Parking tips and hints

Confused about reverse parking? David Kerr and Matt Irvine from NRMA Safer Driving answer your questions to help you get it right first time, every time. Q: I used to be good at reverse parking, but with my new car I can´t seem to get it right. Why is that? A: In the past, motorists often faced difficulty reverse parallel parking because of vehicle limitations, such as lack of power steering. Today, even the cheapest new cars have power steering. Instead difficulties arise due to the differences in vehicle style and width, ranging from a short squat Mini Cooper to a mammoth Nissan Patrol.

The trick to an accurate and safe reverse parallel park is to have a set reference point that you can use each time.

As a guide, your reference point should be about one-third from the rear of your vehicle. So, it may be the door lock, the edge of the door or halfway across the window on the rear passenger side. You can then use this point as the place you reach before you begin to reverse into the parking spot. In your new car, find a quiet street and have a few practice goes to find the reference point for that car.

Q: Recently, I had to wait a minute or so for someone to vacate their car spot so I could take it. When I finally got to reverse my car in, I ended up hitting a garbage bin and had to start again while drivers in the cars behind me started hurling abuse. I thought the other cars had to wait behind me as I parked?

A: Before you try to park, you should first gauge if the parking spot is big enough for your car to fit. If it is, put your left indicator on and ensure the road way is clear around you. Don't just check your mirrors, actually turn your head and look, and don't forget to check your blind spots.

You should signal your intent to other road users for five seconds before you start the parking manoeuvre.

In busy traffic, the person behind you has to wait until you park your car. If there is another lane to the right travelling in the same direction, they can move into that and proceed.

However, the parking spot should already be vacant; you shouldn't wait for someone to leave so you can take the spot, as you may be fined for unreasonably obstructing traffic.

In some inner city suburbs, this can be the only way to get a parking spot. But, if you're waiting for someone to leave a parking spot and traffic is building up behind you, this could be seen as unreasonably obstructing traffic. It's also bad manners.

Q: Can you give me some pointers on the best way to reverse parallel park: how best do I line up with the parked car in front and when should I start reversing into the spot?

A: Ideally, you should be parallel with and a car door's width apart from the car you are parking behind, ensuring the rear ends of the vehicles are roughly aligned. Scan all around the car, including a blind spot head check.

If all is clear, reverse until you have reached your already established reference point. You can then begin steering full lock to the left and reversing into the parking spot until you reach a 45? angle and when the nose of your car is lined up with the tail of the parked car in front (this should ensure you don´t hit the car in front when swinging in).

Start to straighten up, then adjust your car's position so that it is about one to two metres away from the cars in front and behind you. Remember, don't reverse in too quickly.

Q: Our house is on a steep road and I park my car on the road as we don't have a driveway. I find my car tends to roll back a fraction after I put the car in 'park' and pull up the handbrake.

A: Generally when you park, you should ensure your wheels are straight, but if the car might roll, point them towards the gutter - you don't need to lock them in this position, they just need to be angled slightly. Secure your vehicle with the handbrake first, then select the gear you should be in, ie. 'park' (for automatics) or first gear (for manuals). This ensures the car is secure and is particularly important if you are parking on an incline.

If you or someone you know is having problems with parking, or you haven't driven in a while, why not take a refresher lesson? NRMA Safer Driving offers professional driving lessons with qualified instructors for people of all ages. Call 1300 696 762 or visit NRMA Safer Driving. 

Important Points to Remember

If you're getting into your car after you've been away from it for some time, check around it for any hazards. For example, make sure there are no small children or dogs nearby that you could run into.

Before you enter or exit a parking spot, turn your head and look over your shoulder - don't rely on your mirrors - to make sure you can do so safely. Even if you have a reversing sensor or camera, these are no substitutes for turning your head and using your eyes. If you're using a reversing device for the first time, practice using it in a quiet street first.

If you're not parked wholly within a parking bay, ie. you've parked over a designated line, you may get a ticket from a parking inspector, depending on the by-laws of the local council in that area.

Always look in the direction in which your car is travelling. If you're going backwards, turn around and look behind you; if you're going forwards, look straight ahead of you.

Motorcycles

• Do not park between 'Motorcycles only' signs unless you are riding a motorcycle.
• Motorcycles can be angle-parked anywhere it is legal to park, even if a sign shows parallel parking.
• Make sure your motorcycle doesn't stick out further than any parallel-parked car.
• A motorcycle is permitted to take up a whole parking bay. While it might seem like wasted space, don't even attempt to share your car in a bay with a motorcycle.

By David Kerr and Matt Irving. Open Road, May/June 2007.