Even the most experienced drivers have sweaty palms while aligning and parking their cars in that tight space in the parking queue. If you are just learning how to drive, you are likely to feel pressure while doing the same. Parallel parking is one of the most difficult parking skills that any learner will encounter. That is why any renowned driving school in Mount Waverley and elsewhere will put it on their priority list while imparting driving lessons to young learners.
What is parallel parking and why is it so stressful?
In the simplest words, parallel parking is the sleek technique of parking your vehicle in line with other vehicles in the parking queue, facing the direction of the traffic on that side of the road. Sounds simple, but honing this driving manoeuvre requires a lot of patience and tremendous practice. A little here and there can result in scratching the side of another vehicle or causing bigger damage, and you know what can happen after.
To do this right, the driver has to pull up the car ahead of the available parking space to the next vehicle in line, reverse slowly and get into that space without touching the vehicles in front and at the back. Now that is a skill no less than an Avenger from Marvel’s superhero movie.
How to do parallel parking right?
If you are enrolled in a driving school in Mulgrave or someplace else, your driving instructor can help you master the skill of parallel parking. You will be asked to repeat the technique until you can do it effectively and seamlessly.
You may also refer to the following hacks to hone the art of parallel parking:
Assess the size of the available space
– One of the foremost things to do in parallel parking right is to assess the size of the parking space that is available. Try to understand if it will fit your car without touching the other vehicles. The space should be one and a half times bigger than the length of your car. If you get that space, pull up beside the car you are planning to park behind and remember to keep about 2-3 feet distance from it.
Reverse and reverse
– Bring the middle of your car parallel to the other vehicle’s rear bumper. When your car starts changing direction, smoothly slot behind the vehicle in front without touching it.
Align and take a position
– Turn the steering wheel at 45 degrees to the right while keeping the car in reverse gear. Done? Now turn it anti-clockwise reverse until your car aligns with others’ in the queue. You should apply the same technique while parking your vehicle on the left. Just change the directions accordingly.
Maintain equal distances
– The final step is to check if your car is at an equal distance from the ones in the front and at the back, as well as the edge of the road. If not, then move the car once again until it is perfectly aligned at the centre.
Theoretically, it may all seem quite easy-peasy, but in real-time, parallel parking can make you sweat profusely. At Learning Path Driving School, an accredited driving school in Mount Waverley, we have a team of professionally-experienced instructors who can help master such nitty-gritty of driving skills without much hassle. They have the knowledge and expertise to teach you the right way and practice with you until you are perfect. Get in touch with our professionals to discuss your driving course details today.
