Humorous - trouble parking straight in parallel parking spots

[raptor1956]

I've noticed this issue from the beginning but put it off to learning a new car. However, seeing that others are having this same issue I looked a little closer today and I think I may have found something ... the steering wheel is NOT directly in front of the drivers seat and is in fact biased to the right a little bit. So, at low speed in a parking lot if you line up with the steering wheel the front of the car will tend to be pointed a little to the left. That is, the front of the car will be a couple degrees CCW.


Brian

[pablo94sc]

Ha! I've been having that problem myself and thought it was part of the new car learning curve. Glad to know I'm not losing my touch that badly.

[feta_mgp]

Originally Posted by Elizabeth

Between the lines parking is good also.
I think anyone who has problems it is they focus (pun) on the angle of the window sill. Since it is a straight line but is tilted way up toward the back of the car, it could make some get messed up. My theory anyway.

In my garage spot i have a tennis ball on a cord. The guy to my right has a challenging spot to park, and i give him four extra inches. So my tennis ball is offset four inches. I line it up to the rear wiper base within a half inch every time.
The other side of my spot the person has to park slightly diagonally to get past a sump pump in the floor. So the car past HIM has to be over a bit.
I park backing in. and get the line perfect so these others can also park well.

Across from my parking space is a rather old half blind guy who seems to think he has two spaces. He is always a half-foot into the next space, even though on his other side he has five extra feet of space open to him.. Crazy.
My theory on that is he cannot see on that side... He is the slowest driver I ever saw. Speed limit 30 he is going 20.. Really.

The window sill thing got me for about a month after getting the Focus. My last car, a 2008 Mazdaspeed 3 was more or less parallel to the ground with the windowsill. Parking that way I was just about perfect everytime. With the Focus it's hard to properly judge, but I do a halfway decent job.

Originally Posted by raptor1956

I've noticed this issue from the beginning but put it off to learning a new car. However, seeing that others are having this same issue I looked a little closer today and I think I may have found something ... the steering wheel is NOT directly in front of the drivers seat and is in fact biased to the right a little bit. So, at low speed in a parking lot if you line up with the steering wheel the front of the car will tend to be pointed a little to the left. That is, the front of the car will be a couple degrees CCW.


Brian

I've noticed this too, and it slightly irks my minor OCD, lol.

[PratoN]

The first time I read this thread, I was like "Psh... these amateurs can't park..." Then I parked sideways in front of my garage door yesterday (I have an alley) and I got out and was like. What the...? Am I drunk?

[dyn085]

Originally Posted by PratoN

The first time I read this thread, I was like "Psh... these amateurs can't park..." Then I parked sideways in front of my garage door yesterday (I have an alley) and I got out and was like. What the...? Am I drunk?

I hate finding out I'm drunk after the fact...

Seriously though, the absolute only way I can back this car (rear-view cam, mind you) is to angle the mirror down to the wheel and ensure it maintains the same distance from the line the entire time I back it.

No watching for traffic, no watching for people, no watching for little baskets full of adorable kittens that I could possibly love and be allergic to my whole life. Me, the tire, and the line-that's it until maneuver complete...

Sent from my stupid phone.

[sprcoop]

I thought it was just me. But only going forward. Rarely get it perfect and am typically very consciences of my parking to be considerate. I tend to get it perfect every time backing in.

I hate it when they don't make the parking lines parallel. Then you just can't win.

[Rememo]

Originally Posted by PratoN

The first time I read this thread, I was like "Psh... these amateurs can't park..." Then I parked sideways in front of my garage door yesterday (I have an alley) and I got out and was like. What the...? Am I drunk?

I stopped at a Walgreens that I've been to many times before, and when my wife and I got out of the Focus, she said "learn how to park!", so I looked back at the car and thought "WTF?!", the car was over one line and slightly crooked. Never happened in the Ranger. I've noticed it a few other times since the Walgreens incident. Pulling in straight between to lines, isn't an issue but making a 90 degree turn into a parking spot will make me think now.

[VOLDAR]

I use the parking system and it is always perfect.
I do agree with the fact that the backup camera is slighty off and I had some troubles at first to readjust this, but never had a problem to enter a parking spot since then.

[CajunR]

I let the Force flow through me as I pulled into a spot at school tonight. I just knew I had it in there perfect. Got out and checked... Back tire was exactly the length of my shoe off the line. Front tire? Shoe + 3 inches.

Rat farts!

[Sprint]

As stated earlier, it's the angle of the window sill - if you use it as an alignment guide, you'll park like a ding bat - point the line of the window sill to about 1 o'clock in relation to the car and you'll be better.