What Causes the Front Left Wheel to Cross the Line During Parallel Parking?
2 Answers
Front wheel crossing the line is because the first point of turning the steering wheel fully to the right was done too early. Here are detailed instructions on parallel parking: During parallel parking, it's essential to carefully observe the left and right rearview mirrors as well as the interior rearview mirror to accurately gauge the distance between the rear of the car and the vehicle or wall behind. Safety is always the top priority; speed is not important, so don't panic if you're blocking the vehicle behind you. Since the mirror surface of the rearview mirrors is convex: this design allows for a wider field of view but also distorts the distance between objects. Therefore, when observing the rear of the car through the mirror, it may seem like you're about to scrape the wall when there's actually still a considerable distance left.
When I first started driving, I often crossed the left line too. It took me a while to figure out the issue. The main problem was turning the steering wheel too early or too late. If you turn the steering wheel too early, the car starts turning left before it's fully in the parking space, causing the front to swing out and cross the line. Turning too late is even worse—most of the rear is already in, but the front wheels are still outside the line. Also, when I was just starting to practice parking, I relied too much on the rearview mirror to check the rear wheels and neglected the position of the left front wheel. When parking, pay attention to the range the front of the car sweeps, and don’t turn the steering wheel all the way at once—leave some room for adjustment. Once the car is straight, quickly straighten the steering wheel, or the tires will scrape the line at an angle. Try parking in spaces of different widths to get a feel for it.
