woodman19_99 said:
Facing up hill or down hill doesn't make a difference, just steer the front wheels into the curb. Just think, if the breaks let go, where would you rather have the car go, down the street or bump into the curb?
well, not entirely right. if your parked against a curb on the right, facing uphill, then you want your wheel turned hard left, the wheels pointing towards the street. this way say brakes let go, the front wheels rest right on the curb- at least this way the car wont even back up enough to hit the car behind it. It depends on what way your facing and if your up or down hill, but like you said all you have to think is how the car would react if it slipped out of gear.
A manual tranny is easier to drive than an automatic once you know how- believe me, you can manuver the car much easier in high traffic with a stick. My new truck is automatic, and when i hit it trying to get around a slower car it takes a second or two for it to disengage, shift, and re-wind back up. By that time, in a stickshift, i would have nt even been able to see the guy in my mirrors anymore
Why does everyone get so bent on parallel parking? its not hard, just think of whats going on and
learn to use your mirrors . all of them, theyre much more usefull than it seems at first.
The key to driving is knowing the size of your car, i would go back to that parking lot (great place to learn) and set up cones in a line. Pull in front of that line, and try and back right up to it. Once you think the bumper is right on them, get out and look at the three feet you still have to go

Also, do this for the sides and even front. Knowing the clearances you can get away with goes leaps and bounds for parallel parking- mostly, when you see a guy try to park he doesnt even get his car close to the other parked cars, and then he wonders why it never works.