parallel parking

You could have a cpl of driving lessons in your own car with an instructor. Mother in law did this recently as she realised she needed to start to drive again but hadnt really driven for 10 years or so. Not the cheapest way to do it, but a couple of lessons isnt going to break the bank.

When I took my driving test (4 years ago) it was optional - you had to do a set number of manouvers in a test, one of which could have been parallel park, along with reverse park, turn in the road, etc. But if you were lucky, the driving instructor got you to do other ones instead. It may be compulsary now, although I doubt it because I expect they take the view that there are other more important things to examine in a 45 minute test.

The message from "Bert Coules" contains these words:

I've fitted one to the wife's Clio 'cos she finds it hard to look round and because she's short she finds it hard to see the back end of the car well enough to judge distances. She likes it - but neither she nor I would bother installing the display if we did it again 'cos the audio warning is just as good and less distracting.

Thanks for that. Actually, I was thinking of the audio-only variety (they do exist, don't they?) rather than the ones with the display. I can see that they could be a major distraction.

Bert

Remember no one gets it right all the time ive been driving about 20 year now and at a guess probley get it right first time about 90% of time. Some will probley tell you different in hear like.

The message from "Bert Coules" contains these words:

Dunno - but you could just fail to install it.

I had a quick search around: there are indeed audio-only alarms on the market, some of them very reasonably priced.

Bert

The trick is not to go from full left lock to full right lock - assuming you're parking on the left - but to go full left lock, go straight a bit and only then go full right lock. Of course how much of each requires practice.

Another Dave (30 years parking in central Manchester)

Buy a little Smart car and drive straight into the gap from the side :)

Good, but never to be used alone. A friend of my mum's dinged their new BMW on a post because she reversed it thinking that it was some magical device that knew where everything was - they do have blind spots!

Gareth

When I took mine (about the same time) apparently the reverse parallel park wasn't favoured because of the difficulty in finding a correct, quiet location. The other two (reverse around a corner and turn in the road) are easier, and the then-new "reverse into a parking space" could always be done at the test centre. I'm sure they will occasionally slip one in just to keep the instructors on their toes.

Gareth

Draw alongside car in front of space, bit further forward than the car in front. While reversing, apply left lock until offside of your car is aligned with nearside edge of car behind space (need to open window and look out to practice getting this right). Straighten up. Go straight back until clear of car in front. Apply full right lock. If you hit the kerb you waited too late until you applied the right lock.

Biggles

Thanks Biggles and all who posted.I will report back to group when I have mastered the manouver.

Tab

Yep. Same happens here. On the test route. Quite a lot. Ever since I started parking the car on the street on Thursday evenings to ensure that the I could make a quick getaway on Friday morning nstead of having to wait while the bin loory unblocked the driveway since they used it as the central collection area.

4 times out of ten I'll get close to the car, get the eye of the passenger and mouth "test?". If the passenger indicates a negative then I get in and drive away. If not, then I go away for a few minutes and watch out of the front window of the house, give them 2 and a half minutes and if they're still doing the maneuvre, assume they've failed, go and get the car and give them another chance since the examiner can't really fail them on "car baing parked at was driven away by owner".

On the good parking thing, I decided to try to get into a tight space on Wednesday while deciding that I probably wouldn't make it. With one inch clearance at the back and 4" clear at the front, I got the escort perfectly parked in three.

Took about 15 changes to get that damn thing back out again.

Warwick

When are we going to get those nifty cars that drive sideways for parking, as promised in all those old comedy films?

Bert