What to Do When the Diagonal View is Delayed During Parallel Parking?
3 Answers
Turn on the right turn signal and align the right 1/3 position of the car hood with the edge of the parking space to maintain a distance of about 30cm between the car body and the edge of the parking space. Turn on the right turn signal, shift into reverse gear, and slowly release the clutch. When the car starts moving, keep the left foot steady. Start moving directly. When the left corner of the car touches the left edge line, straighten the steering wheel. When the left 1/3 of the car hood aligns with the edge line, turn the steering wheel one full turn to the right.
When parallel parking, I often find that checking the diagonal line is a bit slow or inaccurate, and I usually think it's because my sitting posture or rearview mirror isn't adjusted properly. I've been driving for five or six years. Back when I was a beginner, I was particularly frustrated and kept hitting the curb. Later, a friend taught me a little trick: stop the car in advance, pull the handbrake, then lean out to check the position of the rear wheels and use my hand to estimate the distance. In low light, it's even easier to make mistakes, so I turn on the interior light or headlights to improve visibility. Actually, using physical objects as references—like aiming for a roadside stump or parking line—is more straightforward than focusing on diagonal points. Now, every weekend, I find an open space to practice with some cones. After two or three rounds, I start to get the hang of it. The key is not to rush—practice can speed up your reactions and reduce that visual delay.
I've been driving for over a decade and have encountered many instances where my judgment of diagonal reference points during parallel parking was slightly delayed, perhaps due to over-reliance on old habits or changes in mirror angles. I believe the key lies in habitual advance planning: slow down and assess the overall environment when approaching a parking space, estimating the available space front and back. During parking, rely more on listening to the radar warning sounds for assistance rather than just depending on vision. I usually clean the car windows thoroughly to reduce glare interference; in bad weather, I'd rather choose a different parking spot—safety comes first. By the way, mirror settings are crucial—adjust them to see the rear wheels clearly, which works well. Consistently practicing an extra minute or two during each parking session will, over time, make your reactions naturally smoother.
