Last Updated at
- 11:01 am, January 17, 2012
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We show you how perfect perpendicular and parallel parking.
DIY: Parking.
What: How to park – correctly.
Why: Remember the time you walked out to your car and found some dimwit had double-parked and you had to wait until he was done to leave? Here’s your chance to NOT be that dimwit.
When: Every time you have to leave your car.
Skill level: 5. Parking is no easy thing in India.
Equipment level: 1. Or should that be 5 as well, since you’ll need your wits about you?
DIY: There are two ways to park: parallel and perpendicular. Let’s take them one at a time.
- Either requires you to judge where the rear of your car is and will be going, so before you actually slot it in reverse, adjust your exterior mirrors so you can see your rear wheel arches. This will give you a very good idea of where your car is headed, and in the case of a hatchback it will also give you very good judgement regarding how far you can go before you bump into something.
- There is no shame in getting out and inspecting the area you’re going to back into for nasty surprises, or having someone spot you. Dented pride costs a heck of a lot less than a dent in the bodywork.
- Once you’ve got your mirrors adjusted and/or your spotter in place, it’s time to actually park.
- For perpendicular parking, drive past the parking spot (this is near impossible in a crowded place, as the person behind you will drive right up to your rear bumper in an endeavour to get to his parking spot two minutes earlier, so make sure you warn him beforehand) and stop when your rear bumper is at the end of the parking space.
- Now slot it in reverse, turn the wheels all the way over and reverse carefully. Pay attention to the four corners of the car – yes, the front ones, too – and if needed, turn the opposite way and go forward if you haven’t got it right.
- Leave enough space from the right side of your vehicle – you’ll need the space to get out! Make sure you keep enough space from the drivers’ doors of the cars on either side of your car.
- If you watch the amount of light from your brake lamps being reflected off the guardrail or wall, you’ll learn to judge how far away your car is from touching the wall. Of course, this doesn’t apply outdoors on a bright summer afternoon.
- Parallel parking isn’t that hard – first choose the direction you want the car to face in. Rule of thumb is to keep the driver’s door away from the kerb, because you don’t know how high the kerb will be. Get everyone out before you begin parking; they can be put to good use spotting you.
- Just as in perpendicular parking, adjust your mirrors and drive past the parking spot. Then back into it.
- The reason for backing into parking spaces is that the car is much easier to manoeuvre while reversing.
- Keep an eye on the mirror closest to the kerb once you’re sure your front bumper has cleared the car or obstacle in front. Keep an eye on the car behind, too.
- Once you’ve made it into the parking space, straighten the wheels (and the car) out so that it is parallel to the kerb.
- Don’t forget to fold in the mirror that is sticking out into the road!
- Keep the car equidistant from the cars in front and behind – they’ll need the space to get out of their spaces as well.
First Published on 11:01 am, January 17, 2012
