When parking a car
whether it's curb parking, parallel parking, perpendicular or angle parking, it is important to know reference points to be looking for through your window to keep from hitting obstacles and to get into the middle of your parking spot.This section will go over reference points for parking a car in all directions, even in reverse parking.
Parking lots have a lot of collisions because there are so many drivers and people, in such a small space. *Backing up carelessly is the greatest cause of collisions in parking lots.
The two most important rules for parking are:
1. Move slow, but turn fast into your parking space.
moving slow allows you greater control is a small space and turning fast positions your car where you need it at the right time.
The speed you need to come into a parking stall is so low,
just above 0 MPH, that once you start turning into the stall your foot should be covering the brake with just enough pressure to keep moving at this slow speed until you are straight in the stall.
There should be no need to use your gas pedal once you turn into the stall unless you are coming uphill.
2. Look all directions continuously the direction you are moving when backing.
This includes to the left, the right AND directly behind your vehicle. As you are turning out of your stall, it's easy to remember looking to the sides but not behind. this is where a car could be backing out opposite from you, or a pedestrian could be there.
Also don't take it for granted that no one will be behind you in a fairly empty, unused parking lot.
Many times, when practicing parking with students in empty lots, we've seen not only cars speeding through, but also pedestrians and bicyclists.
One other good rule to follow is to find a stall away from other parked cars, not so secluded that it makes you unsafe, but with enough space that you wont be in danger of hitting other parked cars or them hitting you.
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Perpendicular Parking
above is a picture of perpendicular parking. Cars parked straight in, on either side of a parking lot isle. This is probably the hardest parking to master after parallel parking. In any stall parking maneuver, your easiest point of reference will be using your side mirror in relation to the FIRST stall line you approach of the stall you intend to enter.
Also be about 8 feet away opposite of the parking stall you are aiming for, this makes it much easier to bring your wheels straight without bumping the curb.
How to park a car in a perpendicular stall:
For reference points on perpendicular parking click here
For Reverse Perpendicular parking click here
Angle Parking
Parking a car in an angled parking stall is the easiest way of parking a car.
This is one reason many businesses choose to have angle parking in their lots. It also allows for more parking spaces than perpendicular parking stalls.How to park a car in an angled stall:
For reference points on angle parking click here
click here for reverse angle parking
Parallel Parking
Parallel parking is the skill of parking between two cars parked beside the curb by aligning your car parallel with the car in front and backing between the two cars at a 45 degree angle into the parking spot.
It sounds hard and is probably the hardest parking to learn, however if you know what reference points to use, it's not as difficult as it seems.
How to park a car in a parallel spot between two vehicles:
For reference points on parallel parking click here
Curb Parking
Curb parking is parking by a curb in front of your vehicle or to the side of your vehicle. Using reference points will keep you from scraping the curb when parking at the curb.
How to park a car beside or in front of a curb:
