What am I doing wrong? (Parking!)

Factual Questions
1

The good news: I have finally, after five years, moved up from a pay lot to the staff lot!

The bad news: The staff lot sucks donkey balls.

Okay, I’m in the low-man-on-the-totem-pole lot. It has a very narrow driveway on the left and spaces on the right which are not marked. You have to back into your space, otherwise it’s very difficult to leave the lot. You have to park very close to one another to fit everybody in. Oh, and people are waiting on you!

My boyfriend didn’t get my problem when I tried to explain in salt shakers and sugar packets, so allow me to attempt an MS Paint rendition:

Here is the lot. Note that it’s bounded on all sides by hedge and fence, that the parking spaces are small, and that they’re unmarked.

Here is how I’m okay parking in it, like in the early morning when only a few people are here and they’ve taken the first few spaces in an orderly fashion. I can drive through the other spaces and be in a position to back up that’s close to the others.

Here’swhere I have trouble. If I come in in the afternoon, as I do sometimes, or have to go somewhere at lunch time and return, the cars will be scattered. So I go straight in and I try to back into the space and I’m NOWHERE NEAR the next car. And if you leave too much space you’ll be talked about and if you fall asleep at the information desk they’ll shave your eyebrows and put your hand in a bowl of warm water, I think.

So I go back and start again.

Same place.

I try to straighten up by going to the fence and backing up to the right.

I’m just pivoting around my wheels because the lane between the cars and fence is so narrow.

Finally today I just gave up and walked in with my head held high even though people were totally watching me. And of course they know whose car is two feet too far to the left.

Now, this is only my first week parking there, so hopefully they’ll cut me a little slack. But I’m not getting any better at it!

What exactly am I doing wrong? Everybody else can do it (they’ve had a lot of practice, of course.) I don’t have any problem knowing which way to cut my wheels when reversing (I find that thread asking about that very odd.) I do have a hard time getting any closer to the curb than I originally am when I parallel park, but I’m pretty good at getting in close to start with in that situation. I can back a boat trailer into the water just fine. But this, no. Why?

2

Pull past the spot you’re trying to get in, and turn so you’re angled towards the fence as much as you can. Your back bumper should be near the front driver-side corner of the car next to the open space. Turn your steering wheel ALL THE WAY to the right and back up. When your car is facing the right direction, straighten your wheels. You may have to use trial and error to figure out how far you have to pull up your car before backing into the spot.

I see way to many people trying to park and only turning their steering wheel part of the way or turning it gradually and then wondering why they don’t have enough room to maneuver.

3

I definitely turn the wheel all the way - perhaps I don’t angle as far to the fence as I might? Should I be closer to the cars or closer to the fence when I start?

4

Ideally, rear end close to cars, front end close to fence.

5

Try doing it in reverse. When you are parked correctly, pull out and drive to the right so you are parallel to the fence. Note when you have to start turning the wheel; this is the point at which you will straighten the wheel when you are parking. Then continue and note when you are parallel to the fence. This is the point at which you would turn the wheels and begin to back up.

6

Well, that’s the problem - the aisle is quite narrow. Not much room to maneuver until you start backing.

ETA - Dan, that’s a good idea.

7

Have your right outside mirror adjusted so you can see where your right rear wheel is. The part of the right rear fender that’s directly above the center of that wheel is the “close point” for not hitting anything. Try to get it within an inch (yes, ONE INCH) of what you’re turning around (the front left corner of the car that will end up on your right). Once that close point clears, it is not possible for any part of the car forward of it to hit, so you don’t have to worry about watching for that. Start watching the right rear corner of your car so as to line it up with proper spacing from the car that’s now on your right.

Many people find it scary to get that close, don’t even try, and end up having a big problem fitting their car in. Don’t allow yourself to be scared. Just be CAREFUL and take it slowly at first. You have to get that close to not leave that extra two feet.

It’s also scary for some people to watch this. They’re just sure you’re going to hit the adjacent car. Some even scream. If anyone gives you grief, tell them if you actually HIT the car they’re on solid ground chastising you. But UNLESS AND UNTIL you actually hit the car, you don’t want to hear about it. Then make sure you don’t hit the car.

ETA: Generally, the steering wheel is only partly turned as you line up the close point to one inch away from the obstacle. The moment it’s lined up is time to go to full lock on the steering. After you’ve made the turn, you start to straighten at the appropriate time.

8

I’d recommend this.
Next time you are parked correctly and you’re leaving do it verrry slowly. Pay attention to where you are when your wheels start turning, when they’re straight, what direction they’re pointing when your body is even with the bumpers of the adjacent cars, etc.
Then replicate it in reverse.

9

Drive into the lot, staying as far to the right as possible (i.e. close to the row of cars already parked there).

As you go past your parking spot, turn the steering to the left. Ideally, when the front of your car is just shy of hitting the fence, the rear right corner of your car will be very close to the front left corner of the car to your right (the blue car).

Then turn the steering to the right as far as you can as you back into the space.