Using shop windows to park...?
Using shop windows to park...?
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Fastra

Original Poster:

4,289 posts

238 months

Thursday 26th August 2010
quotequote all
Nipped into town with a mate at lunch and had to do a bit of parallel parking into a tightish spot on a busy street.
The space was adjacent to a large shop window, so by looking over my left shoulder I could see the reflection of my car and the car behind me. Easy, job done.

"I wouldn't have done that by just guessing where his car was, you got lucky!" said matey.

It was such a revelation to him when I explained that I wasn't guessing but using the window.

Surely I'm not in the minority here - it a common practice thing isn't it?

Shaw Tarse

31,888 posts

232 months

Thursday 26th August 2010
quotequote all
Something dad taught me years ago thumbup

TonyHetherington

32,091 posts

279 months

Thursday 26th August 2010
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Snap - dad taught me that years ago yes

Grey Ghost

4,610 posts

249 months

Thursday 26th August 2010
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Yep, useful things those large windows biggrin

dougc

8,241 posts

294 months

Thursday 26th August 2010
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Driving instructor taught me this, along with using reflections to see things like traffic lights.

Petrol Only

1,611 posts

204 months

Thursday 26th August 2010
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That's ingenious, if your st at parking anyway. Never had a problem getting in them so never thought about shop windows etc. Sometimes I cant get out once ive got in though wink. Requiring lots of shunting.

Fastra

Original Poster:

4,289 posts

238 months

Thursday 26th August 2010
quotequote all
Shaw Tarse said:
Something dad taught me years ago thumbup
biggrin - same here.

He had me thinking it was some sort of Masons thing.

Big Rod

6,265 posts

245 months

Thursday 26th August 2010
quotequote all
Realised it myself years ago.

Like you I've had passengers absolutely agog at my ability to park without looking backwards.

Really need it these days as the visibility out of my current jalopy other than dead ahead is quite diabolical!!

Fastra

Original Poster:

4,289 posts

238 months

Thursday 26th August 2010
quotequote all
Petrol Only said:
Sometimes I cant get out once ive got in though wink. Requiring lots of shunting.
Tard!

biggrin

Zod

35,295 posts

287 months

Thursday 26th August 2010
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Also use shiny cars sometimes.

Shaw Tarse

31,888 posts

232 months

Thursday 26th August 2010
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dougc said:
Driving instructor taught me this, along with using reflections to see things like traffic lights.
Again something dad taught me.

magnus911

584 posts

218 months

Thursday 26th August 2010
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Are you sure your mate is male?

BOR

5,146 posts

284 months

Thursday 26th August 2010
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You can occasionally use them to see round corners.

Fastra

Original Poster:

4,289 posts

238 months

Thursday 26th August 2010
quotequote all
magnus911 said:
Are you sure your mate is male?
It's a close call sometimes!

wink

Jazoli

9,649 posts

279 months

Thursday 26th August 2010
quotequote all
I had to park my LWB transit in a tight spot in Chester last week, the guy who was parked up behind me but still sat in his new Lexus was getting very nervous and kept tooting his horn at me hehe

I got in the space no bother, it was only 2ft more than the van, I had a great big hotel window next to me to assist, when I got out of the van and walked past him he said 'thought you were going to hit me then', 'No chance, been parking vans like this for years' says I, he looked suitably impressed, I never bothered mentioning the window wink

Edited by Jazoli on Thursday 26th August 16:18

Deerfoot

5,240 posts

213 months

Thursday 26th August 2010
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Shaw Tarse said:
Something dad taught me years ago thumbup
Same here.

killsta

1,842 posts

257 months

Thursday 26th August 2010
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I thought you just go slowly backwards until you meet resistance, then full left lock, then straighten up?

Is this not normal?






wink

Zod

35,295 posts

287 months

Thursday 26th August 2010
quotequote all
Jazoli said:
I had to park my LWB transit in a tight spot in Chester last week, the guy who was parked up behind me but still sat in his new Lexus was getting very nervous and kept tooting his horn at me hehe

I got in the space no bother, it was only 2ft more than the van, I had a great big hotel window next to me to assist, when I got out of the van and walked past him he said 'thought you were going to hit me then', 'No chance, been parking vans like this for years' says I, he looked suitably impressed, I never bothered mentioning the window wink

Edited by Jazoli on Thursday 26th August 16:18
A few years ago, when I had my first car with rear parking sensors, I was reversing into a space to parallel park when a frantic horn beeping came from the car behind. The driver looked very alarmed and was gesticulating wildly. I wound down the window and leant out to see what the issue was and he said he couldn't believe that I was not looking over my shoulder as I reversed. I explained the parking sensors to him and that I was looking at the same time in the window of the shop alongside. Then he relaxed.

The other driver was Ray Davies (really). It was a sunny afternoon, not quite sunset yet and we were in Hampstead, not near Waterloo. Neither of us was driving a Lola.

nsmith1180

3,941 posts

207 months

Thursday 26th August 2010
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Something my dad told me not to do. Im a naughty person, its bad to ignore your dad.

twazzock

1,930 posts

198 months

Thursday 26th August 2010
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Dad never taught me that frown

I will be using it from now on, however.