What Does It Mean When the Car Body Sweeps the Line During Left Reverse Parking?
4 Answers
Many fail their driving test due to the car body sweeping the line during reverse parking, primarily because they misjudge the rear position or don't turn the steering wheel at the right moment as instructed by the coach, missing the optimal turning opportunity. Sometimes, it's even irreparable, making hitting the line inevitable. Here are more related explanations: 1. Preventing the car body from crossing the line during reverse parking: When turning the steering wheel fully and reversing, observe the distance between the rear wheel and the corner of the parking space in the rearview mirror, which should be 30 cm. If this distance is too small, slightly turn the steering wheel back to increase it. If the distance is large, keep the steering wheel fully turned until the rear wheel enters the parking space, maintaining this position briefly to shorten the distance before turning the wheel back. These methods effectively prevent the car body from crossing the line due to turning the wheel too early or too late. 2. Illustration of the car body sweeping the line during reverse parking: Sweeping the line means the car body presses against the line, which is treated as a failure in reverse parking (note that some test centers consider the rearview mirror as part of the car body). Taking right reverse parking as an example, turning the steering wheel too early may cause the right rear wheel or the right rear of the car to press the line, while turning too late may cause the left rear wheel or the left rear of the car to press the line. 3. Key points for reverse parking: To avoid the car body sweeping the line during reverse parking, control the speed. Driving slowly provides sufficient reaction time and operational space. Additionally, it's better to turn the steering wheel early rather than late during reverse parking, as turning too late leaves no room for correction. While reversing, always monitor the left and right rearview mirrors to observe the rear position. If there's a risk of pressing the line, adjust the steering wheel immediately.
I think body sweeping the line is quite common when reversing into a parking space, especially for a new driver like me who just got the license. When I was doing left-side reverse parking, my car body always swept the line—the main issue was turning the steering wheel too early. Before the steering wheel reached the proper position and the rear wheels hadn't even touched the garage corner, I started turning, causing the car body to drift outward and scrape along the line. Later, my instructor taught me to drive slower, keep an eye on the rearview mirror, and wait until the rear of the car almost aligned with the parking space corner before turning the wheel. This way, the car body could smoothly slide in. Also, going too fast makes it easy to sweep the line—if you get nervous and fail to control the throttle, the car loses control. Practicing by observing the parking lines through the rearview mirror is a good habit—it helps you see the car's position clearly and reduces mistakes. Using this method more often in daily parking makes it much easier.
Body sweeping, simply put, means the car doesn't follow the ideal path during a turn, with incorrect angle or timing. From my years of driving instruction experience, sweeping usually occurs because the steering is either too aggressive or insufficient. When reversing left into a parking space, turning too early can cause the outer side of the car to exceed the parking line; turning too late may result in the wheels crossing the line while the body hovers and still sweeps. I recommend focusing on reference points in the rearview mirror, such as turning right when the left mirror shows the corner of the parking space, then making slight steering adjustments while reversing, keeping the speed below 2 mph. Also, don't overlook the impact of parking space width—narrow spaces require extra caution. With practice, you can handle even complex road conditions.
I used to frequently encounter the issue of the car body brushing against the lines while reversing into a parking spot, mainly because I turned the steering wheel too hastily, causing the car's trajectory to deviate. For example, during left reverse parking, if I turned the steering wheel a bit too early before the car was properly aligned, the body would naturally scrape against the line. I believe driving slowly is the key—keeping the speed around 1 mph and frequently checking the rearview mirror to judge the position. Actually, this isn't a big deal; with a few more practices, you'll get used to it, and it can also reduce the risk of scratches while parking. Remember to stay steady every time you reverse, and developing good habits makes it safer.
