What Causes Left-Wide Right-Narrow in Parallel Parking?
4 Answers
When observing the left rear wheel and the parking line in the left rearview mirror, if you start turning the steering wheel to the left only after the left rear wheel has already touched the line and is about to enter the parking space, this will result in the right side being too narrow after parking. Below are relevant explanations: 1. Explanation One: Parallel parking is a component of the second subject in the driver's license test. If the vehicle's body crosses the line after entering and stopping in the parking space, 100 points will be deducted. 2. Explanation Two: Parallel parking requires the driver to maneuver the vehicle into a right-side parking space without the wheels touching the lane boundary or the parking space boundary. This assesses the driver's ability to correctly park the vehicle on the right side of the road.
When parallel parking, if the left side is wide and the right side is narrow, it's usually because you didn't choose the right starting position or the timing of turning the steering wheel was off. I remember when I first learned to drive, I had the same issue. My instructor said I was always afraid of hitting the car on the right, so I subconsciously parked too far to the left. In reality, turning too early after starting caused the car to squeeze toward the right. Another possibility is that you didn't adjust the rearview mirror angle correctly—if the left side appears too wide in the mirror, it means the car isn't aligned properly. Practicing more to find the right reference points is crucial, such as using the taillights of the car behind as a marker to control your turns. Next time, find an open space and practice repeatedly, making small adjustments to improve. Parking isn't just about technique; it also requires patience and accumulated experience.
This is a quite common issue, and I think it's mainly caused by insufficient precision in steering wheel control when parking. When you're backing into a parking space, turning the steering wheel too quickly or too slowly can cause the vehicle's trajectory to deviate. The right side becoming narrower is due to the outer wheels traveling a longer distance during the turn, causing the car body to twist. From my years of driving experience, I've noticed that different vehicles have varying steering characteristics. For instance, small cars are more agile and prone to this compared to larger vehicles. The key is to turn the steering wheel at a steady speed, coordinating with the vehicle's speed to control the angle properly. Regular practice using the rearview mirror to judge distances and parking points helps. After a few tries, you'll get used to it—parking relies on feel and shouldn't be rushed.
The issue of being wider on the left and narrower on the right during parallel parking often stems from inaccurate observation. You might have overlooked the actual distance when using the rearview mirror, mistakenly thinking there was more space on the left, resulting in a misaligned parking. Alternatively, incorrect reference points, such as the position of roadside stones, could lead to mistimed steering. I used to face this problem too, but it improved significantly once I consistently aligned the rearview mirror with the position of the vehicle behind. I recommend taking a few extra glances to assess the space before parking—practice makes it much easier.
