How do you park your car?

[The Brain]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fToRej14lCQ

[Barrister]

Is it even possible to parallel park without backing?

It isn't.

Yes, it is. In a rear-wheel-drive car. The reason for backing in is because front-wheel-drive cars (most passenger sedans and wagons) tend toward understeer going forward and oversteer in reverse- the opposite is true of rear-wheel-drive cars.

You're clueless.   

The terms oversteer and understeer deal with the tendency of a vehicle when it loses traction. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oversteer

You're right that in those kind of situations a rear wheel drive and a front wheel drive vehicle will typically behave quite differently.

Parallel parking has nothing to do with situations where you lose traction.  What makes a difference is that it is the front wheels that turn, which is true on both front and rear wheel drive vehicles.

[DGuller]

You're clueless.   

The terms oversteer and understeer deal with the tendency of a vehicle when it loses traction. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oversteer

You're right that in those kind of situations a rear wheel drive and a front wheel drive vehicle will typically behave quite differently.

Parallel parking has nothing to do with situations where you lose traction.  What makes a difference is that it is the front wheels that turn, which is true on both front and rear wheel drive vehicles.

I was going to say the same thing, but I wasn't 100% sure, and didn't want to start the debate.  As far as I know, oversteer and understeer have to do with car behavior at the limit, and I hope your car is not on the limit when you're parking.  You're also right about the fact that you steer better in reverse because rear steering is more sensitive.

[KRonn]

I usually pull straight in. I figure it's so much easier to back out of the spot rather than back in, making sure to be between the parking space lines and/or avoid adjacent vehicles. I just don't find it a problem to have to back out of a spot.

When parallel parking I back in, as that's, I believe, the best way to do it. It would seem to be easier to go straight in, but doing it seems to be more difficult when ever I bother to try that.

[DontSayBanana]

You're clueless.  

The terms oversteer and understeer deal with the tendency of a vehicle when it loses traction. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oversteer

You're right that in those kind of situations a rear wheel drive and a front wheel drive vehicle will typically behave quite differently.

Parallel parking has nothing to do with situations where you lose traction.  What makes a difference is that it is the front wheels that turn, which is true on both front and rear wheel drive vehicles.

Did you even read that before you linked it? There's a difference between oversteer in auto engineering and oversteer in drifting. It's the tendency of the leading wheels during cornering; the drive wheels will understeer because the drive axle is trying to push them in a straight line. The non-drive wheels will try to pivot around the drive wheels, so when turning with non-drive-wheels, extra force is applied to keep the car from swinging around.

[Barrister]

Did you even read that before you linked it? There's a difference between oversteer in auto engineering and oversteer in drifting. It's the tendency of the leading wheels during cornering; the drive wheels will understeer because the drive axle is trying to push them in a straight line. The non-drive wheels will try to pivot around the drive wheels, so when turning with non-drive-wheels, extra force is applied to keep the car from swinging around.

I did read the link.  I guess you read the link, but I don't think you understood it.

What does any of that have to do with parallel parking?  As DG said you shouldn't by anywhere near losing traction with either sets of wheels when you're parking.

[MadImmortalMan]

Is it even possible to parallel park without backing?

It's extremely easy in a forklift. 

[Barrister]

DSB, if it's any help I drive a rear-wheel-drive truck (well, 4x4, but it's usually in 2-wheel drive).  If it's a tight spot I can only parallel park by backing in.

[Barrister]

Is it even possible to parallel park without backing?

It's extremely easy in a forklift. 

Forklifts use their rear wheels to turn, don't they? 

[MadBurgerMaker]

I seem to be able to get by just fine without the need for backing up when parking both in a normal type spot in a lot, and when parallel parking (I mean backing up to...start the process...not just not backing up at all) on the road somewhere.  Of course, parallel parking on the street is silly when you have convenient parking garages and lots all over the place, so I don't bother with it much.

[Slargos]

Is it even possible to parallel park without backing?

It's extremely easy in a forklift. 

Forklifts use their rear wheels to turn, don't they? 

That's his point, yes. 

[Barrister]

Is it even possible to parallel park without backing?

It's extremely easy in a forklift. 

Forklifts use their rear wheels to turn, don't they? 

That's his point, yes. 

Just checking.

[PDH]

My little CRX that I had as an undergraduate could parallel park going forwards.  It could also do a u-turn in about a lane and a half.  With a tailwind it used to get 50mph...

[Capetan Mihali]

In Hahvahd Yahd.

[Admiral Yi]

Parallel parking has nothing to do with situations where you lose traction.  What makes a difference is that it is the front wheels that turn, which is true on both front and rear wheel drive vehicles.

Yeah mang.  It's the axis of rotation.