Should You Watch the Front or Rear Door Handle When Reversing into a Parking Space?
3 Answers
When reversing into a parking space, focus on the rear door handle. While adjusting the direction, keep the car in reverse gear and maintain the steering wheel at its left-turn limit position. Continue reversing while the driver observes the left side mirror and adjusts the direction to guide the rear of the car into the space. Once the car is inside the space, the driver should watch the right side mirror. When the entire right line of the parking space becomes visible, immediately straighten the steering wheel. Then, shift attention to the left side mirror and stop the car as soon as the left door handle aligns horizontally with the bottom line of the parking space. Penalty items and standards for reversing into a parking space: Not following the prescribed route sequence results in a 100-point deduction; the car body crossing the line results in a 100-point deduction; failing to fully enter the space results in a 100-point deduction; not ensuring both front wheels pass the control line before reversing results in a 100-point deduction; exceeding the 210-second time limit results in a 100-point deduction; pausing for more than 2 seconds deducts 5 points each time. Tips for reversing into a parking space: Maintain a steady and slow speed. Be cautious not to release the clutch too quickly or press it too hard. Use correct steering techniques, remember how much to turn the wheel back or whether it's already centered, and turn the wheel swiftly. Ensure accurate judgment of distances when aligning reference points. Pay attention to the timing of steering and the stopping position. After entering the space, avoid turning the wheel too sharply—no more than one full turn. When exiting, observe the left and right mirrors and make slight adjustments if the car isn't aligned to prevent crossing the line. After completing the right-side parking, don’t forget to perform the left-side parking.
Speaking from over a decade of driving experience, using the rear door handle as a reference point is far more reliable than the front door handle when parallel parking. The position of the rear handle accurately reflects the movement trajectory of the rear wheels, allowing you to clearly judge how the car turns and aligns with the parking space. If you focus on the front handle, it only shows the front wheel position, which moves too quickly during reversing, often causing the car body to turn too early or scrape against obstacles—I once misjudged and scraped the rear of my car against a pillar because of this. Beginners often make this mistake. My advice is to first adjust your side mirrors so the rear handles are clearly visible in your line of sight, then slowly maneuver the car while observing how the handles align with the ground markings. If there are parking space guidelines on the garage floor, even better—practice a few times with the mirrors, and you’ll see noticeable improvement. Additionally, most modern cars come with rearview cameras; if visibility is poor due to low light or rain, using the camera as an aid can significantly reduce the risk of accidents. Practice is key—don’t be afraid of being clumsy at first.
As a beginner who just started learning to drive, I also struggled with which door handle to focus on when reversing into a parking spot. The instructor always emphasized looking at the rear door handle, but at first I stubbornly kept focusing on the front handle, resulting in crooked parking attempts that almost hit the wall. Later I understood: the front handle references the front wheels, but during reversing it's the rear wheels that dominate. Focusing on the front handle can make you misjudge the car's turning angle, potentially causing scrapes. The rear handle, however, steadily indicates the rear wheel position, making adjustments much simpler. Now when parking, I first adjust the mirrors, fix my eyes on the rear handle while slowly reversing, and gently brake when alignment feels right. For beginners, I recommend practicing in empty spaces first—don't attempt trial-and-error in crowded areas initially. Also, pay attention to ground markings or obstacles to avoid distractions from other reference points.
