Parking lots are for wimps!

How to parallel park your carJessamyn Miller Instructional Writing, Narrative & Argument, Fall 2010

Have you ever found yourself cruising through a historic neighborhood and noticed there weren’t any driveways? Perhaps you’ve been to

a city where the stores sit right on the curb. Where parking is limited to street-side spaces, you’ll need to learn to parallel park—where one car is parked behind another along a curb. If you’re used to steering into a large parking lot and picking out a space, parallel parking can feel unfamiliar and challenging. Follow the steps in this guide to learn how to

parallel park your car in less than one minute. Don’t be intimidated—you can do this!

Before you driveGet a feel for the length of your car by walking around the back and taking a look at where your trunk ends. How much bumper space is back there? Do you have a hitch or anything protruding from the rear of the car? When you get into your car and look in your rearview mirror, you should be able to see to the end of your trunk. When gauging the

distance between your car and the car behind you, account for any extra space you may need to accommodate your bumper’s depth.

Practice in a quiet placeWhen you first attempt parallel parking, find a quiet street, so you won’t have many cars whizzing by. The street should be wide enough for cars to park and allow traffic to pass. Find at least one other car parked to help guide you into place, then try parking behind it.

How to parallel park1. As you drive down the street, look for street-side spaces that are

long enough to fit your car, plus extra space wide enough for you to walk

through once you’ve parked, if possible. You’ll know the space is large

enough if you pass slowly and pause beside it, then turn back

and see if your bumper has space between it and the next car. If

you’re not overlapping, it’s big enough. If your car extends beyond, move on.

2. Once you’ve spotted a large enough space, turn on your right blinker,

so the cars behind you knows you’re pulling over. Press the brake to

slow down. You shouldn’t be going more than 1 m.p.h. when parking.

3. Drive alongside the car parked in front of the empty space you want and

come to a full stop. Give yourself about a foot of space between your

car and the one on the right. Look to see that your front bumper is

aligned with the car on the right. If you overshoot, just keep your blinker

on and back up slowly. Look out your right window. Can you look

into the driver’s window of the other car? If so, you’re even.

4. At this point, you may have cars waiting behind you to pass. They may

not understand that you are parallel parking—did you turn on your

blinker? Don’t panic, they can’t go anywhere until you get your space,

so it’s in their interest to let you finish. Proceed with parking.

5. With your foot on the brake, shift into reverse so that the white

reverse tail lights come on. Wait for any other cars behind you to back

up before you move. They may try to get around you and pass before

you have a chance to back up. If that happens, stay still and let one car

go, then begin backing up—it’s faster for everyone if you park first.

6. With your left hand on the steering wheel, rotate your body to the

right and look over your right shoulder. To help support your

body, place your right hand on the top of the passenger seat. Begin

turning the wheel clockwise and ease your foot off the brake.

Your car should be moving in reverse, with the back wheels

approaching the curb. Continue slowly until your front tire is aligned

with the back bumper of the car in front of you. If you touch the curb

with your back tire and your car’s hood is still mostly in the

street, you should pull out and start over. Don’t worry, this is

the most difficult maneuver and it can take a few tries to get it right.

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7. Once your car is about two-thirds into the space, gently brake and

turn your head forward to check the front of the car. The right

side of your hood should be close to, but not touching,

the right side of the car in front of you. If you feel that you’re

too close, stop, put the car in drive, turn the wheel counter clockwise

and pull forward again to start over. Again, it’s normal to do this

at least once when you parallel park. Better safe than sorry!

8. Once the rear of your car has pulled about two-thirds of the way in, brake

again. It’s time to start straightening the car out, so turn the steering

wheel counter-clockwise. Take your foot off the brake and ease

the car slowly backwards. Keep pulling back until your front bumper is

completely behind the bumper of the car in front of you. You’ll know

you’re in place when the left side of your car is completely

parallel to the curb and you’re not sticking out into the

street. It’s best to give yourself about one foot of space between your

passenger side and the curb. Press the brakes to come to a full stop.

9. You should have enough space in front of the car to pull forward a bit

and even out the distance between you and the cars in front and behind

you. Keep the wheel straight and pull forward slowly, lifting your

foot off the brake. Watch the hood of your car and make sure

you allow at least a few inches of room between your bumper and the

car in front. To avoid bumping or scraping, don’t go as far as you think

you can, just watch to see if your bumper conceals the license

plate of the car ahead. Allow it to disappear from view, then stop.

10. Tip: If you have your headlights on, use their reflection as

another indicator to how close you are to the next car. The

brighter the reflection, the closer you are to the bumper.

11. Now you’re ready for the final settling in. With your foot on the

brake, shift into reverse and turn around to face the back

windshield. Keep the wheel straight, then let off the brake slowly

and back up a few inches. Your goal is to position your car evenly

between the car in front and behind without touching either.

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12. If you accidentally bump the car, don’t worry—it happens. Because you’re

going so slowly, you probably haven’t scratched any paint. Just brake as

soon as you feel a tap, shift to drive, and pull forward a few inches.

13. With your foot on the brake, shift into park, turn off the

ignition and unfasten your seatbelt. Before you and your

passenger open your doors, check your side view mirrors for

oncoming cars, bikes or pedestrians. Suddenly opening a car door

into the street can injure someone who’s traveling in the adjacent

street or sidewalk, so make sure the coast is clear!

14. As you exit the car, look to see how much space you have between

your bumpers and the cars in front and behind you—make sure you’re

not touching anyone else. When it’s time to leave, check again so

you’ll know how far to move forward and back without tapping a bumper.

15. Congratulations on parallel parking!