Parking vent!

[Poohgirl]

Ok, On several occasions in the last month or so I have tried to parallel park to enter shops on Main St. and I am an excellent parallel parker if I do say so myself! The problem starts as I come up on a spot...stop slightly before it so that the person behind me will stop, put my directional on, and SLOWLY move forward to just past the spot so that I may back myself into the spot...Just like my driver's ed teacher taught me ** years ago. Now why when I move forward so that I may back in, does the person behind me move forward as well so that they are right on my tail and I can no longer back in to park in the spot. HELLO! Am I not doing something right? Now if this happened once I could understand but honestly of the last 5 times I have needed to parallel park someone has done this to me. It is very frustrating! Whew! thanks for the vent....

 

[Squirlz]

You put your signal on as you are coming up on the spot and you don't stop until you are slightly past, at the point where you begin backing up. The way you are doing would be confusing...a person would assume you were stopped and were now on your way again.

 

[Cindy's Mom]

I was taught to put the right signal on as you are approaching the spot, pass the spot half way, stop the car, then put on the left signal (that is supposed to tell the driver behind you to go around you) then put car in reverse and back in.

 

[Stitchfans]

I stink when it comes to parallel parking so I don't have to worry about that. But the advice given by the others makes sense.

 

[Poohgirl]

I was taught to put the right signal on as you are approaching the spot, pass the spot half way, stop the car, then put on the left signal (that is supposed to tell the driver behind you to go around you) then put car in reverse and back in.

Ahhh good point!

 

[iNTeNSeBLue98]

You put your signal on as you are coming up on the spot and you don't stop until you are slightly past, at the point where you begin backing up. The way you are doing would be confusing...a person would assume you were stopped and were now on your way again.

Don't stop before the space with your signal on. The driver behind you thinks you are stopping then going again, as though you've changed your mind about parking. Signal as you approach and slowly cruise past and beyond the space to back in to it.

 

[Poohgirl]

You put your signal on as you are coming up on the spot and you don't stop until you are slightly past, at the point where you begin backing up. The way you are doing would be confusing...a person would assume you were stopped and were now on your way again.

No, I do stop before then put the directional on so they can see I am going for the spot then slowly move to infront of the spot. Instead of staying where they are so I can back in they tail me. But I do understand how what you said would be confusing!

 

[disykat]

I would be confused if you put on the right signal. I think the way you are doing it - putting on the left signal and slowing as you reach the spot to indicate that is where you are parking and then pulling forward so you can back in - is correct. The people behind you are just not paying attention.

Oooh - just read further. I was thinking you were parking on the left side of a one way. I would put the signal on in the direction of the spot. Putting on the opposite would indicate you were merging out into traffic.

 

[mickeyboat]

I would have to drive around the block until I found a regular spot. We were not required to learn to parallel park for our driver's test, so I never learned.

Denae

 

[ckay87]

Or do what I do. Slam on the brakes right next to the spot to signal to the other driver "OOOh - THERE'S A SPOT!!"



I think parallel parking is a dying art form. Frankly, if people wouldn't ride up your tail, there wouldn't be a problem.

 

[Poohgirl]

Don't stop before the space with your signal on. The driver behind you thinks you are stopping then going again, as though you've changed your mind about parking. Signal as you approach and slowly cruise past and beyond the space to back in to it.

I do see how this makes sense, but the problem with this area is that it is 1 lane each direction and always filled with cars. So if I were to sit there waiting for someone not to tail me so I have space to back in, people get all mad and start honking etc. because the oncoming side has so much traffic that it is hard to pass me. Thats why I try to stop the person behind me before the space so that when I move up a little move there is plenty of room. Just doesn't always work that way! Thanks for all the suggestions.

 

[Poohgirl]

Or do what I do. Slam on the brakes right next to the spot to signal to the other driver "OOOh - THERE'S A SPOT!!"



I think parallel parking is a dying art form. Frankly, if people wouldn't ride up your tail, there wouldn't be a problem.

LOVE IT!!!

 

[iNTeNSeBLue98]

Why would you use the left signal to indicate to the driver behind you to go around? I've never heard this and I'm certain that around here would cause many a crash. You signal your intentions, which if parking on the right side of the street is using a right turn signal. At least that's how I was trained.

 

[Blueeyes101817]

Why would you use the left signal to indicate to the driver behind you to go around? I've never heard this and I'm certain that around here would cause many a crash. You signal your intentions, which if parking on the right side of the street is using a right turn signal. At least that's how I was trained.

thats how i was taught as well..

of course, i cant parallel park for anything....i drive around the block or i used to have my ex boyfriend park my car if we were at his house (had to parallel park most of th time!)

 

[Cindy's Mom]

Why would you use the left signal to indicate to the driver behind you to go around? I've never heard this and I'm certain that around here would cause many a crash. You signal your intentions, which if parking on the right side of the street is using a right turn signal. At least that's how I was trained.

I never understood it myself, and remember being taught it and thinking it doesn't make sense. I've seen tons of people doing this here (not everyone, but enough), but I do agree that its weird

 

[POB14]

It's actually illegal here to flash a turn signal as a do-pass signal.

 

[Marseeya]

I've never heard of using the left signal like that.

Want to know what's funny? Okay, I'm a woman who *gasp* knows how to parallel park like some of the women in this thread. Guess who it is who is tailing me 100% of the time when I lose a spot that way?

A MAN!!!

Sorry, but it's true. I noticed it several years ago and have made a note of it ever since.

 

[doxdogy]

That is what I would do if I had to parallel park. I have only parallel parked on time, for my driver's test.

I would have to drive around the block until I found a regular spot. We were not required to learn to parallel park for our driver's test, so I never learned.

Denae