to ask my old driving instructor to teach me how to park my car?

[NotLoveActually]

Just mentioned this on another thread and it got me thinking.... I passed my test last year in your bog standard corsa sized car. Have 2 dc and a dog, and we have a Volvo s60. Now I can drive it, I can park it, but I just for the life of me can't reverse the thing. (next car must come with rear parking sensors) I think I just don't have a great handle on the dimensions of the car! Part of me wants to ring my old instructor and ask him to teach me how to park! but the other part of me will be bloody affronted asking

YANBU, give them a ring and ask, my instructor was all about continued 'coaching' as he'd call it and continuing to develop as a driver, if yours was anything like that I'm sure they'd be happy to spend an hour with you going through it and making you feel comfortable.

No problem at all doing this - my driving instructor often helps people who have passed their test but are having problems with a particular thing. I'm sure yours would be happy to help - much better to get some help rather than struggle on with something you are finding difficult.

Thanks, I just felt a bit of a twat asking for more help after all this time I'll give him a bell and book in an extra lesson.

I'm planning to do exactly this when we get a new, bigger car this summer as I'm dreading trying to park it !

You understand and have experience of reversing so you just need practice, not instruction. Go to a quiet car park or industrial estate in the evening and just keep trying until you get a feel for the size of your car.

My mum never got the feel for her last car and couldn't park it in the garage so my dad put a tennis ball on a string and hung it from the ceiling. When the tennis ball touched the windshield, the car was parked

I agree with PP, just go somewhere quiet and practice until you feel comfortable.

I third the deserted car park idea. I did that with my first car at 17 and have been able to park in tight spaces in reverse ever since. It's really not difficult.

I tried the deserted car park thing when we got our first actual car about 12 years after I'd passed my test. Ten minutes in, with DH telling me for the millionth time that I'd 'hit' another non-existent parked car, I decided that teaching wasn't his thing, and booked some refresher lessons.

You can buy parking sensors if they would make you more confident

Second getting the parking sensors retrofitted. Absolutely amazing!

Many instructors would be glad to help. They might be willing to give you the lesson in your own car (but do check).

Parking wasn't part of the test when I did mine and I managed fine for years by always driving in forwards. Then I got a job that meant visiting clients in London and on street parking or really tight car park spaces.

I booked 2 driving lessons, one to learn to reverse into a carpark space and the other for parallel parking and now I know how it's easy. Can't believe I left it so long.

Wouldn't be a problem.

Really sensible idea.

I think a lot of people would benefit from refresher courses.

I did this. Where we live I have to parallel park on a curve - it was a nightmare and I used to lie awake at night worrying about it!

I paid for an hour lesson and we used my car. I can now do it fine.