Parking

UltimateBMW · 11-27-2007, 07:19 PM

I have a little trick I use to use every time I parked, and the trick eventually turned into second nature that I just habitually do now. I was curious if anyone else used it or had heard of this.

Basically, the trick is that when I park my car (2001 330ci) I pull up and look just underneath the driver side-mirror and line up the top of the curb with just under the mirror housing. This puts the front of my car just about as perfectly into the spot and away from the curb as possible. The trick works when looking out on the passenger side-mirror if the curb extends that far without any visual obstructions. I've never really taken much chance to use it on other cars but I've found it worked on most BMW's.

madman · 11-27-2007, 08:24 PM

Maybe I'm having a dumb day, but I don't really understand?

!Xoible · 11-27-2007, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by madman

Maybe I'm having a dumb day, but I don't really understand?

+1

BMWGermany · 11-27-2007, 08:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by madman

Maybe I'm having a dumb day, but I don't really understand?

I'm with you. I have no idea what he is saying.

madman · 11-27-2007, 08:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by UltimateBMW

I have a little trick I use to use every time I parked, and the trick eventually turned into second nature that I just habitually do now. I was curious if anyone else used it or had heard of this.

Basically, the trick is that when I park my car (2001 330ci) I pull up and look just underneath the driver side-mirror and line up the top of the curb with just under the mirror housing. This puts the front of my car just about as perfectly into the spot and away from the curb as possible. The trick works when looking out on the passenger side-mirror if the curb extends that far without any visual obstructions. I've never really taken much chance to use it on other cars but I've found it worked on most BMW's.

Do you think you could draw us a little diagram as it appears im not the only person confused.

Perhaps even put a little video together of your technique and post it on YouTube?,

I would love to see it.

Personally if its a tight squeeze and I can't see my reflection in a shop window, I just get the wife to guide me in.

.....the parking space that is

pokerface · 11-27-2007, 10:05 PM

that depends on how tall you are and the position of your seat.

RenaultOne · 11-27-2007, 10:07 PM

I am going to try that on my Ford F-650 Super Cab Twin Turbo Diesel.

madman · 11-27-2007, 10:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RenaultOne

I am going to try that on my Ford F-650 Super Cab Twin Turbo Diesel.

lol...What, you mean you actually understood the explanation?

RenaultOne · 11-27-2007, 10:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pokerface

that depends on how tall you are and the position of your seat.

+1

RenaultOne · 11-27-2007, 10:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by madman

lol...What, you mean you actually understood the explanation?

Actually i understood what the dude was saying.

Year's_End · 11-27-2007, 11:44 PM

I didn't.^ I can't get the angle of what he's describing.

UltimateBMW · 11-28-2007, 02:03 AM

H-ok, so

Your sitting in the driver's seat. You pull into a parking spot but do not pull all the way in yet so as to leave yourself room to use the technique. When etching closer to the curb you look at your side view mirror, the one outside of the car on the driver's side. Then you watch just below the mirror for the curb to appear, and when you see the top lip of the curb come into line of sight you stop. This leaves your car a few inches away from the curb in a perfectly distanced resting spot.

I didn't think my explanation was too bad, it just utilizes simple line of sight. If you dangled a ring underneath your side view mirror you would look through the middle of the ring for when the top of the curb appears into view.

Anyways, my thread was also asking if you guys use any techniques personally to park. It doesn't have to be the same as mine and since 90% of you didn't know what the hell I was going on about I imagine you don't.

UltimateBMW · 11-28-2007, 02:12 AM

Yellow = curb
red = where you look

89andy · 11-28-2007, 05:32 AM

I will try this sometime, so this is for when your are stall parking in forward mode, correct? So as soon as I see the curb from under the driver-side mirror, that is when I stop and I will be at a proper distance away from the curb? Sounds like a good technique.

UltimateBMW · 11-28-2007, 05:38 AM

You got it. This technique has worked for me for years.

jonerik26 · 11-28-2007, 05:45 AM

oh i get it now....the first time i read the post, i thought you were looking directly into the side mirror....so i figure it was a trick for parking backwards. but i get it now, interesting....i'mma try it out.....thanks for the tip.....hope it'll work.

UltimateBMW · 11-28-2007, 06:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by UltimateBMW

Basically, the trick is that when I park my car (2001 330ci) I pull up and look just underneath the driver side-mirror and line up the top of the curb with just under the mirror housing. This puts the front of my car just about as perfectly into the spot and away from the curb as possible. The trick works when looking out on the passenger side-mirror if the curb extends that far without any visual obstructions. I've never really taken much chance to use it on other cars but I've found it worked on most BMW's.

Probably would of helped if I specified it was for a stall parking space though. Not a parallel spot.

madman · 11-28-2007, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by UltimateBMW

Probably would of helped if I specified it was for a stall parking space though. Not a parallel spot.

OH....You mean the curb at the front of the car, not at the side?

I thought this was to prevent messing up your wheels scraping them down the curb.

now i understand

pokerface · 11-28-2007, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by UltimateBMW

Yellow = curb
red = where you look

wow. I guess this technique works for Audis too?

spacedogg · 11-28-2007, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pokerface

wow. I guess this technique works for Audis too?

It's a factory option.

BeMyWife330i · 11-28-2007, 01:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by UltimateBMW

I have a little trick I use to use every time I parked, and the trick eventually turned into second nature that I just habitually do now. I was curious if anyone else used it or had heard of this.

Basically, the trick is that when I park my car (2001 330ci) I pull up and look just underneath the driver side-mirror and line up the top of the curb with just under the mirror housing. This puts the front of my car just about as perfectly into the spot and away from the curb as possible. The trick works when looking out on the passenger side-mirror if the curb extends that far without any visual obstructions. I've never really taken much chance to use it on other cars but I've found it worked on most BMW's.

+1 i didnt get it at first,i thoutgh you were talking about parallel parking but after reading all the comments and the picture u provided ive been doing this for about eight months and it works out perfectly, i get close to the curb just enough not to scratch it. i dont know if it works on other cars but i park it like that everyday by my work using this method.

UltimateBMW · 11-28-2007, 05:38 PM

Very cool. Glad to hear I'm not the only one doing that. I hope to hear back on some of the guys that said they would try it. And yes I am pretty confident it would work in any car with a similar driving position to both a Audi A4 and a BMW 3 -series.

11-27-2007, 07:19 PM	#1
UltimateBMW Brigadier General 425 Rep 3,287 Posts Drives: MP4 Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: South iTrader: (0)	Parking I have a little trick I use to use every time I parked, and the trick eventually turned into second nature that I just habitually do now. I was curious if anyone else used it or had heard of this. Basically, the trick is that when I park my car (2001 330ci) I pull up and look just underneath the driver side-mirror and line up the top of the curb with just under the mirror housing. This puts the front of my car just about as perfectly into the spot and away from the curb as possible. The trick works when looking out on the passenger side-mirror if the curb extends that far without any visual obstructions. I've never really taken much chance to use it on other cars but I've found it worked on most BMW's.
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11-27-2007, 08:24 PM	#2
madman Major 119 Rep 1,252 Posts Drives: The Above Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Lincolnshire, UK iTrader: (0)	Maybe I'm having a dumb day, but I don't really understand?
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11-27-2007, 10:05 PM	#6
pokerface Colonel 443 Rep 2,531 Posts Drives: F25 X3 N20 / F80 ZCP Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Toronto iTrader: (1)	that depends on how tall you are and the position of your seat.
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11-27-2007, 10:07 PM	#7
RenaultOne First Lieutenant 19 Rep 302 Posts Drives: BMW E90 328i Jet Black Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: LA / University of California, Berkeley. iTrader: (0)	I am going to try that on my Ford F-650 Super Cab Twin Turbo Diesel.
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11-27-2007, 11:44 PM	#11
Year's_End Lieutenant General 1234 Rep 12,446 Posts Drives: 2020 Shelby GT350 Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: FL iTrader: (0)	I didn't.^ I can't get the angle of what he's describing. __________________ Past: '08 E92 335i\|ZPP\|ZSP\|6AT Past: '15 Mustang GT\|401A\|PP\|6MT Current: '20 Shelby GT350\|6MT
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11-28-2007, 02:03 AM	#12
UltimateBMW Brigadier General 425 Rep 3,287 Posts Drives: MP4 Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: South iTrader: (0)	H-ok, so Your sitting in the driver's seat. You pull into a parking spot but do not pull all the way in yet so as to leave yourself room to use the technique. When etching closer to the curb you look at your side view mirror, the one outside of the car on the driver's side. Then you watch just below the mirror for the curb to appear, and when you see the top lip of the curb come into line of sight you stop. This leaves your car a few inches away from the curb in a perfectly distanced resting spot. I didn't think my explanation was too bad, it just utilizes simple line of sight. If you dangled a ring underneath your side view mirror you would look through the middle of the ring for when the top of the curb appears into view. Anyways, my thread was also asking if you guys use any techniques personally to park. It doesn't have to be the same as mine and since 90% of you didn't know what the hell I was going on about I imagine you don't.
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11-28-2007, 02:12 AM	#13
UltimateBMW Brigadier General 425 Rep 3,287 Posts Drives: MP4 Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: South iTrader: (0)	Yellow = curb red = where you look
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11-28-2007, 05:32 AM	#14
89andy First Lieutenant 17 Rep 354 Posts Drives: E92 328xi Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Vancouver, BC iTrader: (0)	I will try this sometime, so this is for when your are stall parking in forward mode, correct? So as soon as I see the curb from under the driver-side mirror, that is when I stop and I will be at a proper distance away from the curb? Sounds like a good technique. __________________ 2007 E92 328xi sapphire black / black leatherette / step / premium / iDrive / sport seat / pdc / GP thunder angels / 35% tint / matte black grille / 6000k hid fog / 6000k D1S / led license plate / painted reflectors / m3 spoiler
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11-28-2007, 05:38 AM	#15
UltimateBMW Brigadier General 425 Rep 3,287 Posts Drives: MP4 Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: South iTrader: (0)	You got it. This technique has worked for me for years.
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11-28-2007, 05:45 AM	#16
jonerik26 Lieutenant Colonel 59 Rep 1,906 Posts Drives: black 335i e90 PRE-LCI Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: somewhere iTrader: (23) Garage List 2007 335i [8.00] 1998 Acura Integra [8.50] 2006 325i [8.00]	oh i get it now....the first time i read the post, i thought you were looking directly into the side mirror....so i figure it was a trick for parking backwards. but i get it now, interesting....i'mma try it out.....thanks for the tip.....hope it'll work. __________________
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11-28-2007, 05:38 PM	#22
UltimateBMW Brigadier General 425 Rep 3,287 Posts Drives: MP4 Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: South iTrader: (0)	Very cool. Glad to hear I'm not the only one doing that. I hope to hear back on some of the guys that said they would try it. And yes I am pretty confident it would work in any car with a similar driving position to both a Audi A4 and a BMW 3 -series.
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