How to visually determine parking spot reference points during real-life reverse parking?
2 Answers
Park the vehicle properly with the left wheels aligned to the left side of the second dashed line, and stop when the side mirror passes the dashed line. Without engaging reverse gear, release the handbrake and start moving. When the angle between the left side mirror and car body just reveals the dashed line in your sightline, immediately turn the steering wheel fully to the left.
When parallel parking, I usually use the side mirrors to find reference points. The specific method is to first drive the car parallel to the parking space, stopping about one or two car lengths away. Then, look at the left and right side mirrors to locate a fixed point like a corner post or ground line of the parking space. Slowly reverse while making slight steering adjustments to keep the vehicle's side aligned with the reference point in the mirrors. During this process, don't focus solely on one direction; quickly scan front, back, left, and right to avoid scraping other cars or obstacles. In poor weather conditions like rainy days with low light, I'm extra cautious or may even step out to check the position. With practice, you'll realize each parking space has slight variations, but finding that reference point makes parking more accurate and effortless while reducing the risk of scratches. Remember to maintain slow speed and don't rush.
