Do You Suffer From ‘Parkophobia’?

Originally posted in Motorists Resources

Parallel parking – something many of us get stressed about every now and again, especially when the only parking spot in sight is a tiny parking bay that you somehow need to manoeuvre in and out of. It’s no surprise that in a Ford poll from a few year ago, the fear of parallel parking was ranked right up there with job interviews and meeting the in-laws as life’s most stressful moments.

The study showed that a third of motorists suffer from the fear of parallel parking, also known as ‘parkophobia’. According to the AA Driving Academy many licensed drivers only know enough about parking to pass their driver’s license and therefore struggle to translate these principles into everyday life. It’s an important part of driving that needs to be understood and life certainly becomes easier, when parallel parking is executed correctly.

Matrix is always right by your side so follow our tips to get you in an out of those tight spots.

1. Slower is better

Don’t race into a parking bay. Rather drive in slowly, making it easier to correct your car if you accidentally misjudged the space or the angle.

2. Be Your Own Judge

When we get our drivers licence we aren’t taught how to judge distance, which can be a huge problem for a lot of drivers. While studies show that we tend to do poorly on tasks that require spatial awareness, research shows that a shot of confidence can help us perform better.

Simply put, by making yourself feel better about your capabilities, you will become better at spatial tasks, like parallel parking. So take a couple of deep breaths, try to feel reassured and continue parking!

3. Concentrate

It’s important to forget about everyone around you and just focus on the task at hand. The first important step is to find a space that your car will fit into and with a bit of room to manoeuvre.

As you reverse slowly and carefully – while looking carefully for oncoming cars – look for these three indicators to lock your tyres in the direction of the pavement:

• The front door of your car is near the back bumper of the front car and you should be able to see the front car’s behind through your back-passenger window.
• Lock your wheels in the opposite direction when: The rear of your car is completely in the bay and you can see the front car’s right taillight through the left part of your windshield.
• Once the rear of your car is entirely in the bay, straighten your tyres and ease in. Drive a tiny bit forward to centre your car if necessary.

Now that you know what to do, ‘parkophobia’ no more! Need more guidance? Read our step-to-step guide to parallel parking.

*Source: Women on Wheels, 2018