Parallel Parking
Step-by-Step
On your actual driving test the examiner will only ask you to perform one of the four manoeuvres which you need to learn and master.
The four manoeuvres are: Turn-in-the-Road, Reverse-into-a-side-Road, Parallel Park and Bay Park.
As you may already appreciate all of the manoeuvres should be carried out slowly by using very strict ‘clutch control’. On all of the manoeuvres carried out on the driving test you will be judged on two things, your Control and your Observation.
Read through all of the steps before you commence any of the manoeuvres
Parallel Parking
This manoeuvre should be carried out very slowly to demonstrate your control over your vehicle. To achieve this, very careful use of the ‘clutch control’ is needed. Once you have found the ‘bite’ point (this is the point where the vehicle ‘just’ begins to move), keep your foot very still. This is how you will retain full control over the speed of the vehicle. By using the ‘bite’ point you will be able to inch your vehicle backwards ensuring complete control over the speed that you allow your vehicle is to move.
Whilst carrying out this manoeuvre keeping the ‘gas’ set just ensures that the engine does not stall – in this particular case the ‘gas’ does NOT control the speed of the vehicle at this time. The clutch however, DOES control the speed of the vehicle. The higher the clutch is allowed to come up the faster the vehicle will move. The lower the clutch is put down, the slower the vehicle will move. The point at where the vehicle engine note just begins to fade. This is what is commonly referred to as the ‘bite’ point.
To begin the exercise, select a quiet side road ensuring that you choose a safe and convenient place to stop next to the kerb. Ensuring that you don’t block or obstruct any driveways or entrances and that you do not stop opposite another vehicle or other obstruction such as a skip etc.
Do not commence this exercise until you are sure that the road is clear and that you will not endanger or inconvenience any other road-users, including pedestrians. If any other road-users are present you need to ensure that it is safe to begin the manoeuvre and if in doubt wait until you are convinced that it is safe to proceed.
Remember that no matter in which direction you are moving your vehicle, forwards or backwards, wait if any pedestrians are walking past in front or behind your vehicle. This is to ensure complete safety, for example in case your foot inadvertently slipped off one of the pedals.
You should stop your vehicle on the left-hand side of the about two or three lengths before the vehicle that you are intending to parallel park behind.
Below are the following steps you need to carry out:
1. Adjust your left-hand side mirror so that you can see the left rear wheel arch and left kerb
2. Clutch Down and Select 1st gear
3. Set the gas
4. Clutch up to the ‘bite’ point
5. Hand on the handbrake (ready to release)
6. Check the centre mirror
7. Check your side mirror AND the blind-spot (over your right shoulder)
8. If it is safe to proceed – release the handbrake (down)
9. Clutch up to move off normally and pull out slowly in 1st gear alongside the vehicle you intend to use to parallel park behind, keeping about a car door width away and stopping the car slightly ahead of the target vehicle.
10. Handbrake on (up)
11. Select Neutral and Rest your feet (you can now take your feet off the pedals)
12. Select Reverse gear
13. Set the gas
14. Clutch up to the ‘bite’ point
15. Hand on the handbrake (ready to release)
16. Look all round your vehicle – left and right, in front and behind
17. If it is safe to proceed – release the handbrake (down)
18. Look over your left shoulder as the vehicle begins to move backward
19. Keep a looking around for passing traffic and pedestrians
20. Wait until you ‘feel’ that your rear bumper has just passed the back of the target vehicle. ‘Now’ it is time to begin turning the steering wheel towards the kerb (to your left) under very strict ‘clutch control’
21. Keep a looking around for passing traffic and pedestrians
22. When you reach about 45 degrees straighten the steering wheel.
23. Keep a looking around for passing traffic and pedestrians
24. Watch the left-hand side mirror
25. Keep a looking around for passing traffic and pedestrians
26. When you ‘feel’ that the car is close enough to the kerb, quickly turn the steering quickly and fully to the right, as you keep the car moving very slowly under strict clutch control
27. When the car is straight, quickly straighten the steering wheel
28. Stop the car
29. Handbrake On
30. Select Neutral and Rest your feet (you can now take your feet off the pedals)
Once you have mastered this exercise the Parallel Park exercise should be performed as follows:
Pull up and stop at the side of the at a safe and convenient place (i.e. not obstructing anyone’s driveway, avoiding stopping opposite other vehicles orentrances, or too close to a junction if possible). Decide if you need to signal to any other road-users as you stop.
Handbrake on. Select Neutral.
You will now be asked (by your Driving Instructor, or your Driving Test Examiner if on test) to ’I would now like you to demonstrate the parallel parking exercise. Pull up alongside the vehicle in front of us. Reverse back keeping reasonably close to the kerb, Stop the car within two car lengths. Move off when you are ready.’
At this point it would be a good idea to adjust your left-hand side mirror downwards so that you can see the left wheel arch and the left kerb.
Remember POMPOM. Prepare, Observe, Manoeuvre.
Select 1st gear ready to move off.
Take a good look all round the car being aware of any other road-users such as vehicles, pedestrians or cyclists nearby, and wait if necessary or if in doubt.
As soon as it is clear to move off, move the car very slowly under strict clutch control, turning the steering wheel to the right. Aim to pull up alongside the target vehicle keeping a door width away, and slightly ahead of the vehicle. Stop the car. Handbrake on. Select Neutral.
Remember to concentrate on POMPOM. The first part being Preparation.
Select Reverse gear. Find the clutch ‘bite’ point to take into account any camber of the road and to ensure that the car will not roll forward. Take all the time you need to be certain that you have got the ‘bite’ point as the accuracy is much more important than the speed.
Put your hand on the handbrake ‘ready’ to release it – but DON’T release it yet.
Once you have the ‘bite’ point, you are now ready for the O of POMPOM, Observation. Look out of every window in the car to make sure that the road is absolutely clear. If anyone is approaching, wait to see what they do next. If they wait for you, you should continue. If they continue, you should wait. So effectively you don’t need to make the decision, ‘they’ make it for you, and you do the opposite to what ‘they’ do.
When you are satisfied that it is safe to proceed, you have reached the M for Manoeuvre part of the exercise. Release the handbrake and watch over your left shoulder maintaining strict clutch control to keep the car moving very slowly back.
Keep a constant lookout for approaching road-users from in front and from behind.
When you ‘feel’ that the rear bumper of your car has just passed the back of the target vehicle, turn the steering wheel quickly and fully towards the kerb, whilst maintaining strict clutch control. If necessary because of the camber of the road, you may need to use the footbrake to control the speed of your car.
Once you reach an angle of about 45 degrees, turn the steering wheel quickly away from the kerb to straighten up.
Keep a constant lookout for approaching road-users from in front and from behind.
Now watch the left-hand side mirror. When you ‘feel’ that the wheel is close enough to the kerb, Turn the steering wheel quickly and fully away from the kerb.
Keep a constant lookout for approaching road-users from in front and from behind. When you ‘feel’ that your car is straight, turn the steering wheel quickly towards the kerb to ‘straighten up’. Stop the car. Handbrake on. Select neutral.
If necessary move the car forwards again, but remember to allow yourself enough room to move off after you have completed the manoeuvre.
Remember POMPOM: Prepare – Observe – Manoeuvre.
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