Car park tips: Reverse parking.

Ever wondered how those valet car parking guys do it? Parking in tight squeezed places with perfection. Its really simple actually. Take a look at how forklifts maneuver and apply the same driving concept to parking your car.

Benefits of reverse parking:

• Reverse parking is easier than head first. (Remember, we're suppose to be driving our car as though its a forklift!)
• You can gauge the remaining space just by looking at your LEFT and RIGHT side view mirror.
• When you want to exit, driving head first is much easier.
• Easy for cars that have bad turning radius: Such as van, lorry, pick up truck, 4wd, (EVO's have really awful turning radius!)
  

Any techniques that can help?

• Locate your parking lot. Use the pillar / car as your side view mirror object to gauge the spacings.
• Once you can clearly see the object (pillar for instance), slowly reverse beside it.
• You will usually need to concentrate in 1 side view mirror, but its also better to keep an eye on the other side just incase.
• When you are half way into your parking lot, straight your car by moving forwardl
• Now slowly reverse back straightening your car and position it evenly so that you have ample space for left and right doors to open.

Practice, practice and practice. You will soon find that reverse parking is in fact much easier than entering from the front, and provides you full control.