Which Mirror to Look at When Backing into the Right Parking Space?
2 Answers
At the starting position for reverse parking, look at the left mirror. When the edge line of the parking space is just at the lower edge of the left mirror, start turning the steering wheel fully to the right. At this point, your eyes should shift to the right rearview mirror. Below are the relevant details: Subject 1: Road traffic safety laws, regulations, and related knowledge test. It is a written exam conducted on a computer, with a full score of 100. A score of 90 or above (including 90) is required to pass. Subject 2: Field driving skills test, conducted in a real vehicle on-site. Results are either pass or fail. The test includes five mandatory tasks performed in sequence: reverse parking, parallel parking, S-curve driving, right-angle turning, and hill start and stop. The full score is 100, and a score of 80 or above (including 80) is required to pass. Subject 3: Road driving skills test, conducted on actual roads or simulated environments in a real vehicle. The full score is 100. Passing scores vary by vehicle type: 90 or above for large buses, 80 or above for large trucks, and 70 or above for other vehicle types. Subject 4: Safe and civilized driving knowledge test, a written exam with a full score of 100. A score of 90 or above (including 90) is required to pass.
When doing a right-side reverse parking, I prefer focusing on the right-side rearview mirror because it clearly shows the distance between the rear of the car and obstacles. As a driver with years of experience, I find this angle the most reliable, especially when the wheels are about to touch the boundary line during parking. When I first practiced right-side reverse parking, I used to rely only on the interior mirror or turning my head, but later I realized the right-side mirror was a huge help in avoiding the car body scraping against walls or poles. Now, I mostly depend on it for reverse parking and would like to remind beginners: remember to adjust the rearview mirror angle in low light or use a phone light for better visibility—it’s safer. Before each parking attempt, I slowly move the car to ensure a clear view in the mirror, then steadily reverse in. After developing this habit, my error rate dropped significantly. After all, reverse parking is a delicate task—don’t rush, taking a few extra glances can improve overall efficiency.
