Parallel Park

Parallel parking can be intimidating, but you’ll master it in no time with a bit of practice. Before you begin, find a space a few feet longer than your vehicle. Confirm the space is legal and use your flashers to signal as you pull up in front of the space. Shift into reverse and begin slowly backing up. At the same time, push the top of your steering wheel toward the space until the vehicle is at a 45 degree angle. Straighten out by turning the steering wheel the other way and bring your vehicle parallel to the curb. Shift back to drive and pull forward to center the vehicle in the space.

Steps

Selecting a Parking Space

  1. Find a suitable space. Look for a space you can safely get your vehicle into without hitting another vehicle. Once you get better at parallel parking, you may be able to park in tighter spaces, but you may want to start with spaces that have six feet (two meters) of extra space. The space needs to be at least three feet (a meter) longer than your vehicle.[1]
    • If you've never parallel parked before, consider bringing plastic bins or cones to a parking lot and practice parallel parking between them.
  2. Ensure it is a safe, legal parking space. Look for signs that indicate parking regulations in the area. Make sure you’re not parking in front of a fire hydrant or another area you cannot block. Note any time limits for the spot.
    • Make sure nothing is sticking off the end of the either of the vehicles you hope to park between, such as a trailer hitch. If so, ensure you have enough room to fit into the space.
    • Note the height of the curb next to the space. If it is especially high, you’ll want to take care not to back into it.
  3. Turn on your signal and position yourself to back in. Check your rear view mirror to confirm that no one is immediately behind you. Brake gently to indicate that you are slowing down. Use your turn signal and pull up next to the vehicle in front of the space. About two feet (60 cm) between your vehicle and the parked vehicle is ideal.[2]
    • If another vehicle comes up behind you while you are trying to park, stay where you are and keep signaling. Roll down your window and hand-signal the other driver to go around you if necessary.
    • The tighter the space, the closer you'll need to get to the other vehicle when you pull up beside it. For instance, you may need to position your vehicle about a foot (30cm) beside the vehicle in front of your space if the space only has an extra meter or so to work with.

Maneuvering Into the Space

  1. Consider having someone help. If the space is tight or you haven’t parallel parked much, it’s worth having someone help guide you into the spot from outside the vehicle. If you have a passenger, ask them to get out and direct you.[1]
    • Have your passenger show you the distance between your vehicle and the one you’re approaching by holding their hands up to mimic the distance. This will be more accurate than verbal directions.
    • Consider shifting your side mirror down so you can see the curb. While this isn’t necessary, it may help.
  2. Begin backing up. Shift your vehicle into reverse. Make sure the street behind you is clear of traffic. Look over your shoulder towards the space. Once the back of your seat is even with the back of the vehicle beside you, turn your steering wheel quickly and evenly towards the spot until your vehicle is at a 45 degree angle as it enters the spot.[2]
    • Conceptually, envision pushing the steering wheel in the direction that you want the back of the car to go.
    • Avoid swinging the front of your vehicle into the space too early, as you may hit or scrape the vehicle in front of you.
  3. Back most of the way in. Continue backing in at an angle until the rear wheel nearest the curb is about a 1 foot (30 cm) from the curb. The rear of your vehicle should still be a few feet from the vehicle behind your parking space.[1]
    • If your rear tire hits the curb, you've gone too far. Simply shift back into drive, pull forward, and try again.
  4. Straighten it out as you finish pulling in. Turn the steering wheel back towards the road once the rear of your vehicle is mostly in the space, and still slowly moving backwards. Look to do so when your front bumper is next to the rear bumper of the vehicle in front. This final maneuver moves the vehicle into the space and straightens it out simultaneously.[1]
    • Another good indicator to begin turning the wheel the other way is when the license plate on the vehicle in front of your space is centered in your windshield.
    • In tighter spaces, you may need to begin switching the steering wheel’s direction a bit earlier.

Positioning Your Vehicle in the Space

  1. Center the vehicle in the space. Once you’re successfully in the space, you’ll likely have to re-position your vehicle to get it parallel to the curb and midway between the vehicles in either direction. If you still have space behind you, continue backing up until you’re almost touching the vehicle behind you. Shift into drive and turn slightly towards the curb as you pull forward.[3]
  2. Adjust your vehicle in tight spots. When the spot is tighter, positioning can be more challenging, and your front end may be further from the curb than you’d like to be. To remedy this, continue pulling forward and backward and wiggling towards the curb. Each time, turn the steering wheel all the way towards the curb before you pull forward, and straighten it up as you back up.[3][4]
    • Repeat as necessary. The front end will work its way into the space by turning hard to the curb as you pull forward.
    • If you're too far from the curb in a normal-size spot, pulling out and trying again may be easier.
  3. Start over whenever necessary. If you wind up unable to get into the spot on your first try, don’t worry. Signal and pull back out alongside the vehicle in front of you to start over.
  4. Open your door carefully. Before getting out a vehicle, especially on the road side, check to make sure that a vehicle or cyclist is not approaching. It’s important to be aware of bicyclists at all times, and parallel parking spots in particular place cyclists at risk, as you may be opening your door into the cycling lane.
    • On the curbside, take care not to scratch the door against the curb or other items beside the road.
    • If the door cannot open all the way while passengers are in the vehicle, remember this when you return to the vehicle. The door may open all the way when the vehicle is empty, but crunch down into the curb once people get into the vehicle and weigh it down.

Warnings

  • If you have fancy wheels or hubcaps, particularly those with narrow "low-profile" tires, avoid pulling too close to a curb.
  • When in doubt, play it safe. Don't risk hitting the vehicle behind you or in front of you. If traffic conditions permit, place the vehicle in park to get out and see how much space you have left when you’re unsure.
  • When you are turning the wheel, try to always be moving, even if you are just inching forward/backwards. This prevents stress on your steering components.
  • Holding the wheel at an extreme turn for more than a few seconds may be bad for a power steering system.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 http://www.dmv.org/how-to-guides/parallel-parking.php
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pB_iFY2jIdI&lc=z12qwvth2m3mf1dhi04cf115px3vu5tabq00k
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 http://driving-tests.org/beginner-drivers/how-to-parallel-park/
  4. ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4jdShU4MEQ
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