Parallel Parking - Aligning Yourself Properly

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• published: 02 Feb 2016
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Note : If the vehicle on the right is a lot larger than your vehicle, don't use the second method of determining your distance by aligning the plate to the left of right of the window. Use the first method of aligning your mirror before or after the other car's mirror. You can watch my original video on parallel parking by clicking on the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pB_iFY2jIdI&lc;=z12qwvth2m3mf1dhi04cf115px3vu5tabq00k In my previous video on how to easy parallel park, I showed you a method which is basically: Align your mirror with the mirror of the other car, turn the wheel one turn to the right, back up until the plate of the car on the right is in the middle of your window, then turn the wheel completely to the left and backup until you’re straight. Note that in this video I'll only be covering the part that has to do with aligning yourself properly with the other car. So in that video, I recommend you align the mirrors as a starting point. Now, some people will tell you that you should align the rear bumpers instead of the mirrors, and that is absolutely true. The thing is, if you're parking next to a car that is more or less the same size as your car, by aligning your mirrors, the rear bumpers will also be aligned. The reason why I tell you to align the mirrors instead of the bumpers, is because from the perspective you have when sitting behind the wheel, it's a lot easier to align the mirrors, because you can actually see them. But you can’t see the rear bumpers, so even for experienced drivers, aligning the rear bumpers is a lot harder. Now a question I get all the time is: will this work for a bigger or smaller car? The answer is yes, but you’ll need to make some adjustments. With this technique, there are two main reference points you can use that will determine your distance from the curb when you back up: Aligning your mirror with the other car’s mirror, or aligning the other car’s plate in your window. You can use either one of them. If you want to use the mirrors, here's what you do: If your car is longer than the car you're aligning yourself with, instead of aligning the mirrors at the same level, align it a bit past the other car's mirror. If your car is smaller, align the mirror a bit before the other car's mirror. Turn the wheel one turn to the right, then back up and align the other car's plate in the middle of your window, turn the wheel completely to the left, and back up until you fit in the spot. If you choose to use the plate as the reference point: Start with the mirrors aligned no matter the size of your car, then back up. With same sized cars you would align the plate in the middle of the window. If your car is longer, align the plate more towards the right of the window, if it's smaller, align it more towards the left of the window. Whether you choose the mirror or the plate to align yourself, find the reference point that works for your car, and always use that same reference point afterwards. And like I said in another video, use anything you can as a reference point. The right reference for your car might be to align the button to open the window with the other car’s plate, or that hole to grab the door right here, or anything else. If that works better for you, use it. Note that if you’re parking in a very tight spot, there will be more steps involved. I’ll cover that in a future video. But for now, I hope you liked this one, feel free to like and subscribe, don’t hesitate to ask any questions in the comments, and thanks for watching.