Parking Tips For Beginners

According to eNatis, in August last month there were a total of 124,676. Self-propelled used vehicle registrations and a total of 48,115 self-propelled new vehicle registrations in South Africa. This is a substantial number of extra vehicles on already congested roads particularly in the big cities. This extra load can put more pressure on drivers – especially beginner drivers who may either lack the confidence or the experience to manoeuvre their way in and out safely and efficiency.

Statistics in the UK show that 1 in 6 drivers who hit a parked car do not bother to leave their contact details. In this article, we take you through the steps of the fundamental art of parallel parking and reverse bay parking. After all, if a road user lacks the ability to park properly, they really shouldn’t be driving on the road!

Parallel Parking – Step-by-Step

1. The space between two cars (Car A in front, and Car B at the back) should be a few metres longer than your car.

2. Pull up parallel alongside Car A and in line and as close as possible.

3. Line up the back of your car with the back of Car A.

4. While at a stop, turn your steering wheel all the way to the left (if you are parking on the left hand side, or all the way to the right (if you are parking on the right hand side).

5. Put your car into reverse gear.

6. Turn your head inwards to look out the back of your car and start reversing slowly towards Car B, keeping your wheel still.

7. When the front corner of Car B is exactly in the middle of your windscreen, stop reversing and turn your steering wheel back to the normal position.

8. Continue reversing until your car has just passed Car A.

9. Stop.

10.Turn your steering wheel fully to the right (if parking on the left hand side of the road).

11. Continue reversing slowly towards Car B keeping the wheel in position.

12. Stop.

13. Your car should be parallel or almost parallel with Car A and Car B.

14. Now move forward slowly while turning your wheel back to the normal position.

Reverse Bay Parking – Step-by-Step

You will be parking in Bay 2 between Bay 1 and Bay 3.

1. Move your car forward to line its back up with Bay 3.

2. Put your car into reverse gear.

3. Turn and look out the rear window.

4. Check for pedestrians, cyclists, other vehicles, etc.

5. Once clear, slowly reverse while turning the steering wheel fully in the direction towards your parking bay.

6. Keep glancing in your wing mirror on the side of the parking bay until you see Bay 2’s first line appear.

7. Use this line as a guide to reverse into the bay.

8. At the same time while moving, look to the wing mirror on the other side to find Bay 2’s second line.

9. Now use both rear mirrors to reverse evenly between the two parking lines.

10. Moving very slowly and check through rear view mirror to gauge the distance behind you.

11. One you are far enough and the two lines look parallel on each side, move forward slowly while straightening up the steering wheel.

By following these steps and practicing them often, you will notice that it’s not so difficult after all. The most important rule to apply first and foremost is: Take it slowly.

Planning Your Parking

There are no limits to the ideas and ways to transform a parking space. Though the concept of a 9’x18’ park is simple, the sheer number of options and ideas can often leave you overwhelmed or worse, in over your head. It is good to remember that your park can be as simple as a place to sit, read, talk or relax.

Site Constraints-Dimensions. The dimensions for a typical parking space are 9 feet by 18 feet. If you are planning two spaces, you should plan for 9 feet by 40 feet. When you are considering ground cover that equals 168 square feet and 360 square feet, respectively. (*note: If you are planning to use sand, gravel, or other loose materials, you will need to use a liner to allow you to remove these materials easily.)

Cant. The street is not a flat surface. Streets are designed and constructed with a curve (called a “cant”) to allow stormwater to drain quickly. If your idea requires a flat surface or if you have vertical structures, take the slope of the road into account and plan to bring some material to make onsite adjustments and to allow you to level or anchor your structure(s).

Curb Height. The curb varies between 6 and 8 inches above the level of the street. A seamless transition between the curb and your park is not necessary, but it can be used to the advantage or your park design.

Barriers. it is highly encouraged to incorporate a barrier between their park and the street. And, if your park is next to a parking space not designated for park(ing) Day, to add a barrier between your park and the space next to you. This increases your visibility to drivers, and helps visitors to your park feel safe.

Programming-Activities. Plan some type of activity in your park. That can be as simple as providing seating, books, arts & crafts, or board games. Plan for people to use your park, and give them something to do or talk about while they are there.Handouts there are restrictions for any signage, food, or promotional materials that can be distributed at park(ing) Day.

Materials- Cost. Creating a park can take both time and a money. The good thing is, you get to determine how much time and money you are willing to invest in your park . Set your budget early, to help you make good decisions in the planning and building process.

Recycle and reuse. Ways to reduce cost and make building your park easier are to use materials you already have sitting around, look for salvaged materials, and ask for donations. Since this is a one day event, have a plan for your materials after the event is over. Either reuse the materials or structures for something else, or plan on returning them to the original donors.

Think light. Large or heavy structures will be difficult to set-up, and even more exhausting to take down. We advise only using parts that 2 individuals can lift.

Setting Up Your Park- Transporting your park. To make set-up easy for you and your neighboring park, plan to bring all of your materials in one car/truck load. The street will not be closed before, during or after the event and there will be normal weekday traffic.

Unloading. Do NOT block traffic to unload your materials. Pull into a parking space adjacent to your assigned park, and get your materials out of your vehicle as quickly (and safely) as possible. Once everything is unloaded, move your vehicle so that other park can unload as well.

Assembly. Once your car/truck is stored elsewhere, begin assembling your park. Practice assembling your park before the park(ing) Day. This will let you know how many people and what tools you need to bring with you.

Taking Down Your Park- Disassembly. Practice this before the event as well! You should consider incorporating storage for the tools you need to disassemble your park into the park design so that you have what you need on hand for repairs throughout the day.

Loading. To reiterate, Main Street will not be closed to traffic during or after the event. If you are using a vehicle to transport your materials away from the event, you may need to pull into your own parking space to load materials. You can also coordinate with your neighboring park to make loading easy. Do NOT block traffic to load your car/truck.

Clean-up. Leave no trace of your park in the parking space. Bring shovels, brooms, gloves, trash bags and whatever else you may need to pick up after your park.

Parking Tips

A lot of people take driver education classes, but fail to bother learning. This is something that everyone should take the time to learn, especially parallel parking, which can be pretty tricky sometimes. There are all kinds of little things that many people tend to forget when they are parking their vehicles, and some great tips to remember.

Always signal before pulling into a space: This will let other drivers know your intentions, and will prevent accidents with others who may want that same parking space.

Know the size of your vehicle: Make sure that the front or rear of the car is not jutting across the line for the parking space.

Find out about snow removal: Living in Ontario, you know you are going to face parking in snow sooner or later. Make sure that you pay attention to snow removal announcements, so your car isn’t towed for being parked on the wrong side of the road.

Get a parking pass: It can often be extremely difficult to find parking spaces, especially in larger cities. But, there are usually plenty of parking lots and garages where you can pay to park. You can save a lot of money, and always have a parking space, if you get yourself a parking pass.

Check the height restriction: If you drive a truck and want to enter a parking garage, make sure that the ceiling is high enough to accommodate your truck.

Know where you can park: Wherever you live, it is a good idea to learn about where you can and cannot park your vehicle. This could end up saving you a lot of money. If you don’t pay attention, you may end up parking where you are not supposed to, and your vehicle may be towed.

Parking for Your Own Personal safety

When it comes to parking, you don’t just have to worry about your car getting dinged. Statistics show that many people are attacked just getting into their parked cars, often because they did not follow some simple precautions before parking. Here are some tips to keep you safe, no matter where you park:

Always park in a well-lit area: Many kidnappings and robberies have occurred when someone is getting into their car in an area that is not well lit. Whether you are a man or a woman, it is a good idea to always park in an area where there is lots of lighting, or at least a street light or two. If you do have to park in an unlit area, find someone, such as a security guard or a police officer, to accompany you to your car and make sure that you leave the area safely. You may feel like you are being paranoid, but it is a lot better to do this and be safe rather than risk being attacked in the dark near your car.

Use your remote: If you are going to your vehicle, and the area you parked in is dark and lonely, instead of waiting until you get to your car to get the doors open and the engine started, use your remote starter. This will do a few things for you. It will provide light so you can see your way to the vehicle, and if there is someone waiting, it may just be the thing to scare them off and you avoid being attacked. Remember to have your keys in your hand at all times, too, because if someone does try to attack you as you are getting into your car, they can make a really great weapon.

Try to park in safe neighbourhoods: You may just be asking for trouble if you park your vehicle in areas that are not considered safe, especially if you park your vehicle there overnight. There are so many things that could happen, from having your vehicle stolen to arson and more, and it may not even be safe for you to walk to your vehicle. Instead, find a place that is near your home, and well lit.

Park as near the stores as possible: The further away from a building you park, the more you are taking a risk of something happening to you or your car. Unless it is a holiday season when all of the far spaces are filled, too, chances are that these spaces are going to be empty. This means that when you come out to get back in your car, you will probably be all alone. If you have an armload of packages, you may or may not be able to defend yourself in case of an attack. Even if you have to drive around the mall a few times, try to find the closest space possible, especially if you are there at night. If you are using a parking garage, if at all possible, try to park close to the security area or the doors.

Look inside the car before getting in: There is an old urban legend about a woman who drove for miles not knowing that she had a killer hiding in the back seat of her car. Okay, this is an urban legend, but things like this can happen, so it is really a good idea if you just take a look inside the windows before actually getting inside your vehicle to make sure that there is no one inside. If you see something unusual, don’t even open the door. Scream as loud as you can and start running away.

Always have your cell phone: When you park in a dark area and are walking to your vehicle, have your cell phone out and ready to go. You may have to call 911 quickly if you see someone lurking near your car. Then, you should start running as fast as you can, preferably back to the store or the nearest place that is open and safe.

You can do a lot more to insure your safety, and the safety of your vehicle, when you are using common sense while parking your vehicle.