Parallel Parking, Step by Step

Parallel parking means reversing into a space between two vehicles parked along the left side of the road. In Indian cities it is often the only way to park, and it is one of the manoeuvres on most RTO test tracks, where you park between poles or cones instead of cars. It looks hard, but it follows the same few steps every time. Go slowly, keep looking, and you can always pull out and try again.

First: is it a legal and safe space?

• Regulation 22 of the Motor Vehicles (Driving) Regulations, 2017 lists where you must not park, including within 50 metres of a junction, on a footpath, opposite another parked vehicle, alongside another parked vehicle (double parking), in front of an entrance and where a continuous yellow line runs along the kerb (Rule 10);
• the space should be at least one and a half times the length of your car while you are learning. With practice you will manage with less; and
• Regulation 18 allows reversing only as far as reasonably needed and only if it does not endanger or unduly inconvenience others. Parking is a reason to reverse, but wait for a gap in traffic.

Step by step (space on your left)

1. Signal and position. Check your mirrors, signal left and slow down. Stop alongside the car in front of the space, parallel to it and about half a metre to one metre away, with your rear bumper level with its rear bumper.
2. Select reverse and look. Select reverse (your reversing lights warn others). Look all around: mirrors, over both shoulders, and for pedestrians and two-wheelers coming up on the left.
3. Reverse straight, slowly. Reverse at walking pace, using clutch control in a manual or gentle brake in an automatic, until the back of your car is about level with the back of the parked car.
4. Steer left. Keep moving slowly and turn the steering wheel about one full turn to the left. The back of your car swings into the space. Keep looking: the front of your car swings out to the right into the road, so check for traffic.
5. Straighten at about 45 degrees. When the car is at about 45 degrees to the kerb, or when you can see the kerb's corner appear in your left door mirror, straighten the wheels and reverse a little further.
6. Steer right. When your front bumper has cleared the back of the car in front, turn the steering fully to the right. The front swings in and the car becomes parallel to the kerb.
7. Straighten and finish. As the car becomes parallel, straighten the wheels and stop before you get too close to the car behind. Move forward a little to leave space at both ends. Aim to be within about 30 cm of the kerb.
8. Secure the car. Handbrake on, neutral (or P), engine off. Check the mirror and look back before opening the door, and ask passengers to get out on the kerb side (Rule 10).

Every car is different. Practise with cones or empty boxes in an open space until you know your own car's reference points, such as where the kerb appears in the left mirror.

Using a reversing camera and sensors

• cameras and sensors help, but they do not show children, two-wheelers or animals approaching from the side, or low posts. Keep looking over your shoulders and in the mirrors;
• a camera's guide lines show where the wheels are heading. Use them together with the mirrors; and
• many cars let you tilt the left door mirror down in reverse to see the kerb.

Driving out of a parallel space

1. reverse a little to give yourself room, without touching the car behind;
2. prepare to move off, then check mirrors and look over your right shoulder into the blind spot (Rule 02);
3. signal right and wait for a safe gap: traffic on the road has priority; and
4. move off slowly, steering right, and watch that your front left corner clears the car in front.

On the RTO test track

• the "parallel parking" box is marked with poles or cones instead of cars. Touching or knocking down a pole, or crossing the boundary, usually counts against you;
• you may usually take several moves to finish, but there may be a time limit. Check the rules at your RTO; and
• a smaller car makes the manoeuvre easier. Practise in the car you will use for the test.

Common mistakes

Remember