How do you communicate intention to parallel park?
Discussion
I often need to parallel park on a reasonably busy 30mph road.
I indicate early, slow down and pull up in front of the space and engage reverse only to find the vehicle behind has driven tight up behind me! Cue beeping and arm flailing from the driver who clearly has the awareness of a wooden spoon.
To combat this, I've taken to indicating early, slowing down gradually, stopping before the space and effectively forcing the car behind to come to a halt. I then slowly drive forward into position to start reversing. If the car behind doesn't get the hint and edges forward I stop again and repeat until they get the message.
The only other approach I can see involves accelerating to create space behind, before jumping on the brakes, angling the car slightly towards the offside and quickly getting into reverse but that just feels potentially unsafe, not to mention uncomfortable for passengers.
Any thoughts?
I indicate early, slow down and pull up in front of the space and engage reverse only to find the vehicle behind has driven tight up behind me! Cue beeping and arm flailing from the driver who clearly has the awareness of a wooden spoon.
To combat this, I've taken to indicating early, slowing down gradually, stopping before the space and effectively forcing the car behind to come to a halt. I then slowly drive forward into position to start reversing. If the car behind doesn't get the hint and edges forward I stop again and repeat until they get the message.
The only other approach I can see involves accelerating to create space behind, before jumping on the brakes, angling the car slightly towards the offside and quickly getting into reverse but that just feels potentially unsafe, not to mention uncomfortable for passengers.
Any thoughts?
I've given up trying to reverse parallel park as whoever is behind invariably has all the situational awareness of a block of lard... or they're driving an SUV in which case tailgating is compulsory anyway. Instead I drive in forwards and mount the kerb with my front left wheel before straightening up and dropping back off the kerb. That way I can go in forwards without ending up parked three feet from the kerb edge, while avoiding the inevitable stupidity encountered when trying to reverse in. Not ideal but, in the real world, the only workable solution that I've managed to find.
MitchT said:
I've given up trying to reverse parallel park as whoever is behind invariably has all the situational awareness of a block of lard... or they're driving an SUV in which case tailgating is compulsory anyway. Instead I drive in forwards and mount the kerb with my front left wheel before straightening up and dropping back off the kerb. That way I can go in forwards without ending up parked three feet from the kerb edge, while avoiding the inevitable stupidity encountered when trying to reverse in. Not ideal but, in the real world, the only workable solution that I've managed to find.
TBH I've also been doing this when the space allows. Not ideal to bash it up the kerb though but as you say, it's a solution. MBVitoria said:
Not ideal to bash it up the kerb though...
Helps having an older car with a bit of profile to the tyres, and taking it slowly. That didn't stop some bint blowing her horn at me as I entered a space once, even though I indicated well in advance. No doubt the same person who'd be up my arse preventing me from reversing in.Pull slightly into the space with left indicator flashing, so long as traffic can squeeze past before too long either enough gap will appear or a proper driver (often in a truck) will assess the situation hang back and give you a flash, allowing you to pull forward and complete the parallel park.
I never pull past before i can effect the park, keep the space covered or some low life will come along and nick it from you by driving in, adding another scape to their already ruined 20" alloys, they won't be able to straighten up afterwards but no matter a pic of their abandoned motor will soon appear on the parking thread.
Regarding someone allowing you a feww seconds to park, i treat that the same way as if someone has allowed me any other road courtesy, a thankyou wave and get a bleedin move on, nothing more annoying than allowing someone a courtesy and then they faff about taking forever to do their thing.
I never pull past before i can effect the park, keep the space covered or some low life will come along and nick it from you by driving in, adding another scape to their already ruined 20" alloys, they won't be able to straighten up afterwards but no matter a pic of their abandoned motor will soon appear on the parking thread.
Regarding someone allowing you a feww seconds to park, i treat that the same way as if someone has allowed me any other road courtesy, a thankyou wave and get a bleedin move on, nothing more annoying than allowing someone a courtesy and then they faff about taking forever to do their thing.
I often have to parallel park on the busy single lane dual carriageway outside my house. I indicate left and slow down in plenty of time, so I'm approaching the space with the car behind at a constant distance, not closing in because I'm still braking. I also stay in the centre of the lane so they don't get any ideas of squeezing past. Then I do the slightest kink into the space, then straight back out diagonally to block the lane to enable me to reverse into the space. If they try to squeeze through when I do the left kink then I'll stop, but getting the approach right negates this pretty much every time.
WilliamWoollard said:
I often have to parallel park on the busy single lane dual carriageway outside my house. I indicate left and slow down in plenty of time, so I'm approaching the space with the car behind at a constant distance, not closing in because I'm still braking. I also stay in the centre of the lane so they don't get any ideas of squeezing past. Then I do the slightest kink into the space, then straight back out diagonally to block the lane to enable me to reverse into the space. If they try to squeeze through when I do the left kink then I'll stop, but getting the approach right negates this pretty much every time.
Pretty much the same for me. Indicate, slow down and turn firmly in and out of the to the space to make it obvious you're pulling in. Then reverse if its all clear. This also positions the car better for reversing in.RSTurboPaul said:
Tony1963 said:
DodgyGeezer said:
pop the hazards on so that the spud following hangs back?
Illegal?Regulation 27
Restrictions on the use of lamps other than those to which regulation 24 refers
No person shall use, or cause or permit to be used, on a road any vehicle on which any lamp, hazard warning signal device or warning beacon of a type specified in an item in column 2 of the Table below is used in a manner specified in that item in column 3.
Hazard warning signal device
Used other than–
(i)
to warn persons using the road of a temporary obstruction when the vehicle is at rest; or
(ii)
on a motorway or unrestricted dual-carriageway, to warn following drivers of a need to slow down due to a temporary obstruction ahead; or
(iii)
in the case of a bus, to summon assistance for the driver or any person acting as a conductor or inspector on the vehicle.
Pica-Pica said:
RSTurboPaul said:
Tony1963 said:
DodgyGeezer said:
pop the hazards on so that the spud following hangs back?
Illegal?Regulation 27
Restrictions on the use of lamps other than those to which regulation 24 refers
No person shall use, or cause or permit to be used, on a road any vehicle on which any lamp, hazard warning signal device or warning beacon of a type specified in an item in column 2 of the Table below is used in a manner specified in that item in column 3.
Hazard warning signal device
Used other than–
(i)
to warn persons using the road of a temporary obstruction when the vehicle is at rest; or
(ii)
on a motorway or unrestricted dual-carriageway, to warn following drivers of a need to slow down due to a temporary obstruction ahead; or
(iii)
in the case of a bus, to summon assistance for the driver or any person acting as a conductor or inspector on the vehicle.
Smint said:
Pull slightly into the space with left indicator flashing, so long as traffic can squeeze past before too long either enough gap will appear or a proper driver (often in a truck) will assess the situation hang back and give you a flash, allowing you to pull forward and complete the parallel park.
I never pull past before i can effect the park, keep the space covered or some low life will come along and nick it from you by driving in, adding another scape to their already ruined 20" alloys, they won't be able to straighten up afterwards but no matter a pic of their abandoned motor will soon appear on the parking thread.
Regarding someone allowing you a feww seconds to park, i treat that the same way as if someone has allowed me any other road courtesy, a thankyou wave and get a bleedin move on, nothing more annoying than allowing someone a courtesy and then they faff about taking forever to do their thing.
Much the same as I do. I can’t remember ever having any problems. If it’s fine weather, I will have dropped the window to wave for any courtesy shown, or if wet, a thumbs-up as they pass. I never pull past before i can effect the park, keep the space covered or some low life will come along and nick it from you by driving in, adding another scape to their already ruined 20" alloys, they won't be able to straighten up afterwards but no matter a pic of their abandoned motor will soon appear on the parking thread.
Regarding someone allowing you a feww seconds to park, i treat that the same way as if someone has allowed me any other road courtesy, a thankyou wave and get a bleedin move on, nothing more annoying than allowing someone a courtesy and then they faff about taking forever to do their thing.
Pica-Pica said:
RSTurboPaul said:
Tony1963 said:
DodgyGeezer said:
pop the hazards on so that the spud following hangs back?
Illegal?Regulation 27
Restrictions on the use of lamps other than those to which regulation 24 refers
No person shall use, or cause or permit to be used, on a road any vehicle on which any lamp, hazard warning signal device or warning beacon of a type specified in an item in column 2 of the Table below is used in a manner specified in that item in column 3.
Hazard warning signal device
Used other than–
(i)
to warn persons using the road of a temporary obstruction when the vehicle is at rest; or
(ii)
on a motorway or unrestricted dual-carriageway, to warn following drivers of a need to slow down due to a temporary obstruction ahead; or
(iii)
in the case of a bus, to summon assistance for the driver or any person acting as a conductor or inspector on the vehicle.
RSTurboPaul said:
Pica-Pica said:
RSTurboPaul said:
Tony1963 said:
DodgyGeezer said:
pop the hazards on so that the spud following hangs back?
Illegal?Regulation 27
Restrictions on the use of lamps other than those to which regulation 24 refers
No person shall use, or cause or permit to be used, on a road any vehicle on which any lamp, hazard warning signal device or warning beacon of a type specified in an item in column 2 of the Table below is used in a manner specified in that item in column 3.
Hazard warning signal device
Used other than–
(i)
to warn persons using the road of a temporary obstruction when the vehicle is at rest; or
(ii)
on a motorway or unrestricted dual-carriageway, to warn following drivers of a need to slow down due to a temporary obstruction ahead; or
(iii)
in the case of a bus, to summon assistance for the driver or any person acting as a conductor or inspector on the vehicle.
This is the advanced driving section, not the ‘drive how you like’ section, after all.
Pica-Pica said:
RSTurboPaul said:
Pica-Pica said:
RSTurboPaul said:
Tony1963 said:
DodgyGeezer said:
pop the hazards on so that the spud following hangs back?
Illegal?Regulation 27
Restrictions on the use of lamps other than those to which regulation 24 refers
No person shall use, or cause or permit to be used, on a road any vehicle on which any lamp, hazard warning signal device or warning beacon of a type specified in an item in column 2 of the Table below is used in a manner specified in that item in column 3.
Hazard warning signal device
Used other than–
(i)
to warn persons using the road of a temporary obstruction when the vehicle is at rest; or
(ii)
on a motorway or unrestricted dual-carriageway, to warn following drivers of a need to slow down due to a temporary obstruction ahead; or
(iii)
in the case of a bus, to summon assistance for the driver or any person acting as a conductor or inspector on the vehicle.
This is the advanced driving section, not the ‘drive how you like’ section, after all.
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