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I live in the city and park my car on the street. Good news is that I have super easy street parking. Some neighborhoods in Chicago will leave you driving around for like 30-45 minutes looking for a spot, but that was one of my deal-breakers for an apartment. So, lucky for me, I always have parking available right outside my door.
One of my friends tells me I'm the worst parallel parker. I mean, I'm not awesome, but I don't think I'm terrible. It's just that every time I happen to be with her her - like three times that I had to parallel park - I couldn't do it.
But the same thing happens to me, too, when I'm alone, like this morning.
I came back from the grocery store and the spot I left from looked like it would be a tight squeeze, so I went to the spot on the other side of the street. I got all ready to put it in reverse and parallel, and off I went, except I hit the curb too early, and had to try again.
So I pull my car back out into the street, and, with more carefulness, I make my second attempt. Slightly better, but still, no dice.
By this time, as I'm pulling back out into the street, I imagine my nighbors, all of whom have windows that face where I'm doing this parking (non-parking, rather) and I feel like they all *must be watching me. I get my car set to have another go, and with my utmost carefulness, I back up, into the spot. Once again, it doesn't work, and now I'm too close to the white car in front of me, and I don't want to hit my car on it, so I just throw in the towel, pull my car back into the street, drive up to the intersection to make a U-Turn, and go back to this other spot, down the block, that requires no paralleling.
And I finally park.
I guess my friend may be right about my parallel parking skills.
One of my friends tells me I'm the worst parallel parker. I mean, I'm not awesome, but I don't think I'm terrible. It's just that every time I happen to be with her her - like three times that I had to parallel park - I couldn't do it.
But the same thing happens to me, too, when I'm alone, like this morning.
I came back from the grocery store and the spot I left from looked like it would be a tight squeeze, so I went to the spot on the other side of the street. I got all ready to put it in reverse and parallel, and off I went, except I hit the curb too early, and had to try again.
So I pull my car back out into the street, and, with more carefulness, I make my second attempt. Slightly better, but still, no dice.
By this time, as I'm pulling back out into the street, I imagine my nighbors, all of whom have windows that face where I'm doing this parking (non-parking, rather) and I feel like they all *must be watching me. I get my car set to have another go, and with my utmost carefulness, I back up, into the spot. Once again, it doesn't work, and now I'm too close to the white car in front of me, and I don't want to hit my car on it, so I just throw in the towel, pull my car back into the street, drive up to the intersection to make a U-Turn, and go back to this other spot, down the block, that requires no paralleling.
And I finally park.
I guess my friend may be right about my parallel parking skills.
"Utmost carefulness" is such a great phrase. I know the feeling of being watched while attempting a tricky parallel parking maneuver. You found a great solution!
ReplyDeleteI think the fact that you even attempt to parallel park makes you brave. And that you are successful most of the time, a superstar parker!
ReplyDeleteYou're much braver than I am! I'm originally from Chicago and I didn't even own a car when I lived there! I still am a terrible parallel parker. At least you can make it sometimes.
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