When I start a lesson I always ask what the parents/guardians want from the lessons, and then I ask the student what they also want. Over half the time everyone says they want to learn reverse parallel parking. It is the thing everyone worries about, yet if done right it's actually easier than a three point turn.
Follow this guide and you will easily be able to reverse parallel park correctly every time.
First, you aren't parking next to a car. By this I mean think of the car next to you as a box, nothing else. Almost everyone thinks of it as a car, so they line up with the back tyre, or the back window. This can be an issue, and people have failed because of it. What if the testing officer gives you a large ute with no back window? Or a tiny car with no boot?
Think of the other car as a box and you can park next to anything, it doesn't even have to be a car. You could park next to a bus or tree with this method.
Slow and Steady. Speed control can be another issue, many go too slow or too fast. If you go too slow you cannot judge the distances, it will feel like you moved a long way but really moved a tiny distance. Go too fast and you overshoot easily. Remember, slow and steady.
Just have a go. By far the most common mistake is students focus on what they did wrong, or over think the parking. This is an idiot proof method, don't ever think it and don't worry about mistakes. If you make a mistake just focus on the next step, when parking only think "where do I stop next?" then stop there.
Only do one thing at a time. Many people make mistakes when they rush the parking and do too much at once. Take one action at a time; move, stop, turn, check, move, stop, turn check. Don't try to move while steering, that only makes it harder.
- My guide on how to fix being too far from the kerb.
- My guide on how to fix being too close to the kerb.
Some of these steps may seem silly or pointless, but it's designed this way for a reason. It has a lot of room for error and is very simple to master.
Follow this guide and you will easily be able to reverse parallel park correctly every time.
Tips and Tricks
Some basic tips and tricks before you start will make parking so easy.First, you aren't parking next to a car. By this I mean think of the car next to you as a box, nothing else. Almost everyone thinks of it as a car, so they line up with the back tyre, or the back window. This can be an issue, and people have failed because of it. What if the testing officer gives you a large ute with no back window? Or a tiny car with no boot?
Think of the other car as a box and you can park next to anything, it doesn't even have to be a car. You could park next to a bus or tree with this method.
Slow and Steady. Speed control can be another issue, many go too slow or too fast. If you go too slow you cannot judge the distances, it will feel like you moved a long way but really moved a tiny distance. Go too fast and you overshoot easily. Remember, slow and steady.
Just have a go. By far the most common mistake is students focus on what they did wrong, or over think the parking. This is an idiot proof method, don't ever think it and don't worry about mistakes. If you make a mistake just focus on the next step, when parking only think "where do I stop next?" then stop there.
Only do one thing at a time. Many people make mistakes when they rush the parking and do too much at once. Take one action at a time; move, stop, turn, check, move, stop, turn check. Don't try to move while steering, that only makes it harder.
- My guide on how to fix being too close to the kerb.
The Idiot Proof Method
This method is idiot proof, it is designed so you don't need to be perfect just good enough. So if you make a mistake or it doesn't look right, have a go anyway and see what happens.'Some of these steps may seem silly or pointless, but it's designed this way for a reason. It has a lot of room for error and is very simple to master.
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| Step 1: Pulling Up |
Step 1: Pulling Up
As you pull up remember to indicate left and blind spot left before stopping. Pull over next to the car like you would pull over to the kerb.
You want to stop about 1 meter away from the other car, or enough for the passenger to open their door and get out. But not be so far that they can open the door completely.
You want to stop about 1 meter away from the other car, or enough for the passenger to open their door and get out. But not be so far that they can open the door completely.
Stop with the wing mirror lined up to the front end of their car, this way if you make a mistake or drive a really long car you have room. Many people stop with bonnet to bonnet, or further back. This is fine, but risky, and do you want to bother taking a risk (however small) on the test?
The best way to show this is with the Guide to the Driving Test booklet (click here to view).
On page 18 the guide gives a diagram and explanation of how to reverse parallel park. If you look it's a terrible method, S-turning your way over slowly back and forth until into the space.
Yet that's not the point, look at the amount of information they give about how to park. One picture and two lines, that's it. They give half a page and diagrams for how to pull over on page 17. Pulling over to the kerb is more important than how to park.
By comparison look at page 20, they have a whole page with diagrams and lots of information on the blind spot. They do not care how you park (more on that below). They care if you blind spot before swinging out, and this is where people fail.
Nobody has failed for their parking using this method, however, several have failed on their test for other things while parking. Such as not checking blind spots (remember, there's a minimum of two, possibly three).
Don't have an accident (by hitting the other car), don't go forward and back too often, and get into the space. That's it!
If you hit the kerb don't worry, that's just 1 point off every time you tap the kerb. Just be mindful of driveways as you will not bump into a drive, you will go up it. And if you go up a driveway on the test you instantly fail for leaving the road. If you hit the kerb it is your fault, you needed to adjust the mirrors better and watch out. So it's embarrassing to hit the kerb as there's no excuse. But we all make mistakes and it's not a problem on the test.
Think of it like walking into a door at a party, it's embarrassing but no damage is done. Pick yourself up and move on.
The issue with hitting the kerb, most students then panic and forget how to park. They go forward and back, focusing on how they hit the kerb rather than how to fix it. So they keep hitting it. Touching the kerb is embarrassing, but not a problem.
The important thing; did you blind spot check? This is what most people fail for when parking, they don't do a right blind spot check before they swing out towards the traffic. Would you check before you leave the kerb and drive off? You're swinging in the same way when parking, so check first.
- If you're too far from the kerb when you finish then click here to see how to fix it.
Parking across a driveway is fine. If you're worried about this you need to understand the difference between a "No Stopping" zone (where you cannot park or stop) and a "No Parking" zone (where you can stop but not park). Driveways are "No Parking", meaning you can stop across them, but not park and get out while blocking them. The testing officer may ask you to park behind a car and block a driveway, this is fine.
Remembering the method on the test is easy, just think Straight, Turn Out, Straight, Turn In. Basically, if you forget what to do then do the opposite of the last move. If you swung now try going straight. Never do the same move twice. This method is so idiot proof you don't need to know it perfectly.
Practice, and deliberately get it wrong. Practicing over and over is the best way to improve driving. If reverse parallel parking is an issue, then practice it over and over until it's easier. Make sure you get variety when practicing. Use different locations, like going up a hill, then down a hill. Use different cars to park next to, like SUVs or utes, and small hatchbacks or sedans. You want to be ready for anything on the test, what if they give you a truck to park next to? What if it's on a steep hill?
If you follow this advice and method, and it still doesn't work, then read my next post on how to park badly and fix it up. In that post I go over the most common mistakes and issues, as well as simple tips to fix it.
- My guide on how to fix being too far from the kerb.
- My guide on how to fix being too close to the kerb.
- A Guide to the Driving Test (by the RMS):
http://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/documents/roads/licence/guide-to-driving-test.pdf
- The RMS Geard step-by-step guide for reverse parking:
http://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/geared/your_driving_skills/driving_skills/reverse_the_stereotype.html
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| Step 1: Reversing Back |
Step 2: Reversing Back
Simply reverse straight back, stopping when the blind spot is past the back of the car. Or, stop when the pillar is roughly in line with the back of their car.
If you go too far here you will move too far from the other car later, but if too close you won't have enough room to swing comfortably into the space. Lining up like this gives you the perfect amount of room, enough so if you make a mistake you can correct it, but not too far away.
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| Step 3: Swinging Out |
Step 3: Swinging Out
This is a step many people get wrong, in two ways. Most commonly they forget the right blind spot, which is the most important part of reverse parallel parking. Check over the right shoulder BEFORE you move backwards. Here you are looking for anything passing you, like a cyclist or car before you swing out. Just as you would if you drove off from the kerb.
The other mistake people make is the angle, you don't need to be perfect but do need to be roughly in the right spot. After checking swing the car out to a 4 degree angle, which I find hard to judge. So think of a piece of pizza. You want a nice piece as you're hungry, but not too big as you aren't greedy.
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| Step 4: Reversing Back Again |
Step 4: Reversing Back Again
Now you have a nice angle, straighten the wheels and move back. To straighten the wheels turn the steering wheel 1 and a half times, or make the logo on the wheel the correct way up twice.
Move back in a straight line and stop when the back passenger tire is about 1 meter away from the kerb. This can be tricky to judge, but you want to be roughly two gutters from the kerb, as the gutter is half a meter wide.
You may check the wing-mirror here to see your distance, just remember to look out the back window at least once when moving backwards.
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| Step 5: Swinging in |
Step 5: Swinging In
The final and easiest step, simply turn the wheels all the way and swing in. If every other step was good then this will go perfectly. Stop when you're straight compared to the kerb.
Again, use the wing-mirror to make sure you are straight, and to prevent hitting the kerb. Just remember to look out the back rear window at least once when moving backwards.
Marking Criteria
Everyone worries about parking correctly on the test, but there is no 'wrong' way to park, and no 'correct' way either. The test is NOT assessing your ability to park. This is why you do a reverse parallel park, OR a three-point-turn, not both. They are looking at how safely you reverse, which I go into more detail in the marking criteria section below.The best way to show this is with the Guide to the Driving Test booklet (click here to view).
On page 18 the guide gives a diagram and explanation of how to reverse parallel park. If you look it's a terrible method, S-turning your way over slowly back and forth until into the space.
Yet that's not the point, look at the amount of information they give about how to park. One picture and two lines, that's it. They give half a page and diagrams for how to pull over on page 17. Pulling over to the kerb is more important than how to park.
By comparison look at page 20, they have a whole page with diagrams and lots of information on the blind spot. They do not care how you park (more on that below). They care if you blind spot before swinging out, and this is where people fail.
Nobody has failed for their parking using this method, however, several have failed on their test for other things while parking. Such as not checking blind spots (remember, there's a minimum of two, possibly three).
How to Know You Parked Properly
To know if the parking was correct ask these three simple questions:
- Did you go over six moves total?
- Did you hit anything (excluding the kerb)?
- Are you too far away from the kerb/car or too close to the kerb/car?
Don't have an accident (by hitting the other car), don't go forward and back too often, and get into the space. That's it!
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| As bad as you park, it could be worse! Image Source |
If you hit the kerb don't worry, that's just 1 point off every time you tap the kerb. Just be mindful of driveways as you will not bump into a drive, you will go up it. And if you go up a driveway on the test you instantly fail for leaving the road. If you hit the kerb it is your fault, you needed to adjust the mirrors better and watch out. So it's embarrassing to hit the kerb as there's no excuse. But we all make mistakes and it's not a problem on the test.
Think of it like walking into a door at a party, it's embarrassing but no damage is done. Pick yourself up and move on.
The issue with hitting the kerb, most students then panic and forget how to park. They go forward and back, focusing on how they hit the kerb rather than how to fix it. So they keep hitting it. Touching the kerb is embarrassing, but not a problem.
The important thing; did you blind spot check? This is what most people fail for when parking, they don't do a right blind spot check before they swing out towards the traffic. Would you check before you leave the kerb and drive off? You're swinging in the same way when parking, so check first.
What if I'm Still Struggling?
- If you're too far from the kerb when you finish then click here to see how to fix it.
Parking across a driveway is fine. If you're worried about this you need to understand the difference between a "No Stopping" zone (where you cannot park or stop) and a "No Parking" zone (where you can stop but not park). Driveways are "No Parking", meaning you can stop across them, but not park and get out while blocking them. The testing officer may ask you to park behind a car and block a driveway, this is fine.
Remembering the method on the test is easy, just think Straight, Turn Out, Straight, Turn In. Basically, if you forget what to do then do the opposite of the last move. If you swung now try going straight. Never do the same move twice. This method is so idiot proof you don't need to know it perfectly.
Practice, and deliberately get it wrong. Practicing over and over is the best way to improve driving. If reverse parallel parking is an issue, then practice it over and over until it's easier. Make sure you get variety when practicing. Use different locations, like going up a hill, then down a hill. Use different cars to park next to, like SUVs or utes, and small hatchbacks or sedans. You want to be ready for anything on the test, what if they give you a truck to park next to? What if it's on a steep hill?
If you follow this advice and method, and it still doesn't work, then read my next post on how to park badly and fix it up. In that post I go over the most common mistakes and issues, as well as simple tips to fix it.
Useful Links and Information For Parking:
- My guide on how to fix being too close to the kerb.
- A Guide to the Driving Test (by the RMS):
http://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/documents/roads/licence/guide-to-driving-test.pdf
- The RMS Geard step-by-step guide for reverse parking:
http://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/geared/your_driving_skills/driving_skills/reverse_the_stereotype.html