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Old 26th March 2009, 14:51   #16
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[quote=Thad E Ginathom;1231645]I remember learning guidelines for parallel parking, but I can never remember what they were! However, it usually works out for me, and opportunities to practice are usually there in city driving.

Yep, you explained all my points nicely.

Okay guys, but my question is how do you use your view of the rear seat in your IRVM to judge the distance between your car and another car behind you while backing up?

Drive on!!
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Old 26th March 2009, 14:52   #17
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[quote=shibujp;1231749]
Quote:
Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom View Post
I remember learning guidelines for parallel parking, but I can never remember what they were! However, it usually works out for me, and opportunities to practice are usually there in city driving.

Yep, you explained all my points nicely.
Okay guys, but my question is how do you use your view of the rear seat in your IRVM to judge the distance between your car and another car behind you while backing up?

Drive on!!
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Old 26th March 2009, 15:06   #18
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Thing is that you don't consciously,but I guess your brain knows how far behind the mirror the back seat is, and takes it from there.

That may be a dumb answer, or even no answer at all. Somehow it works for me!
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Old 26th March 2009, 16:53   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom View Post
Parking as close as possible to a London curb: reverse at a shallow angle, very slowly, until the rear wheel just touches the curb. Pull forward to straighten up. You are now a couple of inches from the curb. Chennai curbs are far too high for this!
In my understanding, allowing the wheels to touch the kerb while parallel-parking in the UK driving test leads to an automatic test failure!

OT: Hitting or driving over kerbs is tough on the tyre sidewalls. Of course, the way cars are parked on pavements in Delhi would easily lead one to assume otherwise.

Quote:
Originally Posted by druva View Post
Be close to the car ahead of ur parking slot..

1. Turn ur wheels fully and start reversing in to the slot.

2. After the rear doors align with the tail of the car in previous slot, straighten the wheels.

3. Once the front door hinge aligns with the tail of the car in previous slot, turn the wheel in the opposite direction.

I am fairly comfortable in doing this on the driver side parallel parking.
Gosh, how complicated. I don't use any aligning markers-- I just park by feel, and get out to have a look-see when in doubt and after completion.

Knowing the degree of curvature of ones various RVMs is helpful though-- the combination of RVM, ORVMs, and blind spot mirrors on my ORVMs tells me how far the car body is from the flanking cars.
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Old 26th March 2009, 22:36   #20
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Remember seeing a how-to video on parallel parking on Howcast.com. Dont seem to find it now. Was very informative. And seeing it in action somehow stores it in your memory.
Anybody seen that ? Kindly post if found.

Last edited by Anthym : 26th March 2009 at 22:41.
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Old 26th March 2009, 22:57   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Perakath View Post
In my understanding, allowing the wheels to touch the kerb while parallel-parking in the UK driving test leads to an automatic test failure!

OT: Hitting or driving over kerbs is tough on the tyre sidewalls. Of course, the way cars are parked on pavements in Delhi would easily lead one to assume otherwise.
I took my test before parallel parking was included .

But you are probably right, and your comment, given my suggestion, is not off-topic at all.

I can only plead that I give only the gentlest of touches.

Actually, I find this parallel parking easier to judge than simple stopping, the driving-test-regulation-three-inches-away from the edge of the road. Hence my allows are not perfect!
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Old 27th March 2009, 10:52   #22
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While parking at relatively dark place we also can put the HeadLight and measure the distance from any other object like wall or Car.
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Old 27th March 2009, 13:53   #23
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Perakath View Post
...


Gosh, how complicated. I don't use any aligning markers-- I just park by feel, and get out to have a look-see when in doubt and after completion.

...
Once you get used to, definitely by gut feel only.
Also, if you switch to other cars, its useful.


Any pointers on judging the front left fenders? Auto/ Bike wallahs in Chennai come really close during turining and say 'po, po'...
I keep looking at them and slowly move... any other ideas?

Last edited by druva : 27th March 2009 at 13:55.
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Old 27th March 2009, 14:11   #24
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Quote:
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Any pointers on judging the front left fenders? Auto/ Bike wallahs in Chennai come really close during turining and say 'po, po'...
I keep looking at them and slowly move... any other ideas?
In poor ambient light I can sometimes tell by the intensity of the head/parking light beam on the obstacle, as someone mentioned earlier. Otherwise I prefer to err on the side of caution, reversing a bit with reverse wheel lock if need be!
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Old 27th March 2009, 21:08   #25
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When it comes to parking, its more of experiment and judgement that wins the race. My covered parking has 4 pillars around (basement of a 7 floor building). And the front pillars are closer to each other which blocks my forward action. So, the only way to take the car out is reversing. Its a clean upward slop behind and to make it complicated we have a 1 feet high divider (with garden inside) thats just 7 feet from the back pillars. Only my parking has this issue since its the corner part of the building. Others can just take their car out to a plain ground. I have seen the workshop guys (service pick up) trying atleast 3 times reverse and front action to take the car out. I get it out in the first attempt without any strain. My wife and cousine can not. Most of the complicated parking issues are solved with few attempts. There are tons of videos with perfect instructions and calculations too !

Reverse Parallel parking is almost the same thing. Practise makes it perfect. This is a funny video of the same, but has useful links in the same page

Overtaking is another skill that has to be mastered over a period of time. My father-in-law does only that even in the tightest slow moving traffic, but not causing any issues to anyone. I am just getting used to it in the city, still not confident on the highways.

The left ORVM facing down (partially back door, tire and floor visible) is my permanent set up. It helps not only in tight parallel parking, but also assists in unexpected reversing (giving way on small congested lanes). To compensate the left ORVM, I have fitted a longer 12 inch Panoramic clip on mirror (chinese stuff availabe in most shops). This gives a complete wider view of the back including more left side area than a normal left ORVM can cover and the best part is, you dont have to look to the extreme left mirror, just glance above the steering and you are clear.

Night time driving: Majority of the issues are lack of visibility. Although the rule doesnt allow above 55/60 head lamps, there are many brands that are within the same limit but with more powerful light. I use Philips Crystalvision white bulbs and find a huge difference in the night compared to stock bulbs. Adding a fog lamp also helps. There is no point thinking about poor lighting after you kill someone or pay a huge bill repairing night mishaps. I am against high-beam driving in the night, but there are many things (approaching cyclist, an unmarked speed breaker etc.) that can not be seen on a low beam. So, I keep switching between low and high depending on the oncoming vehicle.

Hope I have not posted any non-sense. Open for correction if there is any. Thanks.

Last edited by shajufx : 27th March 2009 at 21:12.
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Old 28th March 2009, 12:16   #26
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I use that method too for the swift..it's quite easy to miss something behind the swift with all its bulk, I judge by turning the mirror to see the right mudguard flaps, works in the swift, don't know about other cars.
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Old 28th March 2009, 12:52   #27
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hi
it is a very useful thread. anyone have tips about parking dzire? i am quier new to driving and any tips would be very useful.
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Old 28th March 2009, 13:14   #28
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I've seen many dzires with parking sensors, I guess like sx4 it has blind spots.

Since you are new to driving, buy parking sensors, not very costly and a great help for new drivers.
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Old 28th March 2009, 18:16   #29
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My first response to that idea is never mind the sensors, learn to do it properly!

My second response is, hey! the technology is there to make life easy for us, so we might as well use it!
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Old 28th March 2009, 23:10   #30
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Quote:
Originally Posted by shajufx View Post
To compensate the left ORVM, I have fitted a longer 12 inch Panoramic clip on mirror (chinese stuff availabe in most shops). This gives a complete wider view of the back including more left side area than a normal left ORVM can cover and the best part is, you dont have to look to the extreme left mirror, just glance above the steering and you are clear.
A pic, shajufx? Thanks.
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