Parking Made Easy (PDF) - AAA Carolinas
Parking Made Easy (PDF) - AAA Carolinas
Parking Made Easy (PDF) - AAA Carolinas
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Perpendicular <strong>Parking</strong><br />
Perpendicular parking is a method of parking vehicles side-toside,<br />
perpendicular to an aisle, curb, or wall and is a skill that<br />
is required to pass your basic driving test. This mode of<br />
parking is commonly found in parking lots and parking<br />
structures. <strong>Parking</strong> lots that use perpendicular parking often<br />
have two rows of parking spaces arranged front to front, with<br />
aisles in between.<br />
Entering the Space<br />
Because backing out of a perpendicular parking space is more<br />
difficult and dangerous than it is with other modes of parking,<br />
it is recommended you back into this type of space.<br />
1. Pull up perpendicular to the space in which you intend to<br />
park until the vehicle’s front seat back is aligned in the<br />
center of the parking space.<br />
2. Signal, look for traffic and pedestrians by completing a<br />
head check, and quickly turn the wheels while rolling<br />
slowly to a 45-degree angle.<br />
3. Shift into reverse, signal and quickly turn the wheels to the<br />
right or left while rolling slowly backwards.<br />
4. Straighten the wheels and slowly back completely into the<br />
space.<br />
Exiting the Space<br />
When it is not possible to back into your parking space, you<br />
will exit by backing into traffic. You must back slowly to<br />
ensure it is safe and oncoming traffic sees you. Oncoming<br />
traffic has the right of way and you must let them pass before<br />
you back up. Signal left or right as appropriate to alert others<br />
of your intentions. Also, if you are in a mall or shopping center<br />
parking lot, remember to make sure there are no pedestrians<br />
crossing next to or behind your vehicle.<br />
Remember you must turn your head around, and look out the<br />
rear and side windows of your car. Try to look through the car<br />
next to you to see if there is oncoming traffic. If you cannot,<br />
you must back very slowly until you can see that the way is<br />
clear. Once you have backed out of the space and are in the<br />
traffic lane, stop, shift to a forward gear and drive off.<br />
Back out slowly and be prepared to stop. Back straight out<br />
until the back of the car parked on the driver’s side is<br />
between your front tires and the front of your car, then turn<br />
the wheel. If there is no car on the driver’s side but one on<br />
the passenger side, back until the rear of the car on the<br />
passenger’s side is about even with you, then begin to turn<br />
the wheel.<br />
Angle <strong>Parking</strong><br />
Angle parking is similar to perpendicular parking, except<br />
vehicles are at an angle to the aisle – usually an acute angle<br />
with the direction of approach. Angle parking allows drivers<br />
to park more quickly because it is much easier. Using the<br />
techniques identified below may help you park your vehicle<br />
more precisely in an angled parking space.<br />
Entering the Space<br />
Always use your turn signal before slowing and turning. Go<br />
slow when parking and make sure you stop before you hit<br />
anything. Take special care not to hit the vehicles parked on<br />
either side of you.<br />
1. As you drive in the parking lot, check left and right for<br />
pedestrians and vehicles backing out of spaces.<br />
2. Signal to alert others of your actions.<br />
3. Before entering the parking space, position yourself<br />
approximately three to four feet from parked cars.<br />
4. When you are able to look down the first line of the space<br />
you wish to enter, roll forward slowly and quickly turn the<br />
steering wheel left or right as appropriate. Continue to<br />
move forward slowly until the curb or line is visible under<br />
the driver’s outside mirror. Straighten the wheel to center<br />
the vehicle in the space.<br />
5. Before leaving your vehicle, check both the left and right<br />
sides of the vehicle to ensure proper clearance from other<br />
vehicles.<br />
Exiting the Space<br />
1. Check in all directions to make sure the way is clear of<br />
pedestrians and objects that may impede your movement.<br />
2. Always turn and look directly behind you while backing up.<br />
3. Signal left or right as appropriate to alert others of your<br />
intentions.<br />
4. Yield the right of way to pedestrians, cyclists and<br />
approaching traffic.<br />
5. Steer with one hand, while looking out the rear window.<br />
6. With your foot on the brake, shift into reverse, check<br />
traffic, and look over your shoulder.<br />
7. Back out slowly to make sure other vehicles or pedestrians<br />
see your vehicle.<br />
8. Remember that oncoming traffic has the right of way.<br />
9. Quickly turn the wheels in the direction you wish the<br />
vehicle to go after your vehicle clears other vehicles or<br />
obstacles, such as pillars and posts.<br />
10.Complete the maneuver by shifting into drive and<br />
canceling the turn signal.<br />
Don’t let parking be intimidating. Use the<br />
information provided in this brochure to help<br />
you navigate your way into any type of available<br />
parking space.<br />
Provided as<br />
a public service<br />
by your <strong>AAA</strong> club.<br />
Traffic Safety Programs<br />
1000 <strong>AAA</strong> Drive<br />
Heathrow, Florida<br />
32746-5063<br />
www.aaa.com • 1-800-JOIN-<strong>AAA</strong><br />
Stock Number 3392 Copyright ©2005 <strong>AAA</strong>. All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A. October 2005
<strong>AAA</strong> understands that parking may be intimidating at times<br />
and developed this brochure to provide you information to<br />
help keep you safe and in control as you navigate your way<br />
through the finer points of parking a motor vehicle. Topics in<br />
this brochure include:<br />
■ Modes of parking;<br />
■ Finding a parking space;<br />
■ Entering and exiting a parallel parking space;<br />
■ Entering and exiting a perpendicular parking space; and<br />
■ Entering and exiting an angle parking space.<br />
Modes of <strong>Parking</strong><br />
Regardless of the parking location (parking lot, parking<br />
structure, etc.), there are three basic modes of parking, based<br />
on the arrangement of vehicles – perpendicular, angle, and<br />
parallel parking.<br />
Finding a <strong>Parking</strong> Space<br />
As you are looking for a parking space, make sure you keep<br />
an eye on traffic and pedestrians around you. Concentrating<br />
solely on finding a parking space could cause you to neglect<br />
sudden changes in traffic ahead or lead you to make a move<br />
without checking or signaling.<br />
Once you have located a possible parking space, use the<br />
following tips for entering the parking space.<br />
Parallel <strong>Parking</strong><br />
Parallel parking is a method of parking a vehicle in parallel to<br />
other parked vehicles. Vehicles parked in parallel are in one<br />
line, parallel to the curb, with the front bumper of each<br />
vehicle facing the back bumper of an adjacent one. Since<br />
parallel parking is parallel to the curb of a road, roads that<br />
feature this type of parking have an extra lane or a large<br />
shoulder for parked cars.<br />
Parallel parking maneuvers are rarely associated with injuries<br />
and deaths, but when you are struggling to back into a space,<br />
this is of little comfort. Because parallel parking is one of the<br />
hardest skills for new drivers to learn, the following tips may<br />
help you master the fine art of parallel parking.<br />
Moving Into the Space<br />
These directions assume parking on the right side of the road.<br />
Placing your vehicle in a parallel parking space is a side<br />
movement to the rear that requires concentration and good<br />
control of both steering and speed. Keep your speed low and<br />
follow these steps:<br />
1. As you approach the parking space, adjust your lane<br />
position to within four feet of the line of parked cars.<br />
2. Drive forward and steer left or right so that you have a<br />
space about two to three feet wide between the side of<br />
your vehicle and the parked car. Stop when the rear<br />
bumper of your vehicle is in line with the rear bumper of<br />
the car you want to park behind.<br />
3. If you are parking an automatic transmission vehicle, shift<br />
into reverse while pressing down on the brake pedal with<br />
your right foot. If you are parking a manual transmission<br />
vehicle, you must control your speed by using the friction<br />
point of the clutch while in reverse gear. Check for traffic<br />
in the next lane. (When backing, the front end of your<br />
vehicle will swing out in the opposite direction you turn<br />
the steering wheel.)<br />
4. Turn the vehicle’s steering wheel at a smooth steady<br />
rate all the way to the right while backing slowly. Make<br />
sure you keep your foot on the brake pedal to control<br />
your speed.<br />
5. When the back of your vehicle’s front seat is in line with<br />
the rear bumper of the vehicle you are parking behind,<br />
turn the steering wheel quickly and smoothly back to a<br />
straight-ahead position. Again, keep your speed slow.<br />
Failure to straighten your vehicle’s front wheels<br />
produces such a sharp angle with the cub that the rear<br />
right wheel will strike the curb. If you turn the steering<br />
wheel too far to the left, your right front fender may<br />
collide with the left rear fender of the vehicle behind<br />
which you are parking.<br />
6. Continue backing at this angle until your vehicle’s right<br />
front fender just clears the left rear fender of the vehicle<br />
behind which you are parking. At this point, your<br />
vehicle’s left rear fender should be aligned with the<br />
inside edge of the left headlight of the vehicle parked in<br />
the space behind you.<br />
7. While looking over your left shoulder, move back slowly<br />
and turn the steering wheel quickly and smoothly all the<br />
way to the left. Continue backing slowly, and stop just<br />
before touching the car parked behind you.<br />
8. Shift to drive and, while moving very slowly forward, turn<br />
the steering wheel to the straight-ahead position.<br />
Continue moving forward in a straight line until you are<br />
about one foot behind the car ahead and stop. Then shift<br />
to reverse and, while backing slowly, turn the steering<br />
wheel all the way to the left. Continue moving back slowly<br />
until the rear of the right front tire lightly touches the curb.<br />
At this point, your vehicle should be centered in the space<br />
parallel to, and within six inches of the curb.<br />
You accomplish parallel parking on the left side of the road in<br />
much the same manner. The main difference is that at each of<br />
the checkpoints you turn the steering wheel in the opposite<br />
direction. Since you can see the checkpoints more readily, you<br />
may find parallel parking on the left is easier than parking on<br />
the right.<br />
The final step in parallel parking – not only a safety measure<br />
but also required by law in many states – is turning the<br />
steering wheel to angle the tire against the curb or toward the<br />
side of the road. This step may prevent your vehicle from<br />
rolling downhill or into the street. Parked cars accidentally left<br />
in neutral without set parking brakes can create a hazard,<br />
especially if there is any chance other vehicles may strike them.<br />
In automatic transmission vehicles, set the parking brake and<br />
shift to park. In vehicles equipped with manual transmissions,<br />
shift to reverse and set the parking brake.<br />
Exiting the Space<br />
This is the easy part. If you are in correctly, all you need to do<br />
is to back up and then pull out of the space. Back as near as<br />
possible to the car parked behind you without hitting it. If you<br />
can see the rear tires of the car parked in front of you, you<br />
should be able to pull out in one move. If not, to exit a parallel<br />
parking space, move slightly forward or backward, as required.<br />
Turn the steering wheel left or right until the front wheels are<br />
pointing straight ahead. Move backward in the space until<br />
you are almost touching the car behind you. At this point,<br />
reverse steps 2 through 5 for entering a parallel parking<br />
space. Again, be sure to signal, check for other cars, and move<br />
your vehicle slowly as you proceed into the traffic lane.<br />
It is generally illegal not to leave sufficient space for<br />
neighboring vehicles to steer out of the parallel parking line,<br />
to park too far from the curb, or to leave too much space<br />
between your vehicle and the neighboring vehicles.<br />
Begin with your rear bumper<br />
even with the bumper of the<br />
vehicle you’re parking behind.<br />
Turn steering wheel all the way<br />
to the right while backing<br />
slowly.<br />
turn steering wheel straight,<br />
then to the left, clearing<br />
bumper of vehicle in front,<br />
Stop before touching vehicle<br />
behind. Straighten steering wheel.<br />
Center vehicle in parking space.