What is the reason for the right side being too narrow during parallel parking?
3 Answers
This is because the second left turn of the steering wheel was slightly delayed. From the car's position in the garage, being particularly close to the right side means that the rear of the car may hit the boundary line of the garage during the parking process. If the operation was entirely according to the instructor's teaching process, then the issue might be that the seat and rearview mirrors were not adjusted when getting into the car. Readjust the seat and rearview mirrors to positions that suit you, and then proceed with the operation. Method for parallel parking: During parallel parking, when there are no reference poles, learn to use the rearview mirrors to identify the marking lines. When the left front corner of the garage disappears from the right rearview mirror, turn the steering wheel to the right to the limit and continue reversing. While reversing, watch the left rearview mirror. When the bottom line of the garage is completely visible, straighten the steering wheel, continue reversing the car, and keep watching the left rearview mirror. When the left rear wheel is about to press the left boundary line of the garage, continue turning the steering wheel to the left to the limit, then normally turn on the turn signal and drive out of the yellow frame marking line.
I've been driving for over ten years, and the issue of the right side getting too narrow during parallel parking is really common, mainly because the steering wheel is turned too quickly or too late. Sometimes, due to nervousness or not properly checking the positions of the cars in front and behind, the car enters at an angle, and the right wheel stops before reaching the correct position. Another reason could be that the seat height isn't adjusted properly, affecting visibility. I recommend practicing small techniques more, such as first parking parallel to the roadside, then slowly turning the steering wheel 45 degrees while reversing, and straightening it when the rear of the car approaches the curb. Try finding empty spots on the road a few times in normal conditions, and you'll naturally get better at it—just don’t rush to save time. Remember, safety always comes first.
When I first started learning to drive, I always left too little space on the right side when parallel parking, even scraping the car a few times. Later, I realized the reason was being too afraid of hitting the right car and turning the steering wheel too sharply. Beginners often aren't familiar with the width of the car and are a bit slow in controlling the speed, leading to misalignment. I found a coach to help me, teaching me to closely watch the right wheel and the gap with the curb in the rearview mirror, making gradual small adjustments to the steering wheel without rushing. In daily driving, use the mirrors to check reference points, don't just focus on the front, look back for assistance. Gradually accumulating experience is very important.
