Nov 20, 2009
Bossy’s Favorite Things
Parallel parking.
Not only can Bossy get her car into impossibly small parking spaces, she does it utilizing only one reverse and one forward adjustment. Oh yeah, Bossy rocks the parking space, always has and always will. As her grandfather Walt used to say, “Just like a body in a coffin.”
bossy’s car in red. Stay tuned for a tutorial.
I dare Bossy to parallel park my truck.
Miss Farm girl and ample-town-parking suburban lady here is the most useless parallel parker ever.
–>I can rock some parallel parking too because I do it every day downtown. I learned how to do it in Philly actually.
The key is to turn when your steering wheel is passing the tire of the car in front of you. Good job!
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Love it! My husband has actually gotten out of the car so I can slide over and park the car in a crazy small place! What a guy!
I’m totally with you on this one, Bossy. This is probably the one skill I have that actually impresses guys.
I rocked the paralell parking for years in the city with a huge Expedition. It is such a breeze now with my new Maxima that has a reverse camera!! However, apparently the lady who paralleled behind me last Saturday could use the tutorial as she was ON my bumper when I returned. Her insurance now owes me $600 for repairs. Fun TImes.
I learned how when I lived on a busy street. You parked fast or got hit. Very motivating. I can hardly wait to see how you explain this in diagrams!
After creating a flat tire by rubbing off the stem valve of a tire on a curb in Driver’s Ed with 3 boys in the car, I was so embarrassed that I HAD to teach myself how to do it right that next weekend. I became not as expert as Bossy..but at least competent.
Learning to parallel park an automatic is one thing, being able to do it in a 5 speed is a whole different level. On a hill even. I rock.
I rock at parallel parking too, but here’s the challenge: on a steep San Francisco hill. Nothing like that to increase your skills dramatically – and it is OK to kiss both bumpers, front and back.
I need that tutorial ASAP —- dd just doesn’t get it — she needs a simple explanation from someone other than her parents.
Not only can I park my car that well, but I can park a school bus that well too. Whatcha got now Bossy?
I’m 42 and it is one of my proudest accomplishments.
I learned to parallel park back in San Francisco, too…in a 1961 Ford Econoline van. Backwards, uphill, with a three speed and a bad clutch!
You can always tell a San Franciscan’s park job…we never forget to curb our wheels…
Now I have Bossy’s car in green. Much easier to park than a van!
I need a tutorial because I am 31 goddamned years old and I can’t pass my driving exam because of it. so my mom has to take me to the mall when I want to cruise guys at the food court. so embarrassing.
I’m ashamed of my lack-of-depth-perception-self. Parallel parking makes me break out in hives, and I’m envious of your ability to squeeze into that tiny space. I would just have driven around desperately crabby, finally giving up and going home for a glass of wine. Or two.
I love our many giggles at the shore watching car after car trying to parrallel park in a spot large enough to fit two hummers… ah, the good times.
I freely admit I suck at this. Don’t know why but it is not one of my strengths. My instincts are great and I am a great driver but my parallel parking is for the birds. Lack of use I suppose.
Once in Great Barrington, MA I parallel parked and when I got out to put money in the meter, two guys on the sidewalk clapped. I bowed and said, “And this car’s a stick shift.” Seriously, if I ever was in the Miss America pageant parallel parking would be my talent. I’d have my old Ford Explorer right up there on the stage and I’d parallel park for America.
I used to park my car when I’d get home late at night in DC in spots with maybe 3″ to spare – and it was a stick shift without power steering. I rock the parallel parking too!
Me toooooo! In a giant old full-size station wagon, no less. And I love how many of Bossy’s other readers claim this same fame. My best-ever (to date) was right in front of a big ol’ jacked up pickup truck, four times the size of my wagon, it seemed, driven by a clearly skeptical teenaged hot dog whose girlfriend had her feet up on the dashboard and was laughing and pointing at me when I stopped in front of them to grab the space. Two seconds later, she was giving me a seriously-impressed thumb’s up, and he tipped his hat when they pulled past me. Yeah, baby! Sweet — so very sweet!
I can’t wait for the tutorial because I can’t parallel park worth a damn.
Does Bossy also give cooking lessons?
Jealous! I can only parallel park well if nobody is watching. I crack under pressure.
I learned to drive in a city, in the middle of January, so I can also rock the parallel park (or PAHK if you grew up in Southeastern New England.
My daughter is equally proud of her parallel parking. Her friends are envious
Apparently Florida kids only learn to drive in empty grocery store parking lots
Me too! This may be the most valuable skill I have and I wish I could parlay it into millions. Seriously, I can park any size car or truck on any city street. I learned in Philly but have perfected it in Chicago.
I am not that talented. I thought I was terrible until I was with a friend who was going to park 3 miles away rather than attempt parallel parking. I did it for her. She was impressed and I was happy I was better than somebody.
Walt cracks me up! “body in a coffin…”
When I was 16, I didn’t know one needed a certain amount of finesse and skill to parallel park on a HILL in a stick shift. I managed to find a spot on the ONE hill in sticks-flat LA. I wrecked the back of my brand new car (don’t judge me) because of course the truck behind me had some weird sticky-outy pointy-jabby thingy on his front grill, of course. *shivering at that memory*
I rock the parallel parking too. Our family car was a Suburban when I took driver’s ed at 15. It’s a surprising skill, considering otherwise my husband pretty much mocks my driving and navigation skills. And then I’m all, “but do you need me to park for you?” haha.
Don’t get too cocky! I did the same thing. I was a master at parallel parking (still am), but one time I said it out loud. While showing my friend just how easy it was to parallel park a car in Old Town Alexandria (circa 1981), I bashed in the rear passenger door of my 1976 Dodge Dart Swinger! Hmmmmm…. was that before or after schooners at Fish Market?
Bravo! My shining parallel-parking moment was on a perilously narrow, steep Boston street in a 24-foot, stick-shift UHaul when I was 18 and helped move my sister to her apartment in college. It was a life-changing moment…now I think I can do ANYTHING!