Author Topic: JediDefender Driving Thread  (Read 2933 times)

Offline Famine

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JediDefender Driving Thread
« on: March 13, 2005, 12:20 PM »
I take my road test tommorow at 8:30 am, and I thought I had everything mastered. I can do left hand turns no sweat, I know when to stop, go, what the speedlimits are everywhere, etc, 3 point turns...I could even parallel park...on my left side. But for some reason I cannot for the life of me nail the left side parallel park. Fine time to ask, a day before it, I know, but no one in my family can parallel park, so I cant ask them.

Can some one maybe suggest somthing I could try?

Kevin
« Last Edit: March 15, 2005, 04:18 PM by Famine »
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Offline Famine

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Re: Parallel parking...
« Reply #1 on: March 13, 2005, 01:48 PM »
Ok, so I figured it out...now just wish me luck for tommorow. I googled it, and found some teen driving website. I gots to turn my car to a 45 degree angle and then roll turn into the spot and pull forward, I just did it about 10 times, so it's all good.

Kevin
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Offline DSJ™

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Re: Parallel parking...
« Reply #2 on: March 13, 2005, 02:04 PM »
Nice to hear you figured it out and ran out and practised it. I haven't paralleled parked in years. When I took my test, I failed the first time but I nailed it a few days later.  ;)

Best of luck.  :)
« Last Edit: March 13, 2005, 02:04 PM by DSJ™ »

Offline Rob L

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Re: Parallel parking...
« Reply #3 on: March 13, 2005, 02:47 PM »
On my test I lucked out...got reversing around a corner and the 3 point turn.  To this day, 10 years later, I am still crap at Parallel parking.
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Offline JesseVader08

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Re: Parallel parking...
« Reply #4 on: March 13, 2005, 04:07 PM »
I was pretty lucky during my test - my examiner actually forgot to get me to do it.  But he was the same guy that I had practiced with and he had seen me do it before, so he wasn't too worried. 

I always find the biggest trick is to give yourself enough space between your car and the car that will be in front of you.  What I mean is, as you come to a stop on the street before even backing into the stall, make sure there's enough room between your passenger door and the driver's side door of the car you've stopped beside.  If you give yourself at least a foot, it'll help when you swing into the stall and won't have to worry about taking out each other's corners.

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                                |    (no charge for the artistic interpretation here)

Kick some ass, Kevin!   :D

But now I have a goofy question - what is a 3 point turn?  I'm sure I know what it is, but that term just seems to be escaping me.   ???

Offline Jedi Idej

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Re: Parallel parking...
« Reply #5 on: March 13, 2005, 06:09 PM »
When I was learning how to drive, I used to be excellent at parallel parking, left and right side. I remember thinking I would practice the manuevers regularly so I wouldn't forget how to do it.

After years of pulling into stalls and the driveway, I can no longer judge if a space is big enough for me to parallel park in. Whenever I need to parallel park, I pray noone's around to laugh at my 5-8 point adjustment.


Offline Famine

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Re: Parallel parking...
« Reply #6 on: March 13, 2005, 08:03 PM »
3 point turn is basicly a legal version of the u-turn.

Kevin
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Offline Famine

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Re: Parallel parking...
« Reply #7 on: March 14, 2005, 11:05 AM »
The prophecy is correct. I have passed my road test. I am now a licenced driver with no restrictions. :)


Kevin
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Offline CHEWIE

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Re: Parallel parking...
« Reply #8 on: March 14, 2005, 12:13 PM »
Congrats - awesome man.  Now you can go on toys runs whenever you please.

 :P

Offline Diddly

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Re: Parallel parking...
« Reply #9 on: March 14, 2005, 02:07 PM »
Just two months until I get my license...

Famine, just curious, did you take Drivers Ed.? Because down here, if we don't take it, we have to wait until the 18th birthday to get a license.
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Offline Famine

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Re: Parallel parking...
« Reply #10 on: March 14, 2005, 03:43 PM »
I am 18. I chose to wait. :)

Kevin
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Offline Mikey D

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Re: Parallel parking...
« Reply #11 on: March 14, 2005, 04:30 PM »
I'm amazed at how many people don't know how to parallel park.  Watching people in small cars (like a VW Bug) trying to park in a space I can get a bus in, I can't help but chuckle.  Living in the city for years, you learn to park in whatever spot is available, no matter how seemingly small it is. 

Common sense isn't so common

Offline Jediknight760071

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Re: Parallel parking...
« Reply #12 on: March 14, 2005, 06:30 PM »
Bad parking is funny to watch....I haven't taken the test yet (May 19th ;D) but I'm sure I could pass it today.

Parking was never a problem for me...I mean...I always had a good sense of where the car was supposed to go and if it would make it, so I rarely have to backup and try again.
I live in Orange County, but all that practice in Chicago REALLY helped...People drive so differently between the 2 cities it's astounding.

Offline Rob

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Re: Parallel parking...
« Reply #13 on: March 15, 2005, 02:02 AM »
In Florida parallel parking isn't part of the driving test - since it's rare that anyone has to do it.

I'm pretty damn good at it though if I do say so myself.


Offline Jesse James

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Re: Parallel parking...
« Reply #14 on: March 15, 2005, 02:09 AM »
Best thing on earth to parallel park, I'm 100% convinced, is the jeep.  My 2 friends each drive Wranglers, and I've never seen a car that you can put into the tiniest spots like that thing.

I'm not a Jeep fan myself...  They roll easily, they're not the best on gas (due to the 4wd), they're not good rides in the slightest (very rough/firm suspensions), but I tell ya...  In the city where roads are smooth, and parking tight, you really can't beat them...  Other than the gas mileage, which they're not horrible, just not great either.  Worse than my 6 cyl. car.

Jeeps though turn on a dime, and my buddy Dan's has squeezed into a space between two other spaces, and still left plenty of room for everyone to maneuver out.  It's really impressive.
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