Monday, August 1, 2011

Parallel and Vertical Parking

Hi all. I am very grateful that I can pass my driving test last month. As such, I will share my knowledge (to the best I can) with all my readers (before I forgot). This is not an advertorial or anything. Just pure sharing.

Fyi, I took my driving test under my private driving instructor at SSDC. Please don't ask me which driving school is easier to pass or such as I really have no idea although according to statistics, it should be BBDC. A little about my driving history: Much as I would like to say that I have passed my driving test on my first attempt but actually many years ago (4-5 years probably), I have taken my TP once under BBDC school programme. So the accurate thing would be that I have actually passed my TP on the second attempt. Many people said that it is easier to pass with school but I seriously don't agree with it. Unless maybe you pay more to get the same instructor all the time. That time, I learnt under different instructors and I got very confused as they don't teach the same thing.

I would also encourage people that if you fail, just keep retaking. I am sure that you will pass it eventually. Kinda regretted that I have waited so long to get my license. My confidence level that time was really bad =(

I shall write down the steps to do vertical and parallel parking since most people have difficulties in these 2. Maybe can share more if there is more demand. One tip by my PDI: Adjust the side mirror so that you can see part of the rear tyres in the side mirror when you enter the circuit.


Parallel Parking  


1. Position the car slightly ahead of the parking lot, approx 0.8m away from the left kerb.

2. Check the left side mirror, right blind spot and look through the rear view mirror. After that signal left and engage the reverse gear.

3. When you see your sighting point, turn the steering wheel fully to the left. (For me, my sighting point is bottom 2/3 of the left side mirror.)

4. Reverse in slowly until you see the yellow part of the block disappear (for SSDC. I don't know if other schools got the block or not.) in the right side mirror. Then straighten the wheel.

5. Reverse in until the wheel just touches the line. Full turn to the left again. Ensure that the wheel doesn't hit the kerb behind and return the steering wheel straight.

To come out..

6. Change to reverse gear, check rear view mirror and full turn left and quickly return straight before the back wheel hit the block at the back.

7. Change to forward gear, signal right, check right side mirror and blind spot before turning the steering wheel full turn to the right.

8. When you see the left side kerb appear at the left hand corner of the windscreen, u can return the steering wheel and drive out.


Vertical Parking


1. Position the car near the centre line.

2. Engage reverse gear. Check your left side mirror and right blind spot.

3. When you see your sighting point, turn the steering wheel full turn to the left and reverse in slowly. (For me, my sighting point is top 1/3 of the rear view mirror.) Make sure you turn your head to the back to check.

4. Continue to reverse in. If the car is too close to the left, return steering wheel to the right before the rear left wheel hit the left kerb. If the car is too close to the right, stop the car before the rear right wheel hit the right kerb. Change to forward gear and turn the steering wheel to adjust. Make sure the car is straight. Then change to reverse gear and reverse into the lot. Make sure you turn your head to the back to check before reversing in.

To come out..

5. Make sure that the kerb reaches your shoulder then come out. (Turn steering wheel to the left or right depends on where you want to drive to.) Make sure you check the respective blind spots and signal where you want to turn to.

32 comments:

robin said...

thanks for sharing your valuable knowledge =)

Anonymous said...

Hi,

Are you able to recommend your private driving instructor?

Si Yu

Anonymous said...

Hi,

Are you able to recommend your private driving instructor?

Si Yu

elderflowertea said...

@Si Yu: Hi, look at this -http://coffeeluvs.blogspot.sg/2011/11/hi-there.html

MakeUp Exhibit said...

Thank you so much for this :)

Anonymous said...

Hi, may i know what is sighting point?

elderflowertea said...

@Anon: Hi. The sighting point is the point where you see and need to turn your steering wheel.

Anonymous said...

hi. any tips for S course? I cant seem to do it properly without hitting the kerb :X

elderflowertea said...

@Anon: You need to slowly feel the car and turn the steering wheel accordingly. I used to hit the kerb when I tried to follow my PDI's instruction. In the end, I just used my feeling to slowly navigate the car.

Anonymous said...

Parallel Parking:
5. ~ It should be "Full turn to the right"

From: jelene chan said...

Hallo, my name is jelene and i like your blog. I am learning Driving at the moment. I cant seem to follow the instructor instructions to drive in the circuit. May i ask what's the sighting point top 1/3 of the rear view mirror and how do i see it.My test is near and i am very worry
Please advise. Many thanks for sharing .) my email:jchan6839@gmail.com

elderflowertea said...

@jelene: Hi Jelene. Thanks for liking my blog. Do support!

U just mentally divide the rear view mirror into 3 parts. So when u see the curb at the top 1/3 of the rear view mirror then u start to turn. Actually, the best is to ask your instructor and practise because different people have different sighting points due to our heights.

From: jelene chan said...

Hiya thanks for your reply. Can i have your advice as how to signal correctly. Sometimes the instructor tend to yell and ask to signal right instead i signal left. Not sure what's happening to my co -ordination. I was told that i am incredibly stupid , is there any way i can avoid that mistake in future? thank you

From: jelene chan said...

Hiya Eldeflower thank you. Can i have your advice as how to avoid making mistake when the instructor ask to signal right and i signal left. I was scolded for being so incredibly stupid. Any solution? Thanks again

From: jelene chan said...

hiya elder flower

many thanks for the reply. Any advise as to prevent making mistake for wrong signal. At times, I cant seem to co-ordinate left and right . Thank you,

From: jelene chan said...

Hiya Elderflur many thanks for your reply. May i ask your advice,
is there any solution to signal correctly. I tend to signal wrongly confusing left and right. thanks again jelene

elderflowertea said...

@jelene: Hey, sorry for the late reply. Just returned to Singapore today!

Anyway, if you are going to turn to the left, signal left. If u are going to turn to the right, signal right. This is irregardless if u are turning front or reversing.

From: jelene chan said...

Hiya Elderflur, thanks for your reply. Get hell from the instructor today . Parallel done poorly. Unable to gauge the sighting point at cdc. Feeling low after having so many lesson and i can't ask too many questions cause the instructor is very impatient and explain real vague. Sigh.

elderflowertea said...

@jelene: In this case, you might want to consider changing your instructor?

Anonymous said...

How come you using rear view mirror to gauge the turning point instead of left side mirror??

elderflowertea said...

@Anon: For vertical parking of course need to see the rear view mirror. Parallel parking then see side mirror.

From: jelene chan said...

Hi Elderflur, thanks for your reply. Flop my test. sigh.

Refer to parallel parking, 4) Reverse in slowly until you see the yellow part of the block disappear (for SSDC. I don't know if other schools got the block or not.) in the right side mirror. Then straighten the wheel.

How do u straighten the wheel , is it turning right ? thanks

elderflowertea said...

@jelene: Yeah, turn to the right. You see the steering wheel, it should be straight. By the way, I think that you really need to change your instructor. Seems like he is not helping you to pass your test!

Unknown said...

Hi, I'm nisha.. Sadly today I failed my tp test. I did very well in my warm up and was confident that I could do it in my test but sadly couldn't make it. And it was my parallel parking. I did this parallel parking lot which I have done before

Unknown said...

And also none of the instructor have tought at that parking lot before and it was very confusing

Unknown said...

I was very very sad and disappointed that I was not able to do I that parallel parking.

elderflowertea said...

@Nisha: Hey girl, which school did you take your driving test at? All parallel parking are about the same.

elderflowertea said...

@Nisha: Hey girl, which school did you take your driving test at? All parallel parking are about the same.

SGLEARNTODRIVE said...

Hello! One more tip you can potentially add in to the above post is that one should always turn his/her head to check for blindspots because most testers miss out drivers shifting their eyes about to check for blind spot. Key is to make the checking super obvious by turning the entire head when checking blindspots and mirrors, and 'extend' out the head when checking the rear view mirror. In other words, exaggerate the actions :P

Anonymous said...

Hello, may I know how far back do you reverse? If I full lock to the left and reverse all the way till my right rear wheel is near the back curb to move out of parallel parking, will my left rear wheel knock the vertical curb?

Jam said...

Bro, thanks for the tips. I also taking my driving at SSDC. But not lucky as u. I have failed my TP test for the fourth time. First 3 time I hit the kerb, fourth time I didn't hit any kerb but failed because I didn't check the blind spotl or safety checks(according to tester). Well,I just want add 1 thing. Whenever u parking u also need to turn u head back to the rear windscreen atleast twice, before move off and midway or before entering the parking lot. That what I got from the testers.

Unknown said...

HI ! thanks for your knowledge ! i am currently learning and practicing which makes perfect for the parallel parking and vertical parking but still dont really remember the steps accordingly:( But now i read your blog , i understood it :) thank you so much! :) really hope i can pass in one try !