What are the reference points for parallel parking?
2 Answers
Using the vehicle as a reference, you need to remember four points: the left front corner, the right rear corner, the left side line, or the right side line. The test content includes the following four parts: 1. Subject 1: Road traffic rules, traffic signals, handling of traffic safety violations and accidents, regulations on the application and use of motor vehicle driver's licenses, motor vehicle registration, and other road traffic safety laws, regulations, and rules; 2. Subject 2: Testing reverse parking, assessing the mastery of motor vehicle driving skills and the ability to judge the spatial position of the vehicle; 3. Subject 3: Assessing the ability to complete driving test items on the road, compliance with traffic laws and regulations, comprehensive control of the vehicle, correct use of lights, horn, seat belts, and other devices, and the ability to observe and judge road traffic conditions correctly; 4. Subject 4: Separating the knowledge related to safe and civilized driving from Subject 1, as well as safe driving skills under complex conditions and emergency handling in critical situations, conducted after the actual road driving test of Subject 3 to further assess the candidate's traffic awareness.
I've been driving for many years and found that the reference points for parallel parking mainly involve aligning with objects outside the car. For example, when parking, I look at the rear wheel of the car in front or the curb. When my rear wheel aligns with those points in the side mirror, I start turning the steering wheel. Tall and short drivers have different viewpoints. After adjusting my seat, I usually use the lower edge of the side mirror to see the ground marker about 30 cm from the rear corner of the target parking space as a reference, allowing smooth parking after turning the wheel. In daily parking in residential areas or on the roadside, I also pay attention to the vanishing point of the ground markings as an aid to avoid hitting the curb or scraping the car behind. Reference points can greatly improve efficiency and reduce repeated adjustments, but they need to be adapted flexibly based on road conditions—for example, using smaller angle points in narrow alleys. Remembering these points and practicing a few times will make it second nature, saving time and effort.
