How to Use the One-Third of the Car Hood for Alignment?
2 Answers
To use the one-third of the car hood, divide the hood into three equal parts. When parking alongside the curb, if the right one-third of the hood aligns with the curb line, it indicates a 30cm distance from the right wheels to the curb. Alternatively, observe the reinforcement ribs on the hood. Aligning the right reinforcement rib with the curb line while moving forward also ensures a 30cm distance. Another method involves the wiper. When the notch on the wiper aligns with the curb line while moving forward, the distance between the car body and the curb will be exactly 30cm.
When I first started learning to drive, I spent a lot of time figuring this out. The instructor taught me to align the one-third point of the hood with the line, mainly for parallel parking. Sit up straight and look at the hood, aligning the roadside marking with the right one-third point of the hood—that’s roughly a 30 cm distance. However, this reference point can be affected by your seating position and height. Taller drivers might need to adjust slightly to the right for accuracy. Practice this often in safe areas, and occasionally step out to check the actual distance to get a better feel. I practiced this daily during my driving test prep, and it worked so well that I passed on the first try.
