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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To be proud of my parking

177 replies

amazedmummy · 20/02/2020 15:11

So I have a new car that is much much bigger than my old car. I had it an hour before I reversed into a lamppost. Today I managed to reverse it into my drive! It had gates and it's fairly narrow and I'm so so proud of myself. I'm not proud of myself for much these days but I was so happy I took a picture and sent it to my family!

OP posts:
Samtsirch · 20/02/2020 16:16

I think you have done very well 🙂
My neighbour is a confident driver but always gets her partner to park her car for her when she gets back from work, it’s just something she struggles with when space is tight.

forevercurious · 20/02/2020 16:16

I completely understand OP and found myself in a very similar situation. To reverse onto our drive you have to reverse around a corner which is also part of the neighbours drive so has a car parked on it and cars parked on the road opposite! The first time I reversed park by myself I was super proud of myself and told everyone.

Well done OP. Ignore the negativity you’re getting!

Meckity1 · 20/02/2020 16:19

@Abraid2 could you share any YouTube videos please? I passed my test last March, and sometimes I utterly nail it and sometimes I swear I rack up more miles trying to get straight in the carpark than the actual journey. And the tip is an absolute bugger.

@amazedmummy Awesome! You will be nailing it in no time with practice.

bloodywhitecat · 20/02/2020 16:19

#BeKind is alive and well and here in abundance on mumsnet.

Well done OP, shortly after passing my test I used to drive the works Transit all over the place, it taught me to use my mirrors well so parking is now a strong point of mine but I know lots of others struggle. My old boss' husband was a long distance lorry driver and a member of the display team who performed stunts in their juggernauts, he could park his wagon on a sixpence but couldn't park her Mini to save his life (old style Mini, no power assisted steering in those days).

MyOwnSummer · 20/02/2020 16:19

You're getting a load of nonsense here OP, ignore them. Driving a big vehicle (I've driven up to 3.5t) is absolutely more challenging than smaller ones.

Original poster
amazedmummy · 20/02/2020 16:20

I just looked it up, old car about 2.6m long. New car 4.4m long. I'll cut myself a bit of slack.

OP posts:
Alsohuman · 20/02/2020 16:20

Well done. I’ve been driving for 30 years and still don’t reverse park, it terrifies me. My idea of heaven is finding two empty spaces, one behind the other, so I can drive in nose first and then drive straight out again. My husband’s been driving for 45 years and still can’t park straight.

couchparsnip · 20/02/2020 16:20

What arseholes! Well done OP.

Meckity1 · 20/02/2020 16:22

@Rottenmilkcup I had to park in and reverse out on my test, and while I used to make an absolute mess of it, for some reason I was so stressed I did it perfectly.

Cacaca · 20/02/2020 16:22

Aw look all the perfect drivers and Parker’s are out in force. I went from a small car to one much bigger and yes, it did take a bit of getting used to parking it. It was a lot wider, longer and also a higher car so a different driving position. I can guarantee that some of you slating the original poster are those sharing the be kind memes when in reality you’re on here tearing people down.

BalloonDinosaur · 20/02/2020 16:22

Well done OP, always nerve wracking the first time. Ignore PPs who clearly have nothing better to do than tear others down Hmm they clearly need to get out more, to showcase their faultless parking skills

I generally refuse to drive into DP's work car park when I pick him up as it's tiny, usually completely full and difficult to manoeuvre, so I make him come out to me. And I drive a mini Blush

HDDD · 20/02/2020 16:23

Well done you. I honestly expect a round of applause EVERY time I do amazing parking. My car may be steamed up from the heavy breathing it takes but I do it, and I conjur up an audience in my head clapping and woo hooing. I hear ya!

Esspee · 20/02/2020 16:25

Congrats OP 💐
I would be proud of myself too.

SoupDragon · 20/02/2020 16:28

Anyone who thinks reversing a big car through a narrow gap is the same as reversing a small car through a narrow gap is an idiot!

OP I am still sometimes proud of my parking and I've been driving a looooooooong time!

Slith · 20/02/2020 16:31

YABVU

Parking is something you should learn how to do before passing your test.

Abraid2 · 20/02/2020 16:32

@Meckity1 this is going back a good decade so I am afraid I don't have them bookmarked on Youtube any longer, but both my children have passed tests within the last six years and I know they used to ferret around on YT and found useful material. For reversing, I find positioning myself just past the space (depending on the car size) at 45 degrees to it, and then reversing and straightening up until I see the same distance between each wing mirror and the vehicle on each side of me is good. Sometimes I lower the mirrors to check where the white lines are.

I tend to find it easier backing in to a space on my left for some reason, rather than one on the right. Perhaps that's just practice. It really is just practice, practice until the wires in your brain accept that you CAN DO IT. Good luck.

VeganCow · 20/02/2020 16:32

ignore the dicks- well done!

Sackofspuds · 20/02/2020 16:33

Well done. I'm shite at parking. OH can park to a mm. (Despite this happen to think I'm a good driver) Thank god for sensors!

Original poster
amazedmummy · 20/02/2020 16:33

@Slith kind of a moot point as perking in a bay is part of the damned test

OP posts:
Cacaca · 20/02/2020 16:34

@Slith give it a rest - there is a difference is parking smaller and bigger cars so therefore you do need to get used to driving a new car.

Original poster
amazedmummy · 20/02/2020 16:36

*parking

OP posts:
madoldcat · 20/02/2020 16:36

I can't even drive, so it's a well done from me!

ScrommidgeClaryAndSpunt · 20/02/2020 16:39

Nice one, OP. I've been driving almost 27 years and have owned cars of all shapes and sizes (started out with a mid-90s Fiat Cinquecento, now got a VW Sharan). A big upward change in the size of car takes getting used to (related note: whoever invented parking sensors deserves some sort of prize). Don't let the eejits put you off.

Meckity1 · 20/02/2020 16:43

@Abraid2 Thanks, I'll have a rummage and have a go.

Fortunately, part of the school run takes me past a Tesco with a massive car park and I have been parking there a lot. I try and reverse it, but I always seem to be too far over! I use my mirrors all the time, usually to tell me exactly how far out I am lol

Stefoscope · 20/02/2020 16:51

YABVVVVVU to have not come straight out of the womb able to park any vehicle in any sized space perfectly first time whilst blindfolded. You should surrender your license the second you make any type of driving mistake as it's a sure sign you're bound to kill someone before too long. At least that's how these threads normally go Grin. Seriously though practice makes perfect and ignore the idiots trying to piss in your cornflakes.