side mirror for judgment. Specifically, I adjust the mirror so that I can see a bit of the car body line, which helps estimate the distance to objects on the right—the closer the object appears to the edge of the mirror, the closer it actually is; if it's around the middle, it's about half a meter away. I also stick a small marker on the car as a reference point, like aligning a certain spot under the mirror with the object before stopping to test. When practicing, find an open area and place a cardboard box or cone, then slowly move to feel the distance change, from three meters to just a few centimeters. Don’t forget to ask a friend to help observe the actual distance—accumulating experience will naturally make you quicker. Also, in rainy weather or at night when visibility is poor, misjudgments are more likely, so slow down or even step out to confirm. Many scratches on the car come from these situations, but more practice can save you from repair hassles. This technique is super practical for beginners.
