OKAY! Here we go!

• Parallel parking IS difficult if you start out trying to do it before you know the basics. It would be like starting out a new employee on a complicated task the first day. There are simply too many "details" that you need to know in order to do the job effectively. Sure, you could handle one or two things at a time, and if everything goes right, you’ll get it right. But as soon as things get hectic, you’re screwed.
• Sure, you could probably have "backed the car into a space between two cars" the first time we went out. But then you would have learned it the WRONG way. You would not be checking in the right places, you would not be signaling the way you need to, and you would have to re-learn it to fix it.
• A good example is one that I use at work all the time: I started typing when I was about six - using two fingers. Right now, I can probably type as fast as most people who type "correctly," but i am STUCK at this speed because I don’t have the patience now to learn it the "right" way.
• You could probably go for awhile before "learning it right" pays off. It’s that ONE time when someone is stupid enough to walk behind you while you’re backing into the parking space, that you don’t kill that "someone", that makes it all worthwhile.

• Giving even an "imaginary" car behind you PLENTY of warning, use a right signal, and pull up fairly even with the car in front of the space you want to be in.
• Check your mirror, and unless a car is coming at you too fast, shift into reverse WITHOUT LOOKING, and with your foot FIRMLY ON THE BRAKE.
• Check your left blindspot, and if all is clear - like no idiot is trying to pass you or something - slowly (you can usually just use the brake to control the speed) back up while turning the wheel rapidly in the direction you want the back of the car to go. You are, of course, LOOKING in that direction.
• The goal is to get your car at about a 45 degree angle with the rear corner of the car your parking behind - just about in the center of your car. It’s not terribly critical.
• At this point, STOP, check all around the car, and slowly - again, with just the brake if you can - back up slowly turning the wheel rapidly in the opposite direction.
• With some practice, you’ll be able to wind up close to the curb, and straight. Pull forward as slowly as possible to straighten out your wheels. ALWAYS leave your car parked with your wheels straight, with two exceptions:
• If you’re parked UPHILL, you should turn your wheels AWAY from the curb.
• If you’re parked DOWNHILL, you’re wheels should be turned all the way TOWARDS the curb.
• Note that this works on EITHER side of the street.

NOW IT’S JUST:

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