Should You Turn Left or Right First When Parallel Parking?
2 Answers
Maintain a distance of approximately 30 centimeters between the right side of the car body and the edge of the parking space. Drive straight to the starting line, then begin reversing while observing the right rear-view mirror. When the front line of the parking space disappears from the rear-view mirror, turn the steering wheel fully to the right and continue reversing. Upon seeing the inner corner of the parking space, turn the steering wheel one full rotation to the left and continue reversing. When the left rear tire is about to touch the dashed line of the parking space edge in the left rear-view mirror, turn the steering wheel one more full rotation to the left while simultaneously observing both left and right rear-view mirrors.
I remember when I first learned to drive, parallel parking made me especially nervous. My instructor taught me to first reverse while turning the steering wheel to the right, allowing the rear of the car to smoothly enter the parking space when close to the curb. Once the car body formed a 45-degree angle with the car behind, I had to quickly turn the steering wheel to the left to straighten the front of the car, then use slow speed to fine-tune the position. This sequence helped me overcome my fear of parking in narrow city alleys after several practice sessions. Once, I mistakenly turned left first, causing the rear of the car to scrape against a nearby guardrail and costing me money for a paint job. So, beginners must firmly remember this basic procedure. When parking, ensure there’s enough space and don’t rush—safety first is key. Once good habits are formed, parallel parking becomes as natural and effortless as muscle memory.
