What are the methods and techniques for reverse parking?
3 Answers
Turn the steering wheel fully to the left, then slowly reverse into the parking space. When the vehicle is parallel to the parking space, straighten the steering wheel and continue reversing. Here is some relevant information: 1. Precautions: When reversing into a parking space, it's better to turn the steering wheel early rather than late. Turning early allows more room for correction, while turning late leaves little room for adjustment. Whether turning early or late, you may need to correct the vehicle's direction. 2. Operation method: If the vehicle body is parallel to the garage but the entire vehicle is offset to the left or right, failing to adjust may cause the front wheels to press against the garage corner when exiting. If the vehicle is offset to the left, first turn the steering wheel 1/4 turn to the right, ensuring the front wheels don't press against the line. When the right-side distance is appropriate, turn the steering wheel 1/4 turn to the left. Once the vehicle body is parallel to the garage again, straighten the steering wheel. If the vehicle is offset to the right, follow the same method but in the opposite direction.
As a seasoned driver with over a decade of experience, parallel parking is second nature to me. The key is to take it slow and steady. First, pull up alongside the car in front, maintaining a one-meter gap. Then shift into reverse, turn the steering wheel all the way to the right, and let the car ease backward while keeping an eye on the rearview mirror to monitor the distance between the rear bumper and the parking space. When the car is at a 45-degree angle, straighten the wheel and continue reversing. As the front starts entering the space, quickly turn the steering wheel fully to the left to guide the rear wheels in smoothly. Finally, make minor adjustments to center the car. The crucial part is maintaining slow speed throughout, gently depressing the clutch, and avoiding sudden brakes. Also, practice in an open area to get familiar with your car's width and wheelbase changes to prevent scraping curbs or neighboring vehicles. During rainy days or poor nighttime visibility, turning on parking lights or having a passenger assist can enhance safety. Initially, your attempts might be crooked, but persistence pays off—soon you'll develop the feel and won't even need those high-tech parking sensors.
When I first started learning to drive, parallel parking was the most frustrating part, and my instructor always scolded me for parking crookedly. The method is actually quite simple: first drive past the parking space and stop next to the front car, about two meters away, then quickly turn the steering wheel while reversing to let the rear of the car cut into the space. During this process, you need to frequently turn your head to check the left and right mirrors to ensure you don't hit any obstacles. Once the rear wheels are close to the parking line, immediately straighten the wheel and continue reversing, then adjust the wheel again when the car is almost in the space. The trick is not to focus on just one point; stay relaxed, and don't stiffen your arms when turning the wheel. Also, beginners tend to over-steer, which can cause the front of the car to hit something nearby, so leave some extra space as a buffer. When practicing, it's best to find an empty parking lot and use traffic cones as markers. Repeating the process a few times will help you get the hang of it. For safety, always check your blind spots for people or cars before reversing, and keep your speed at a crawl to avoid accidents. It only took me two weeks to go from making mistakes to parking smoothly—the key is to practice more and not be afraid of looking silly.
