In case you weren’t too sure, parallel parking is a method of parking where you’re in line with the curb, in a straight line with other cars in front of and behind you.  This is most commonly used in large cities where there are too many cars and not enough parking lots.  It’s also a part of the drivers test in most states, so it’s a must-know.  Some states, like Ohio, employ a maneuverability test – which is essentially parallel parking with cones instead of other cars – so the same rules apply.

First of all, don’t be intimidated.  Like with anything else, practice is key to developing confidence and comfortability with the procedure.  That’s right; good, old-fashioned practice – not just hand-eye coordination or luck.  If you’ve tried to parallel park before and didn’t do so hot, DO NOT think you can’t do it!  Relax and give yourself as much time as you need to master the skill.  It takes a few tries, but it will get a little easier and easier with each time – soon you’ll be backing up like a pro.

Ready?  Here are the general rules for parallel parking:

1. Find a space that’s a few feet longer than your car that you feel confident about parking inside.

 

2. Signal and drive up so that you are a 2-3 feet next to the car you want to park behind, and align your car’s rear bumper with the other one’s.

 

3. Check your mirrors and look over your shoulder to ensure that there are no vehicles behind you, then step on the brake and put the car in reverse.

 

4. Gently let up on the brake.  Turn your steering wheel all the way in the direction of the curb as soon as your car starts to move backwards, so that your bumper is angled towards the curb as you drive back.  (Go slow; if you feel like you’re not at the right angle or you’ve hit the curb, just drive forward and start over.)

 

5. Once the back of your car is mostly in the space, turn the steering wheel to the left in order to straighten out your car’s wheels. 

 

6. Center yourself in the parking space so that you’re parallel and less than 12 inches to the curb.  Shift into drive and adjust your wheels if necessary.

 

Just remember that these aren’t hard and fast rules – for instance, parking behind only one car will be much simpler since you don’t have to worry about bumping the second car.  Stuff like how sharply you have to turn your steering wheel will vary based on the type of vehicle you’re driving, since each car maneuvers a little differently.

But back to basics: to build your confidence, you’ll need to start slowly and work your way up.  Of course you’ll be nervous if you begin with trying to parallel park on a busy street!  Here’s how we recommend starting; once you’ve mastered one level, move on up to the next:

• Park beside an empty curb in a quiet street or parking lot.
• Park behind ONE parked car.
• Park between TWO parked cars that have plenty of space in between them.
• Park between cars that are closer together until you’re able to do it in spaces that no less than one and a half times the length of your car.

Check out this video for a great idea of how to parallel park:

This clip comes courtesy of the Rules of the Road DVD – an excellent drivers ed course video which includes many, many more helpful goodies like this one.  You can get it at Vat19.com:

Don’t forget that you can also play the online drivers ed game to get some virtual practice.  Now there’s no excuse!  Go forth and master the art of parallel parking.