Parallel parking

Parallel parking is a manoeuvre of position rather than of speed. Everything is done slowly, and the steering is wound from one lock to the other while the vehicle is standing still, not while it is moving.

Look for a gap comfortably longer than your vehicle, so that you have room to swing in without touching either car. Signal so that following traffic understands why you are slowing, and check the mirrors and the blind spot before you stop.

The sequence:

• Pull up alongside the vehicle in front of the space, roughly level with it, leaving about a door's width between you.
• Stop, select reverse, and look all round, particularly for pedestrians and for a cyclist coming up on your left.
• With the vehicle stationary, put the steering on full left lock.
• Reverse slowly and let the back of the vehicle swing into the space.
• When the right hand front corner of the vehicle behind the space comes into the middle of your rear window, stop and straighten the steering.
• Reverse straight back until your front is clear of the vehicle ahead, then stop again.
• Put the steering on full right lock and reverse the rest of the way in, so that the front swings into line.
• Straighten up, centre the vehicle in the space, and set the handbrake.

Keep looking all around you throughout, not only through the rear window, and remember that the front of your vehicle swings out into the road as you turn. If the road is busy, take the space in more than one attempt rather than hurrying it. Get someone reliable to direct you if you need it.