5 Tips for Parking a Manual Car (Especially on a Hill)
Parking a manual car can be a scary experience, especially on a steep hill. The only thing stopping you from getting your car downhill is the gear lever and handbrake.
But with a few key tips on technique and preparation, you can park easily and safely. Anticipate the uphill or downhill slope, squeeze the clutch, turn the wheels strategically, and you can use first gear and the handbrake to safely hold your position. With a little practice, you too can be a parking pro.
5 Tips for Parking a Manual Car
Below are our top 5 tips for parking a manual car. The two gears you need to be most careful with are 1st gear and reverse gear.
1) Leave 1st gear engaged
Manual cars don’t have a parking gear like automatic cars. This means that when you park your car, you should get into the habit of putting your car in 1st gear after shutting off the engine.
If you leave your car in neutral even on the slightest incline, your car will simply roll and can cause all kinds of damage. As an added precaution, you can also apply the emergency brake.
This can be a lever that you pull up with your hand, a small pedal that you press down, or a button (for an electronic parking brake).
2) Parking on a hill
Even if you park on a hill with the emergency brake applied, your car can still roll over if you are not in the right gear. Choosing the right gear depends on which way your car is facing on the hill.
1. With your car facing uphill, put it in first gear and turn it so that your front wheels are facing away from the curb.
2. With your car facing downhill, put your car in reverse and turn it so that your front wheels are facing the curb.
Of course, always keep your handbrake lever on, no matter what gear you’re in. More tips for parking on a hill with a manual transmission:
1. As an added safety measure, if you’re parking on a steep hill, you can put car bollards on the curb. These wedge-shaped blocks are tucked behind the wheels and form an extra barrier to stop you rolling off.
2. Before parking on a steep road, practice on a small, flat hill. Find a flat area to hone your skills, too. 3. When parking on a slope, get an experienced manual driver to help you the first few times. He can teach you how to steer correctly and use the handbrake.
The key is to drive slowly, pay attention, and develop good habits. Don’t rush when scouting the parking lot, squeeze the clutch, smoothly shift into first gear, and apply the handbrake firmly. If you practice parking uphill and downhill repeatedly, it will become second nature.
3) Parking Away
When parking between two vehicles on level ground, it is often recommended to put your vehicle in neutral. This is rare, but it protects the transmission if someone accidentally hits you. As always, use the emergency brake in conjunction with idling.
4) Parking Away
When you pull into a parking space at work or in your driveway and park your car, you will usually shift into first gear and then use the emergency brake. However, you can use reverse gear and it will not cause any problems.
The only exception is if the parking lot is on a steep hill. However, most parking spaces are on level ground. You will not be parking between two cars, so do not use neutral.
5) Backing Up
If you are backing up to park your car in a parking space at work or in a driveway, you should back up your car and then leave it. Staying in first gear may be okay, but when backing into a parking space, it’s better to stay in reverse rather than driving forward into it.