How to Parallel Park Your Car – 1 2 1 method

When considering a parallel parking manoeuvre you should always ensure the area you are going to park in is big enough and that there is no reason for not parking in it. For example; a broken bottle.

Approach the gap and pull up passed the gap so that your passenger window is level the front/back of the car you are parking around. If a vehicle is behind you slow down in plenty of time and indicate to the left. If you are midway through a manoeuvre and a vehicle comes along stop, indicate if necessary and make sure you keep your foot on the brake pedal even if the handbrake is applied. The brake light acts as a signal to show people you have stopped. It is important at this point that the car is straight in the road and that your wheels are straight. Do not line your car up with the car you are parking around as they may not be parked straight themselves.

Once in position, you must now make sure it is safe to start your manoeuvre. You should now have the handbrake on and the clutch set so that the car will creep backwards when the brakes are released. Now check all 5 vision spots,

Left Blind Spot
Left Mirror
Centre Mirror
Right Mirror
Right Blind Spot

The points should always be checked in this order as the most dangerous point is on the right e.g. overtaking vehicles etc. Once you are happy it is safe to carry on – start to creep back. Whilst creeping back your vision should be through the back of the vehicle.

Once your vehicle is level across the backstop. From this point, you about to steer 1 full turn of the wheel which steers the back of the car towards the left and the front of the car will go out to the right, so it is important you now check all 5 vision points again. Presuming it safe to carry on creep back and immediately turn the steering wheel 1 full turn to the left.

You should now be checking your left mirror until the kerb disappears.

Here you need to be aware of any camber in the road as this may speed up the car as it gets closure to the curb, be ready to touch the brakes, to slow the car down.

At this point and with the car still creeping back you need to turn the steering wheel 2 full turns to the right. The nose of the car should now start to move in and the back of the car will start to move out.

Take care that you have not move too close to the curb as if you hit the curb during the manoeuvre you can damage your car or during a test you could fail.

Once the car is just about to draw parallel with the curb finish with a final turn to the left and then stop. Your car and wheels should now be straight again.

To summarise –

1) Keep the car slow (Creeping)

2) Use lots of vision

3) Wheel turns – 1 2 1

Remember if you are not in the correct finishing point you can shunt the car forward and back until you are in the correct position but on a driving test only 1 shunt is allowed before you get a driver fault.