I can’t seem to park properly

[Lovetodream]

I passed my driving test over a year ago, after months of sporadic driving, I’ve started going out more regularly due to being on maternity leave with DD aged 4 months. I’ve been driving a manual Ford Fiesta that I just about learnt to park using reference points. We recently upgraded to an automatic Discovery Sport with all the bells and whistles that I’ve been practising driving in. Whilst it’s nuch easier to drive around in generally I find myself utterly shit at reverse parking it due to the size. I just struggle to get a sense of how much to reverse to get into a bay. Anyone have any tips to make it easier? I’ve been practicing with DH when possible but it hasn’t ‘ clicked ‘ yet. Feeling quite frustrated by it so have been avoiding going at peak times but can’t avoid it forever. It’s taken a lot of practice to get to driving independently but feel I’ve taken a step backwards as I have no sense of it.

And if I’m honest I think those that can’t park shouldn’t be driving. It’s one thing to say you drive round till you find a suitable space in a car park, it’s another to say you can’t do it at all. Take some more lessons or look up some tips - I have to parallel park in front of my house so I looked up how to do it well instead of panicking about it.

Meh, I have a drive and I can park.... Forwards.

I can't park forwards in a bay if it's between two cars. Reversing in is easy but I can't figure out the angles going forward and get really flustered. If there are a row of spaces I can go in forwards and wiggle back and forth into the space.

I am shocked at the amount of people saying they cannot park. It is part of every day driving. I have to parallel park multiple times a day. I always reverse in at the supermarket as it's safer than reversing out into oncoming traffic.

Love the plant.

So I was taught slightly different to the mirror trick.

I line the pick up driver door with the space I want to go into, let's assume it's on my right. Then hard left while going forward to turn car to correct angle then reverse whilst turning right to straighten it up. Works every time. Including getting into work car park between two bollards marking my space.

I think just practise.

Recently had to buy a massive Alhambra 7 seater, and it has taken me a while to get the measure of it.

It has a massive turning circle.
No parking aids, and I can't see the back or the front from the drivers seat.
I did sometimes get 'stuck' in the early days and had to have someone guide me out of tricky places.

I've got there now, often have to parallel park for school run. And after a year I've just about got it. Until then I just took my time and I wasn't afraid to drive out and try a second time if it had gone horribly wrong. It's about learning the dimensions of the car.

It reverse parks far easily than forward bay parking. Forward into a bay still can take a few attempts.

When talking about reversing using mirror is always mentioned. Surely that goes without saying?!!!! Need the mirrors to actually see what's behind you?!!

Isn't the difficulty people have with reverse parking down to not being able to figure out turning angles and positioning in reverse?

(BTW discovered the plant picture is on my phone (goes without saying - couldn't have uploaded it if it weren't) evidently I accidentally selected it - glad it wasn't one of my sons! Weird thing is whilst I have a peony in my garden this isn't it nor have I taken a picture of anyone else's peony. Might head off to the unexplained things thread!!!)

I agree with @KnifeAngel. I'm astonished at the number of people who can't park. It really is practice and not being afraid to pull out of the space and start again. I can park anywhere and anyhow. When we first moved into this current house 20+ years ago we had a big family estate car and a narrow driveway. The car needed to be reverse parked. I practised and looked for any markers outside the car to give me an idea of what to look for, what meant I was far enough over/back etc.

I agree, it's just practice. You need to go to a supermarket car park at the crack of dawn when it's empty and just go for it until you've worked out what the reference points are on the new car.

I live the tip for reversing into a bay.

I got a tip a few years ago for parallel parking - line up your wing mirror with the front tyre of the car in the space in front, and start from there to reverse in. Much better manouvrabilty (sp sorry) than going forward in.

I have to bay park during the week but parallel park over the weekend for activities (and usually very busy!) so often have to park on opposite side parallel and reverse all at once.