How to Reverse Perpendicular Park
by Jordan Whitehouse
Reverse perpendicular parking involves backing into a parking stall rather than driving forward into it. However, unlike parallel parking, you aren't parking your vehicle parallel to the curb; you're parking it perpendicular to the curb. This form of parking is a safer way to park because when you exit your parking stall, you are not blindly backing into traffic or pedestrians. Reverse perpendicular parking may take you a few tries to get right, but once you master it, you'll be wondering why you ever drove straight into a parking stall.
Step 1
Drive ahead of the stall you want to back into until your back bumper is in line with the first line of the stall.
Step 2
Put your vehicle in reverse. Turn around so that you are looking through your back window, slowly lift your foot off the brake and turn your wheel fast in the direction of the stall.
Step 3
Keep turning the wheel until you see that your bumper is inside the lines of the stall. Go slowly when trying to do this for the first time; keep your foot close to the brake pedal.
Step 4
Turn your wheel in the opposite direction once you are about halfway into the stall to straighten your wheels.
Step 5
Apply the brake until you are almost stopped and look in your side mirrors to see if you are inside the lines. If you aren't, stop the car, put the vehicle in drive and pull forward until you are inside the lines.
Step 6
Turn around and look back through your back window. Focus on a point in the center of the stall and continue to slowly back up until you're almost hitting the curb.
Step 7
Stop the vehicle and put it in park.
References
Writer Bio
Based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Jordan Whitehouse has been writing on food and drink, small business, and community development since 2004. His work has appeared in a wide range of online and print publications across Canada, including Atlantic Business Magazine, The Grid and Halifax Magazine. Whitehouse studied English literature and psychology at Queen's University, and book and magazine publishing at Centennial College.
