Several Scenarios of Angles When Reversing into a Parking Space

[SiennaDella]

There are generally three scenarios when reversing into a parking space: 1. Scenario one: When the distance between the car body and the corner of the parking space is appropriate and no adjustment is needed (generally speaking, about two fingers wide), you can smoothly reverse into the space. 2. Scenario two: When the distance between the car body and the corner of the parking space is too large, the chance of successfully parking is slim. In this case, the learner should turn the steering wheel to the right earlier in the next reversing attempt. 3. Scenario three: When the distance between the car body and the corner of the parking space is too small, you can adjust by turning the steering wheel to the left to reverse into the space. Below is an introduction to reversing into a parking space: 1. "Non-character type" reversing into a parking space: For this type, the vehicle should be perpendicular to the parking space. 2. "Straight-line type" parallel parking: For this type, use the car in front as a reference, align the body, turn the steering wheel to the right, and when the angle between the two cars reaches 45 degrees, observe and turn the steering wheel back while reversing. If estimated correctly, you can park in one go. 3. Diagonal parking: These two types of reversing into a parking space usually require one or two lessons for the learner to master proficiently. Of course, there are also diagonal parking or irregular parking scenarios.

[McVivienne]

As an experienced driver who often teaches friends how to reverse park, there are three common angle-related scenarios when backing into a parking space: The first scenario occurs when the car body is too far outward, creating an angle of less than 30 degrees between you and the parking space. At this point, if you feel the wheels are about to hit the corner of the space, you must immediately turn the steering wheel fully to the left to adjust. The second scenario is when the car body is at an ideal distance, with an angle between 40-60 degrees. In this case, slight adjustments to the steering wheel will allow you to smoothly reverse in. The third scenario happens when the car body is too far inward, with an angle greater than 70 degrees, risking scraping the adjacent parking line. In such situations, don't force it; instead, move forward half a meter to reposition before attempting to reverse again. The most dangerous is the first scenario, where beginners tend to sharply turn the wheel when the car is too close to the outside, potentially causing the side mirror to scrape against a pillar. Installing a small convex mirror to clearly see the tire position is recommended.

[McCaleb]

Last time when accompanying my cousin practicing reverse parking at the driving school, the coach taught a practical method: judging the situation by observing the angle change between the garage boundary line and the car body through the rearview mirror. If the angle suddenly becomes smaller (below 30°), it means the rear of the car is swinging outward, so you should immediately release the brake to slow down while steering away from the corner of the garage as you reverse. If the angle naturally becomes larger (exceeding 70°), it indicates the front of the car is too close to the boundary line. Continuing to reverse at this point will definitely cross the line, so you must drive forward half a meter to readjust the angle. Most importantly, don't turn the steering wheel wildly while reversing, as this not only wears the tires but also easily stalls the engine. My cousin learned this the hard way - after three steering adjustments, the clutch plate was smoking. After practicing with this method five times, his reverse parking is now very steady.

[LaKeegan]

When teaching my wife to reverse park, I realized the key to observing the angle is watching the two lines in the rearview mirror: the extension direction of the garage boundary line and the angle formed with the car body. The optimal state is around 55 degrees, allowing the rear wheels to smoothly cut into the parking corner. If an acute angle appears, it means the steering was too hasty, and the car body is about to hit the outer pillar—at this point, you should stop and fine-tune the direction. If the angle becomes obtuse and exceeds 80 degrees, it usually means the steering wheel was turned too late, and the rear of the car will sweep the inner parking line. If the angle isn't right, don't force the reverse; it's much cheaper to drive the car out than to repair bodywork. This is especially important when parallel parking in tight urban spaces. Last week, our neighbor Old Zhang scratched someone's Bentley because he forced the reverse parking.