Do you need help parallel parking?

[Liberal_in_LA]

I've actually returned to me car to find that the car behind or in front is touching mine. Once they were so close I had to back and forth about 30 times to get out of the spot. Regarding how hard it is to parallel park - it's not so hard, I think people get nervous and flustered when other cars are waiting to go past



For Older Drivers, Help With Parking

Parallel parking is a challenge for elderly drivers, particularly in a city like New York.Robert Caplin for The New York TimesParallel parking is a challenge for elderly drivers, particularly in a city like New York.

Driving is not just about driving, any more than jokes are just about jokes. As discussed often here at The New Old Age, the battle between adult children and aging parents over who decides when it’s time to give up the car keys can be highly emotional, because it’s as much about losing freedom and independence as it is about safety.

But sailing down the road is only the half of the problem. Parking is another stressful challenge for many elderly drivers — and the cause of many accidents. Now automakers have come up with a newfangled feature that may help: Parking assist systems promise not only to help you locate the right-size parking space, but also to parallel-park the vehicle for you.

Parking isn’t just a problem for the elderly. “Even many younger people will drive around the block five times” before daring to parallel park, said Bryan Reimer, associate director of research at the New England University Transportation Center at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. But the task is more difficult for older people who “cannot turn to look behind them to get a view of what’s behind.”

http://newoldage.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/02/24/for-older-drivers-help-with-parking/

[slackmaster]

1. Yet another reason to be glad I drive an SUV with the spare wheel on the back

I won't mind doing a little pushing if I get stuck like that.

[ForgoTheConsequence]

2. IMO

If you're not physically capable of turning your head to parallel park, you probably shouldn't be driving.

[Ron Green]

12. I never turn my head to parallel park.

I use the mirrors. People are always amazed at how quickly I can slip into a space.

[appleannie1]

3. My daughter always looks for a lot and my grand-daughter can't park.

[Liberal_in_LA]

9. if they learn how to parallel park, they have more options for parking

[Confusious]

4. I have a small car

Fixes the parallel parking problem.

If I could ride a bike around town, I wouldn't have the problem at all.

[hlthe2b]

5. Depends on the vehicle...

I had a Jeep Cherokee Laredo years ago that I could have parked almost anywhere (assuming the space was large enough) without difficulty. Ditto with my former Subaru Outback. But with the Prius, even with its rear view camera, I find it difficult to gauge--the shape of the hood and back glass, to me, makes depth perception difficult. I used to parallel park with uncommon confidence. Now, I'm decidedly...not.

On edit, I've had people park this close to me on either SIDE--inches-- so that I had to climb in through the back hatch on my old Subaru. They had basically left me no room to even crack the door. And, they were so damned close, it was very hard to pull out straight enough to avoid clipping one or the other backing out.

[RebelOne]

6. I was 21 years old when I took my driver's test.

I was driving my mother's '59 Cadillac with the huge fins and I had to parallel park. I barely passed the test. But the tester said that he was blaming it on the car and passed me. I am 73 years old now and to this day I cannot parallel park.

[Robb]

7. I was piloting boats before I ever learned to drive cars.

So, no.

Boats tend to pivot around a point just behind the bow, quite similar to driving a car backwards. IIRC when I took my test we still had to successfully back the car around a corner... do they still do that?

[Liberal_in_LA]

8. nope. Not in California. No backing around corners.

[vanlassie]

10. It used to be easy

I was taught to angle back until the center of the car behind was centered in my rear view mirror. Then to back straight and then crank to the right, and pull forward to center . Seems like this system worked great with big ol cars but I have many more struggles now. I think it's the higher sides and backs for safety that make positioning harder to gauge

[Codeine]

13. Considering everyone positions their rearview mirror differently

that sounds a bit dangerous.

[vanlassie]

15. Why?

It ALWAYS worked

[Codeine]

11. I love parallel parking!

Everyone thinks you're a great driver and really all you've done is learned where your pivot point is located.

[IcyPeas]

16. do tell please

[Codeine]

18. Your rear wheel is your "pivot point,"

the spot that your car pivots on when you turn your front wheels. When your rear wheel is at (actually a tiny bit before) the back bumper of the car you're parking behind you start cranking your steering wheel to the right. As you near the curb with your back wheel you want to start steering back quickly -- if you've positioned yourself properly you'll slot in easily. A little pulling forward will bring your front wheel to the curb and straighten you out.

The main problem with parking on a street is worrying about the people behind you; they can wait. If you get this maneuver down they'll barely notice the delay anyway.

[MH1]

22. Good description.

I never really knew the theory, just somehow learned to do it. It's a key skill when you have to drive and park in a big city!

I used to be able to parallel park a mid-size car in Philly with only about 6 inches space on both ends.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

23. So do I... from the right *and* left.

I'm weird that way.

[Codeine]

24. I've never tried it the other way.

Not too many one-way streets here.

[jwirr]

14. I avoid paralell parking like a plaque. Have been known to walk blocks to stay away from it. And

I have been doing that since I was young.

[WCIL]

17. When my children (22 and 21) took Driver's Ed

They didn't even learn how. It wasn't on the driving test to get their licenses, either. When I took Driver's Ed we practiced parallel parking and turnabouts every time we got behind the wheel time.

[A HERETIC I AM]

19. Here ya go- try this;

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=105&topic_id=9691316&mesg_id=9691316

[bhikkhu]

20. It was easier back when bumpers were bumpers

...and you could very carefully ease out of a tight spot by just edging forward and back to touch the bumpers of the cars in front of and behind you. Now its all painted bumpers (whoever thought that was a good idea?) and any contact is $500 in scuffed and cracked paint to fix.

[Fumesucker]

21. No, anyone who has driven a forklift for an appreciable time will have no problem parking..

Parallel or otherwise..