Perpendicular Parking - A Driving Test Fear

Perpendicular parking is very common, you can find it in many parking lots, and it is a very convenient and space efficient parking method. As comfortable as it is, driving students have many problems with this type of parking. Here is an article I wrote about this issue.

Perpendicular Parking Mistakes On the Road Test

Perpendicular parking seems to be the second hardest driving maneuver for driving students, with parallel parking just above it. Student drivers just can't understand what is perpendicular parking all about. This type of parking is somewhat rare on driving tests, but it's very common on every day parking, especially on big parking lots. When perpendicular parking does appear on the test, student drivers make the same mistakes over and over.

One common mistake on perpendicular parking is not looking back when backing up into or out of a parking spot. Perpendicular parking requires backing up, and when the student driver doesn't look back, there is a risk of hitting something or someone. Even if it doesn't happen, it is often a failure on the test.

Hitting a person when backing up is possible when the driver doesn't look back or doesn't look to both sides when backing up. This is not only a driving test mistake, it is also highly illegal. If that happens, the examiner marks a critical error and the student can forget about the driver's license for a few weeks.

Hitting a car is much more common in perpendicular parking than any other kind of parking. When doing perpendicular parking, the driver is usually required to enter a very tight spot. If it is not done correctly, the driver can hit a car. This mistake also happens when getting out of the parking and turning the wheel to steer away. It's a critical error and a sure test failure.

The curb is a big cause of failure in the parking world, and perpendicular parking is not an exception. Some parking lots have a "parking road block" at the end of the parking spot to mark the end of the spot. During the driving test, some drivers hit that block. This is a critical error and an immediate fail.

Diagonal parking is not a critical error most of the times, but it is one of the most annoying parking forms. Some drivers don't perform good perpendicular parking and enter the parking spot diagonally. This way of parking takes up two parking spaces and really annoys other drivers.

Perpendicular parking, like parallel parking, requires many hours of practice. A good guide is essential in this practice, so driving students will practice only the best way to perform a perpendicular parking.

You can find a guide that explains the two ways to perform perpendicular parking at Pass Your Driving Test.

Good luck with your parking,
Nadav

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