crooked parking

[iamjacob]

I "combat park" at work by using the backup camera. It gets me straight and centered in the spot every time. No angle issues for me there.

I "combat park" in the garage using the side mirror. Using the mirror lets me get within an inch of the garage cabinets to allow enough room to get a motorcycle in and out between the cars.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by iamjacob

I "combat park" at work by using the backup camera. It gets me straight and centered in the spot every time. No angle issues for me there.

You throw a camo net over it, leave the doors open and keys in the ignition?

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

You throw a camo net over it, leave the doors open and keys in the ignition?

You don't?

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Anthony

You don't?

Only when in Detroit. You would think leaving the doors open and keys in it would be bad there but I will take the quick exit route anytime. You have any idea how hard it was to find a graffitied, crumbling concrete camo net though?

[Teseo]

I thought i was the only one who parked crocked. I guess its because the car is kinda short and a little inpit on yhe steering wheel change the angle

[Overdrive]

I took a little time to get used to parking straight with this car, but now I'm pretty consistent. I usually try to approach perpendicular to the space and cut the wheel in sharply, making small adjustments if I didn't judge quite right. Thankfully the car is so small I could totally jack it up and still have decent clearance all around as long as I'm not touching a line. I think this mostly came down to learning where the car's nose is in space since you can't see it from the cockpit unless your raise the seat enough to jam your head into the roof.

As for backing in (my go-to), I have a process I was taught by my driving instructor that works every time, with virtually any vehicle. I pull past the spot I plan to park in (it's rare for someone around here to steal a space from you when you've got a signal on and you're clearly going for it) getting my shoulder about lined up with the halfway point of the next parking space. Shift to reverse, cut the wheel to lock, and start backing up (no, I don't judge with the camera here because I have half a lifetime of experience and habit of using my eyes, neck muscles, and the rear glass), use side mirrors to make sure I'm not going to give the car next to the space any custom sideswipe paint jobs, and also check for the lines on the ground in my mirrors. Once I know I'm in, I've begun to make use of the camera to double check that I'm straight and to make sure I'm not running up on the curb or a vehcile behind me. This is the only way I can decently back into a space (not talking parallel parking, though). If I try to cheat by entering at anything less than a 90° angle or being already lined up to back straight in, I get all jacked up. But if I pull past the space slightly and cut the wheel, I usually nail it without having to make major adjustments.

[MuseChaser]

For once...

I HAVE THE ANSWER!!

I had the same trouble when I first got this car; for months, I could swear I was pulling in straight (or backing in straight), then get out of the car only to discover that I was parked diagonally again. Drove me crazy. As you've probably all guessed by now, I'm a little OCD, and parking poorly is something I don't tolerate well, especially when I'm the one doing the poor parking.

You know what it was, at least for me, and I'm guessing for many of you? This car's door is swept up at a fairly severe angle front to back along the slot into which the window retracts. Most cars are either level, or slightly raked upwards. The FR-S/BRZ takes that "slightly raked upwards" to an extreme. If you rely on the sight picture out of your driver and passenger windows to confirm whether or not you're parked straight, that angle will mess with you big time.

The second I realized that's what it was, my parking straightened out.

Check it out...

Barry

[HKz]

I just poke my head out and line myself up parallel to the parking lines..personally I've always felt due to the size and decent visibility this has been one of the easiest cars to park backwards, so I backup nearly every time I'm parking.

[soulreapersteve]

huh.. I always thought I was just shitty at parking..

[bcj]

I get this all the time. Get out, look at it, then re-park.
Helps that the twins are so small that it usually doesn't matter.

God-level parallel parking skills though. Even in a Grand Caravan.
Some people never will be capable though. Such is life.

[humfrz]

DANG! ........ 24 posts and counting, on how to park a car straight ......


humfrz

[finch1750]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Only when in Detroit. You would think leaving the doors open and keys in it would be bad there but I will take the quick exit route anytime. You have any idea how hard it was to find a graffitied, crumbling concrete camo net though?

Leave it like that and it gets left alonr cuz they think it's a bait car

Originally Posted by Anthony

I always look behind me to get centered and not smash into anything, but I look forward to line myself up. And I do this in any vehicle I drive, even my 335is with its downward tilting side mirror.

Looking forward helps alot, assuming the spaces are even on both sides lol

Originally Posted by humfrz

DANG! ........ 24 posts and counting, on how to park a car straight ......


humfrz

OT was slow cuz everyone came out here I guess

[Ultramaroon]

Also in the crooked parking club

I'm a parallel parking commando but I can't back into a space for shit. Glad it's not just me.

I'm going to try @MuseChaser's theory. I also figured it had to have something to do with the lines of the car.
@Anthony, looking forward definitely helps.

[vintagemxer]

I do it on purpose...Makes it much harder for idiots who don't tagging your car with their doors. Of course...that's only if the North 40 is full