What happens if the first point is steered too early when reversing into a parking space?
4 Answers
Steering too early may result in failing to enter the garage, but there is slightly more room for adjustment when steering early compared to steering late. Below is relevant information about reversing into a parking space: 1. Overview: Reversing into a parking space has been a mandatory test item for obtaining a small car driver's license since 2013. It assesses the driver's ability to maneuver the vehicle in a confined space. Reversing into a parking space is one of the assessment points in the driver's test, requiring the driver to correctly reverse the vehicle into the garage from both sides while in motion. There is a time limit for this maneuver during the test. 2. Methods: There are three most common types of reversing into a parking space. The first is the "non"-shaped reverse parking, commonly found in large shopping malls. The second is the "one"-shaped reverse parking by the roadside, also known as parallel parking. The third is the less common diagonal reverse parking. 70% of driving school students find parallel parking more challenging.
When reversing into a parking space, if you turn the steering wheel too early, the rear of the car will quickly move toward the corner of the parking space. At this point, you'll feel the car body is too close to the corner, and continuing to reverse will risk crossing the line. I've seen too many beginners panic and abruptly turn the wheel in the opposite direction, causing the rear to swing outside the parking space. The correct approach is to turn the wheel back halfway to adjust the trajectory, wait until the rear wheels pass the corner, and then turn the wheel fully again to complete the maneuver. The key is to carefully observe the positional relationship between the car body and the corner in the side mirrors, and reverse slowly to make corrections easier. It's recommended to use a few water bottles as reference markers in the training area and practice the scenario of turning too early multiple times. Mastering the timing of adjusting the wheel will help you avoid hitting the corner.
When steering too early, the most obvious issue is that the rear wheels will prematurely approach the corner of the parking space. Turning the steering wheel too soon reduces the vehicle's turning radius, causing the tires to rub against the edge of the corner after just a short distance of reversing. If you continue to force the reverse at this point, you'll either hit the corner or have the rear wheels ride over the line. I recommend stopping immediately upon realizing the early steering, straightening the steering wheel, moving slightly forward to reposition, and then starting the reverse again. Remember to adjust when the gap between the car body and the corner of the parking space is about two fingers' width in the rearview mirror. In fact, readjusting after a mistake is quite normal; just avoid randomly turning the steering wheel inside the car, as this will only lead to more point deductions.
First turn too early? The rear wheel directly hits the corner of the garage! At this point, continuing to reverse will likely cause the tire to cross the line. Here's a quick fix: once you realize it's too early, stop immediately, straighten the steering wheel, shift to drive, and move forward about half a meter. This creates space at the rear for repositioning. Then when reversing again, delay your turn slightly. The key is not to frantically adjust the steering while reversing—a tilted car body will definitely cross the line. If this happens during the test, stay calm and adjust methodically.
