1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

parallel parking a prius

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by southjerseycraig, Nov 30, 2013.

  1. southjerseycraig

    southjerseycraig Active Member

    Joined:
    Jan 23, 2009
    438
    107
    0
    Location:
    Cherry Hill, NJ
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    On Thanksgiving, I was in Brooklyn visiting a cousin. That meant I had to parallel park. I had a lot of trouble doing it. Part of the problem is that I just don't do it very often. But another was that I couldn't make my standard technique work, which is to (a) pull up to car in front (b) put the car in reverse, and steer hard while backing up; (c) stop when the middle of the rear windshield seemed on a line with the right corner of the car in back; (d) straighten the wheel while continuing to back up; (e) turn the steering wheel when I cleared the car in front. I couldn't make (c) work. Is there some special formula in knowing when to start going straight when backing up? Any advice would be appreciated.
     
  2. Lutchenko

    Lutchenko Will Perrin

    Joined:
    Mar 16, 2011
    307
    211
    21
    Location:
    Milton Keynes England
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
  3. GrumpyCabbie

    GrumpyCabbie Senior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 14, 2009
    6,722
    2,120
    45
    Location:
    North Yorkshire, UK
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    And the bumpers on the Prius are pretty hardy too - just incase you get it wrong (y)
     
    ckam1989 and Lutchenko like this.
  4. jdk2

    jdk2 Active Member

    Joined:
    Mar 6, 2010
    751
    219
    0
    Location:
    Raleigh, NC
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Advanced
    The hubcaps, on the other hand, are very delicate :oops:
     
  5. Lutchenko

    Lutchenko Will Perrin

    Joined:
    Mar 16, 2011
    307
    211
    21
    Location:
    Milton Keynes England
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    and the alloys... omg
     
  6. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 26, 2009
    17,035
    10,010
    90
    Location:
    Western Washington
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    OP's model doesn't have auto park.
     
    ckam1989 likes this.
  7. ursle

    ursle Gas miser

    Joined:
    Jun 28, 2006
    1,049
    192
    0
    Location:
    NH
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    Turn the right rear view mirror so you can see the ground, or what you want to see, it might take some practice but it's not like going to the moon.
     
  8. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,571
    48,861
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    practice.
     
    rsgillmd likes this.
  9. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,571
    48,861
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
  10. phoenixgreg

    phoenixgreg Senior member

    Joined:
    Apr 7, 2010
    1,157
    288
    66
    Location:
    Phoenix
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    I recently installed a backup camera which comes in very handy parallel parking and backing out of perpendicular parking places too. The built-in gradients on the camera image let you know exactly when you are about to "touch" something with your rear bumper.
     
  11. Air_Boss

    Air_Boss Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 2, 2012
    3,902
    1,064
    0
    Location:
    New Yawk
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Five
    Or just "park by ear", like almost everyone else in NYC...
     
    WE0H likes this.
  12. Lutchenko

    Lutchenko Will Perrin

    Joined:
    Mar 16, 2011
    307
    211
    21
    Location:
    Milton Keynes England
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    ahh he won't be using that then eh lol
     
  13. JimN

    JimN Let the games begin!

    Joined:
    Nov 26, 2006
    7,028
    1,116
    0
    Location:
    South Jersey
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    V
    The time I had to parallel park in Secaucus was when I discovered the value of the back up camera. Unfortunately OP doesn't have one of those either. The only way to get good at something is to practice.
     
  14. Nora

    Nora Member

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2013
    128
    44
    0
    Location:
    CO
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Tough crowd ;). I do agree that the best way to get good at parallel parking is to have to do it every day. Short of that, my only advice is to not think of benchmarks on when to turn the wheel but instead to visualize the back end of your car meeting the front end of the car in the back. Your basic steps are, of course, solid, so you know the route. It's like throwing a ball, visualize where the ball is supposed to go, not the throwing. And look over your shoulder, don't use the mirrors to see behind you. And unless the car owners are there, there's nothing wrong with a little "Braille method." I'm continually surprised with how little front end this car has.
     
  15. GrumpyCabbie

    GrumpyCabbie Senior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 14, 2009
    6,722
    2,120
    45
    Location:
    North Yorkshire, UK
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    This thread got me wondering; is parallel parking unusual in the US? Here every parking bay on the roadside is parallel. If you can't parallel park here, you've got a long walk.
     
    OzPrius and Les_PL like this.
  16. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

    Joined:
    May 22, 2009
    9,083
    5,795
    0
    Location:
    Undisclosed Location
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    I use the Midi-chlorian parallel parking method.

    That is I pull up parallel to the vehicle directly ahead of the empty space I desire, then putting the vehicle in reverse I turn the steering wheel sharply in the opposite direction that I want to go. Then I say out loud " Do or Do Not. There is no try.".

    Then I pre-emptively call my Insurance Company and claim that I've turned to the dark side.
     
    Robert Holt and ftl like this.
  17. ny_rob

    ny_rob Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 28, 2012
    1,968
    813
    0
    Location:
    L.I.- NY
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    It's still pretty common here- but the problem is, ppl tailgate so often now that there's sometimes no way to actually pass and then back up into the parallel spot because the car behind you is blocking the spot... and there are several cars behind that one so no one can backup to let you park...:mad:
     
  18. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 26, 2009
    17,035
    10,010
    90
    Location:
    Western Washington
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    No. It is quite normal for much of the country, but there are pockets where drivers can get by with rarely having to practice it.
     
  19. GrumpyCabbie

    GrumpyCabbie Senior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 14, 2009
    6,722
    2,120
    45
    Location:
    North Yorkshire, UK
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Don't you indicate towards the space as you slow, then stop before you are next to the space so the guy behind has a hint what you're about to do. Pop on your hazards, pull forward a bit and start to reverse. If the idiot behind doesn't take that hint and pulls forward, then just keep reversing and let him get out of the way. Or just wind your window, point at the space and go for it. They always get out of the way (y)
     
  20. Air_Boss

    Air_Boss Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 2, 2012
    3,902
    1,064
    0
    Location:
    New Yawk
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Five


    It's NYC... Park by ear, after getting their attention with a single-fingered salute.
     
    GrumpyCabbie and ftl like this.