Parallel park

Reverse park (also known as parallel park)

There are several different ways to carry out this maneuver.  The 1:2:1 method is one of the easiest methods for carrying out a parallel park and refers to how to steer the wheel – 1 turn left, 2 turns right and finally 1 turn left again.

How to Parallel Park Your Car – 1 2 1 method

  1. Pull up 2 car lengths behind the target vehicle (there should be room for one car to fit in between your vehicle and the target vehicle in front), and a tyres width from the kerb.
  2. Dip the left door mirror.
  3. Drive forward and pull up alongside the target vehicle, until the front door mirror is line with the front/back of the target vehicle (depending on which way the vehicle is parked), and a doors width away/out (the passenger should be able to stretch their arm out of their window and not touch the target vehicle).
  4. Select reverse gear immediately – this is the signal to any vehicles behind that you are doing a reverse manoeuvre.
  5. 6-point check
  6. Reverse until the front/back of the target vehicle disappears into the back/bottom corner of the front passenger window.
  7. Handbrake and 6-point check from left to right (at the very least, you must do a 3 point check to the right) because when you start steering to the left the bonnet will stick out to the right.
  8. Release the foot brake the depth of a pound coin – keep the car moving very slowly – you will be going down the camber so you may build up unwanted speed.
  9. As soon as the car starts moving steer one full turn to the left (don’t steer to full lock)
  10. Keep reversing until the rear door handle (look in left door mirror) is 6 inches above the kerb / or is completely on the pavement.
  11. Steer two full turns to the right (away from the kerb).
  12. Reverse back and slowly toward the kerb observing as you go.
  13. Make necessary adjustments to steering – if rear wheel are too close steer away, if they’re too far away then steer towards.  Don’t let the top of the rear wheel arch go over the kerb.
  14. Straighten up – look at the front of your car (the nose/yellow dot) and when the car is straight turn one full turn to the left – or until the front wheels are straight.
  15. You should end in the position you started in.
  16. If you don’t complete the manoeuvre successfully you can do a shunt, but don’t start the manoeuvre again.

General rules:

  • When reversing mostly look out of the back window
  • Stop and give way if anything approaches you from any direction (including pedestrians). Assess if it is safe to proceed then carry on.
  • Don’t dry steer

Youtube videos

Why it’s so important to be able to parallel park…

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