It's because you have bad spatial awareness.

Woman here.. I can back in easily. For some reason, it's easier for me to back in than go nose in, but I can do that easily, too.

Parallel parking? That's my weak spot in part because I lived in the LA suburb for a loong time, and didn't really have to parallel park. So, I didn't have much practice. But, I also have weak spatial awareness.

It’s a skill and with the abundance of spaces and parking you just don’t have the chance to learn it. You could probably just drive around a find a larger space to park in. Get someone who’s really good at parking to spend an hour with you teaching you how to park and then challenge yourself by sticking into the tiniest spaces you could imagine. I had that training when I lived for a few years 20 years ago in a city that had major parking problems. I still need an extra few inches to be able to Parallel park the car in it.

I feel your pain. I pulled my toddler out of speech therapy because the parking was too much. I don't think there's any easier solution than lots of practice.

I used to be able to parallel park and back into a space with no problem. Then I got out of the habit, so practice is key. Also, my car now is too big. I regret getting such a large SUV, but I needed room for 4 car seats.

It’s not you. Wheels are not straight. Always blame the car, other drivers, weather, PMS...

Practice practice practice.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am good, safe driver...

Not really. So the first step to recovery would be to stop saying that.

I mean this tip in all seriousness. Get a small toy car that has wheels that turn, like on a real car. Watch how the car moves when the wheels turn, going both toward and backwards. I’m surprised how spatially challenged some people are, and they simply don’t understand how the arcs and turns work, and how the wheels and the rest of the car move in relation to each other.

Not the OP, but seriously, this is me. I am spatially challenged. I remember in high school taking that armed forces test. I scored in the 99th percentile in most categories and literally in the 30th percentile in a test involving spatial awareness. I might actually do this.

Anonymous wrote:OMG! I just found my parking twin!

My people!!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OMG! I just found my parking twin!

Triplets!

Quads!

Practice. Practice. Practice.

Go to a empty parking lot and practice until you get better.


That's really all it takes. It's not magic. It's just putting in the time.

Anonymous wrote:I am good, safe driver...

Not really. So the first step to recovery would be to stop saying that.

I mean this tip in all seriousness. Get a small toy car that has wheels that turn, like on a real car. Watch how the car moves when the wheels turn, going both toward and backwards. I’m surprised how spatially challenged some people are, and they simply don’t understand how the arcs and turns work, and how the wheels and the rest of the car move in relation to each other.

Anonymous wrote:OMG! I just found my parking twin!

Triplets!

Get a car with 3d view

OMG! I just found my parking twin!

I am good, safe driver but my parking skills are non-existent. Not just parallel parking either - I’m terrible at nose-in and backing in as well. I avoid trouble by parking far away and walking, which is usually fine. Every now and again, however, it causes a real problem as I have to pull in and out more than once to get straight/be respectful of the cars near me. Getting anxious doesn’t help of course.

Anything I can do at the age of 40 to suck less at this basic life task?