Parallel parking! Are they serious?

I did it just last week, exactly how you described it, on the blindside, one shot, in a full publix parking lot at 11am. In 33 years of doing this, blindside parallel parking is becoming an everyday deal, especially if you want that last parking spot in a rest area at 2 in the morning.

 

Yep, parallel parking... comes in handy. The driver who can parallel park at 0200 get's the last spot at the rest area. The driver who can't get's a $500 parking ticket on the exit ramp from said rest area.

 

use you mirrors and watch your position... it is something that has to be shown visually... everyone will just confuse you by describing it... I cant believe you have never done it if you have been driving 5 years..

 

Sight side is pretty easy, blind takes a bit more attention. I found it that I can parallel park and not really realized I did. I do it so often its almost a normal things. It is a skill to learn cause you never know when it might be done. There is a counting system you can use, I knew it back in 94 but now I am old I forgot.

 

Just Google or search YouTube for "how to parallel park a tractor trailer" and you will find lots of videos!

 

That's what "chicken lights" are for. You have to have enough of them, and you can go faster than the glow will travel. There is a purpose besides looks to the 3 rows of lights on some grain wagons it can be tight arpound the bins. Also the reason that bull wagons have the 3rows on the side and the back all the way around. White light causes shadows and blind spots.

 

It's easier done than said.....

 

I can understand teaching this skill to student drivers and even allowing them to practice, or even require the schools to teach this, but to require a student driver to do this for a CDL test is just ridiculous in my opinion. The new drivers have enough to learn as it is in such a shot period of time and backing skills comes with time and practice.

 

That's why there are so many backing accidents because people are not receiving proper instruction. The only way to determine if they know how.to back is to test them. You can teach any idiot how to go straight down the interstate. It is painful to watch some of these people trying to back into parking spots. All because nobody taught them how to do it.