Can You Parallel Park ? <poll>

[Kyanimal]

Driving has been a passion for me ever since I was allowed to do it. I've driven at least one example of just about every motor vehicle (even horse drawn) including farming and construction equipment, etc. Haven't had the pleasure with a semi, though.

It's all about being able to control the machine to get it to do exactly what you want it to.

Keep smilin'!!
Chaz

 

[Lefty]

back in the golden days, it was part of the drivers test for your license here in california. of course that was befor they had malls on every corner and street side parking was the rule not the exception.

dunno if it is still required though , things change, why i remember when the ibm selectric was the hottest 'new' office electronics going

 

[bokan800]

Hellz noz


messages is too short.

 

[Kyanimal]

dunno if it is still required though , things change, why i remember when the ibm selectric was the hottest 'new' office electronics going

Yeah! Loved the Selectric!! Only typewriter that I couldn't jamb up!!

Damn! We're "Old"!! But ... I can STILL parallel park!

Keep smilin'!!
Chaz

 

[Beachguyj]

I can but I haven't had to in a long time.

 

[Swellegant]

I can, and do, quite frequently. I don't like it, and sometimes it takes a few start-overs; but I live in a part of the world where perpendicular parking is a rare luxury, so I do what I have to do.

I've never comprehended (on an only slightly related note) why anybody would drive a vehicle that was too hard to park. I mean, what are you hauling around in all these vans? What grand advantage is there in driving a land-yacht?

I ask because I saw a very curious sight yesterday: one of my coworkers went running outside to help another coworker park her SUV, because the end parking space she usually uses was taken. I've never understood why, if she can barely drive and certainly can't park for shit, she would willingly drive around in Berkeley (one of the most un-car-friendly cities in America) in a fucking Sherman tank on wheels... why does she need all that mass?

But then, SUVs are a particular pet peeve of mine. Still, when I'm parking in Berkeley, I often wish I had a Honda Civic or one of those Lilliputian SmartCars or Mini-Coopers so I could squeeze into a tighter space than my Ford Focus allows. I simply would not, for all the tea in China (nor all the porn on the internet), drive a car that was even harder to park than a standard sedan.

 

[steve621]

Grew up in San Francisco, no choice - gotta learn or you don't park.

 

[kevbo]

Yes, I can do it easily... And let me tell you it is much easier to parallel park when there are cars around.

I remember during my driving test, we pulled onto a completely empty street, and the test administrator just said, "OK, now parallel park."

WHERE?!

I ended up hitting the curb.

Haven't hit the curb since, though.

 

[Corny]

Yes of course - on both sides of the road.

(And you won't get a driver's license here if you can't)

 

[BabiGayPimp]

I cannot do it without at least a couple of empty spaces in front and in back of me.

 

[underthebigtop]

yup, and I'm very good at putting my my big car into tight spaces.... hehe

 

[levenshulme31]

One of my few skills is parallel parking. Just the other day I got into a space which left about a foot clearance at either end of the car. I nearly took a photo!

 

[FPNY]

im EXCELLENT at driving and parallel parking is my specialty. IM EXCELLENT at it.

 

[Ontariobear]

Had to park my Dad's 1972 Plymouth Grand Fury to get my license in a spot not much longer, the instructor was adament about making me miss something - well I landed it on the first try. Parking our Civic today is a breeze.

 

[3nipples]

I'm perfect at it. So is my sister, by the way (I tought her )

 

[Joshua_me]

I've never understood why, if she can barely drive and certainly can't park for shit, she would willingly drive around in Berkeley (one of the most un-car-friendly cities in America) in a fucking Sherman tank on wheels... why does she need all that mass?

Well, she doesn't need it, but she wants it...

Americans love big cars, let's face it. (Well, a lot of them, anyway) It's a status symbol with a bit of snob appeal. Plus, there's a safety factor, too. I'm kind of guilty of that myself. I like a LOT of steel around me on the road. I've seen too many economy cars flattened like tin cans....

 

[Corny]

^ Tests of european traffic magazines revealed that you often live much more dangerous in SUVs and the likes. It got a lot better during the last years though

 

[Alpha1851]

I cannot do it without at least a couple of empty spaces in front and in back of me.

I hear ya!

I can sometimes parallel park. For some strange reason I find it easier to park that way than I do to maneuver my SUV out of that position once I'm in it. Of course, I'm willing to walk 5 blocks to not do so. I live in a major city, so I'm pretty destined to land in a parking garage anyway.

Oh, and I have a small (and cheap!) SUV. I just think it's easier to see out of SUVs.

 

[techboywi]

Parallel parking is much easier than people make it seem. I'd be willing to give anyone lessons, but you gotta come to Milwaukee, and you must sleep with the teacher! ;P

 

[CoolguyAT]

I HATE parallel parking, I avoid it all cost. I go up to Washington DC about once a month and I always park my car and take metro just to avoid parallel parking. Yep, i'd rather spend an extra 35 minutes on the train than parallel park.