How to Perform Reverse Parking?
3 Answers
Key steps for reverse parking: 1. From the starting point into the garage: After getting into the car, the driver should first adjust the seat and rearview mirrors, fasten the seatbelt, then shift into reverse gear, release the parking brake lever, and start reversing at idle speed. The driver observes the garage through the right rear window. When the black edge of the right rear window aligns with the right line of the garage, turn the steering wheel steadily to the right to its limit. 2. From the garage to the return point: Shift into first gear and drive out of the garage. When the engine hood approaches the road edge line, turn the steering wheel to the left to its limit, and stop when the car is straight. 3. From the return point into the garage: Shift into reverse gear, keep the steering wheel turned left to its limit, and reverse. The driver should pay attention to the left rearview mirror and adjust the direction to guide the rear of the car into the garage. After the car enters the garage, the driver should observe the right rearview mirror. When the entire right line of the garage appears, immediately straighten the steering wheel. Then, shift focus to the left rearview mirror, and stop immediately when the left door handle is level with the garage's bottom line. 4. From the garage to the starting point: Shift into first gear and drive out of the garage. When the engine hood approaches the road edge line, turn the steering wheel to the right to its limit, and stop when the car is straight.
When I was learning to drive, the parallel parking technique taught by my instructor wasn’t actually that difficult—it’s mostly about finding reference points. Drive the car forward, keeping about a meter’s distance from the adjacent parking line, and stop when you see the rear of the neighboring car in the side mirror. Then, shift into reverse, turn the steering wheel fully to the opposite side, and slowly back up, paying close attention to the distances on both sides in the mirrors. Once the car body is almost aligned, straighten the steering wheel and fine-tune the position using the mirrors. Remember to reverse slowly and frequently check your surroundings, especially for any pedestrians suddenly appearing. If you turn the wheel a bit too early, don’t panic—just pull forward slightly to readjust. With a few more practices, you’ll become a pro.
Parallel parking really requires a good sense of space. I combine using the rearview mirrors and listening to the parking sensors. First, keep the car about 80 centimeters away from the adjacent vehicle. When reversing, steer towards the side that has more space. Be careful not to focus solely on the camera display and neglect the mirrors – I once scraped the rear against a wall by staring at the screen. When the wheels are about to touch the parking line, slightly adjust the steering wheel, and fully straighten it once the car body is aligned. Keep observing the distance differences on both sides and make timely steering corrections. Don't underestimate even a millimeter of steering adjustment – it can alter the entire trajectory. Slowing down throughout the process makes it safer.
