posted August 10, 2014 07:41 PM            

I don't know what to do... does anyone else with 3H Saturn feel this way? Is there any hope for people like me? I NEED to drive. I am taking my 3rd exam in less than a few days...if anyone has any advice about how to parallel park for the test, I'd appreciate it, since I am getting so depressed that I can't do this, even with practice. It seems like I get it sometimes but then other times, I just don't, and this is the worst part. I feel like parallel parking is a guessing game I lose half of the time. I just need some kind of tried and true method so I can get this down pat!

posted August 10, 2014 07:49 PM            

I'm gonna be technical. What size is your car? Is the place where the parallel parking empty or do you have to park between cones or what?

If the car you're lining up with is long, don't align your mirror with their mirror as you might find that the back of your car is really close to the end of theirs meaning you won't be able to reach the side of the curb. Align it more towards the middle so you have space to back in. If it's normal or smaller then align your mirrors with theirs. After you do that, and you turn your steering wheel to the far right and that the front of your car is aligned with their back bumper start turning the wheel slowly towards the left as you back in so you don't hit the front of your car with their back. Keep looking at the mirror to see if you need to get closer to the curb. Usually, you'll see that you can't see the side of the curb quiet well when you're in the right position before you start turning your wheel to readjust your car as you back into the space further.

posted August 10, 2014 07:51 PM            

quote:

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Originally posted by Canadiangirl:
Don't feel ashamed about not passing the test. Just try to find a way to relax and not put so much pressure on yourself. I know its not easy to do but you'll find that you are more successful when you do this. I know what its like, I find driving stressful too but you need to just keep practicing and not worry about your age or how many tests you've taken.

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Thank you...I appreciate your reassurance. The big issue for me is that I don't want to keep having to rely on public transit for years. I want to be able to take road trips this upcoming year. I just want to know I can be a successful driver. I'm yearning to drive.

posted August 10, 2014 07:54 PM            

quote:

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Originally posted by PisceanDream:
Aww, I'm so sorry!

I'm gonna be technical. What size is your car? Is the place where the parallel parking empty or do you have to park between cones or what?

If the car you're lining up with is long, don't align your mirror with their mirror as you might find that the back of your car is really close to the end of theirs meaning you won't be able to reach the side of the curb. Align it more towards the middle so you have space to back in. If it's normal or smaller then align your mirrors with theirs. After you do that, and you turn your steering wheel to the far right and that the front of your car is aligned with their back bumper start turning the wheel slowly towards the left as you back in so you don't hit the front of your car with their back. Keep looking at the mirror to see if you need to get closer to the curb. Usually, you'll see that you can't see the side of the curb quiet well when you're in the right position.

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Thank you. It was a horrible day. I went to the driving place, which is 40 minutes from where I live now, and I just sucked so badly. I did well 2 weeks ago. But one week earlier, I had to go to another weird, creepy driving place and hated it. I felt really down and insecure and I messed up, so now my confidence has been shaken since.

posted August 10, 2014 08:11 PM            

quote:

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Originally posted by Canadiangirl:
You need to stop thinking that you're always going to take public transit. It doesn't help you with your parking because you can always practice, feel more confident and try again. Just think about what you're doing and try to forget about your previous tests. I'm sure you will get the parking down. Could you have an instructor or friend show you how to park again?

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posted August 10, 2014 08:12 PM            

Keep in mind I've been driving over ten years now. Never have had a ticket... Never been in an accident. I'm a great driver. It was the nerves. Saturn's delay--3H--short distance travel.

Hang in there. Keep your cool. I remember having to be very methodical in my head. "And now... I need to do this. Red light. Brake slowly. Don't pass stop line. Count to five while fully stopped. Look both ways..." Etcetera.

It calmed me down and made everything very manageable. Gave my over active mind something to focus in on.

posted August 10, 2014 08:13 PM            

1. Pull up alongside the car you're trying to park behind. You need to be close---like your side mirror almost hitting it close. Back up so the front bumper of your car is roughly between the rear wheels and middle portion of the other car.

2. Hold down the brake, turn the wheel ALL the way to the left and hold it there. Let go of the brake and slowly reverse. It helps to stick your head out the window so you can see when your front bumper clears the other car's rear bumper.

3. As soon as it's clear, look behind you (head out the window) and make sure you aren't about to hit the curb/wall with your rear tires/bumper (It'll look close no matter what. Don't worry that's normal.)

4. Start turning the wheel to the right and slowly continue to back up until the car has more or less straighten itself out.

posted August 10, 2014 08:15 PM            

quote:

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Originally posted by lvASTRO:
I have 3H Saturn. Passed my written with flying colors. Failed my practical road test FIVE times. All my friends had their licenses... I would stress out ad do something stupid and fail.

Keep in mind I've been driving over ten years now. Never have had a ticket... Never been in an accident. I'm a great driver. It was the nerves. Saturn's delay--3H--short distance travel.

Hang in there. Keep your cool. I remember having to be very methodical in my head. "And now... I need to do this. Red light. Brake slowly. Don't pass stop line. Count to five while fully stopped. Look both ways..." Etcetera.

It calmed me down and made everything very manageable. Gave my over active mind something to focus in on.

Good luck. Don't be discouraged!

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posted August 10, 2014 08:16 PM            

quote:

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Originally posted by sweet-scorpion:
Thank you. It was a horrible day. I went to the driving place, which is 40 minutes from where I live now, and I just sucked so badly. I did well 2 weeks ago. But one week earlier, I had to go to another weird, creepy driving place and hated it. I felt really down and insecure and I messed up, so now my confidence has been shaken since.

Thanks for trying to help me. My big issue is knowing when to cut left [counter clockwise]. I feel like I always cut it too far and hit the curb. I'm not quite sure how far I'm supposed to cut it right. (Someone said to line up the back seat with the first cones, and then cut left. I don't how accurate this is, though, since I've yet to test it out.)

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When you cut left depends on how far in you cut right. When you start backing in, make sure your steering wheel is already hard right. Once you see that the passenger car door is aligned with the cone *very slowly* start cutting left. If you go hard left, you're gonna hit the cone. Your mirrors are your best friends, if you don't see the curb on your right-side mirror then you're probably really close to the curb and should back in. If you hit the curb, move forward close to the cone and hard left it. Repeat that until your car is aligned. That'll fix it up but I don't know what their ruling is on that...

posted August 10, 2014 08:18 PM            

quote:

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Originally posted by Brontex:
0. Relax.

1. Pull up alongside the car you're trying to park behind. You need to be close---like your side mirror almost hitting it close. Back up so the front bumper of your car is roughly between the rear wheels and middle portion of the other car.

2. Hold down the brake, turn the wheel ALL the way to the left and hold it there. Let go of the brake and slowly reverse. It helps to stick your head out the window so you can see when your front bumper clears the other car's rear bumper.

3. As soon as it's clear, looked behind you (head out the window) and make sure you aren't about to hit the curb/wall with your rear tires/bumper (It'll look close no matter what. Don't worry that's normal.)

4. Start turning the wheel to the right and slowly continue to back up until the car has more or less straighten itself out.

You may need to pull up just a little then back up again to get it perfectly straight. Just go slow and use the rear view mirror for this part.
-----------
Go practice. A lot. Sometimes it's easier at night because your headlights/reverse lights reflecting off the other cars will give you a better idea how close they are. There's no shame in getting out to check your progress as you go either.

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Thank you for this!

posted August 10, 2014 08:23 PM            

quote:

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Originally posted by PisceanDream:
When you cut left depends on how far in you cut right. When you start backing in, make sure your steering wheel is already hard right. Once you see that the passenger car door is aligned with the cone *very slowly* start cutting left. If you go hard left, you're gonna hit the cone. Your mirrors are your best friends, if you don't see the curb on your right-side mirror then you're probably really close to the curb and should back in. If you hit the curb, move forward close to the cone and hard left it. Repeat that until your car is aligned. That'll fix it up but I don't know what their ruling is on that...

I know it's upsetting. I was mad when I failed my test because I was nervous and I put the car on N instead of R and I hit the curb. You'll get through it trust me. Don't let it frustrate you and keep your focus. Watch a lot of videos, they really help! Cheer up love, I'm sure you'll get it.

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Thank you. /hug/ I'm trying to visualize...do you mean that the cone should be aligned to the center of the passenger door, so the passenger seat lines up with the cone?

posted August 10, 2014 08:24 PM            

quote:

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Originally posted by Canadiangirl:
Good idea watching videos and keep practicing your driving. I know what its like to focus on the negative and be angry at yourself but it just causes you to freeze up and panic. I'm sure you have accomplishments with your driving that you should be very proud of yourself. Focus where you've done well and realise you can drive and you can nail parallel parking.

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posted August 10, 2014 08:24 PM            

quote:

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Originally posted by socialgraffiti:
I found this helpful:
http://lifehacker.com/the-right-way-to-parallel-park-step-by-step-1461902768

Good luck <3

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posted August 10, 2014 08:35 PM            

quote:

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Originally posted by sweet-scorpion:
Thank you. /hug/ I'm trying to visualize...do you mean that the cone should be aligned to the center of the passenger door, so the passenger seat lines up with the cone?

Thanks for empathizing with me and trying to help me. It means so much to me.

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Is the cone touching the curb or is it placed far away from the curb as though it's a car?

If it's the former, then when you cut right make sure the passenger door is lined up. Like the middle of it, a bit closer to the mirror. Then start backing in and cutting left slowly. If you feel worried you're gonna keep hitting the curb, don't hold hard right and back in for long. Hold it for a bit then start cutting left, if you're far... Adjust accordingly. This link is really helpful as well since it has animations.
http://www.wikihow.com/Parallel-Park

posted August 10, 2014 08:41 PM            

quote:

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Originally posted by sweet-scorpion:
Thank you for this!

Unfortunately on the exam you can't stick your head out the window and look to see how close you are, because you're parking on the right side of the street .

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Ew. Right. I was thinking about my parking space here since I have to parallel on a daily basis. But it is on the wrong side now that I think about it. Guess I'm kinda slow today.

When I park on the street I usually just look over my shoulder through the rear passenger window while I'm angling into position. My car is old and doesn't have power mirrors so I don't rely on them much. But there's definitely a lot more blind faith involved with clearing the front bumper.

posted August 10, 2014 09:08 PM            

quote:

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Originally posted by Canadiangirl:
You need to stop thinking that you're always going to take public transit. It doesn't help you with your parking because you can always practice, feel more confident and try again. Just think about what you're doing and try to forget about your previous tests. I'm sure you will get the parking down. Could you have an instructor or friend show you how to park again?

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I completely agree!

Remove all previous to that other than to learn from the previous.

I took a hands on test at work (which they have now eliminated because so many would fail). I took it 7 years ago. Failed, said eff that. 4 years later I did again, and failed.
Then a few years later I really wanted to get into this field of work.

I psyched myself out. I formed strategies being that I had seen it before and I just kept telling myself over and over that I would. I believed I would... And I nailed it.

Relax... And remove negative thinking. Clear your mind, think of how you will conquer what you're doing wrong or what makes you inconsistent.

posted August 11, 2014 12:30 AM            

quote:

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Originally posted by sweet-scorpion:
So, I have 3H Saturn in my natal. It's Retrograde in Pisces. I have taken my exam twice and have failed on both accounts. I cannot parallel park consistently. Some days I'll get it, and others I will not. I am crippled with anxiety on most days I drive. I am ashamed of myself, because I am turning 20 years old. I feel too old to be going through this.

I don't know what to do... does anyone else with 3H Saturn feel this way? Is there any hope for people like me? I NEED to drive. I am taking my 3rd exam in less than a few days...if anyone has any advice about how to parallel park for the test, I'd appreciate it, since I am getting so depressed that I can't do this, even with practice. It seems like I get it sometimes but then other times, I just don't, and this is the worst part. I feel like parallel parking is a guessing game I lose half of the time. I just need some kind of tried and true method so I can get this down pat!

[sorry if this is in the wrong forum, by the way]

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I believe in you. Keep practising. I was 27 hears old when I got my drivers and it took me three or four tries to get it. The final test when I got it was a close call. What helped me pass is that I talked through it all what I was doing, especially when it came to the uncontrolled intersection (cause that was a weak point in my tests before that).

The Gem Rising thing for me was to talk through it, is how it worked for me. I'm thinking more relaxation and focussing exercises before taking the test or the Neptunian concept of let's play pretend and picture the examiner as a friend or an old lady that you have to drive around on errands. An Rx in the chart can mean the energy is more internalized and guidance come from within.

posted August 11, 2014 12:50 AM            

Do you have any stress or anxiety technique you use to help yourself relax? I went through a period of getting anxiety attacks randomly in my car for no reason. I did some relaxations techniques and I haven't had them since (to be fair I was extremely low on B12 which was the real cause of the attacks).

posted August 11, 2014 04:32 AM            

quote:

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Originally posted by sweet-scorpion:
So, I have 3H Saturn in my natal. It's Retrograde in Pisces. I have taken my exam twice and have failed on both accounts. I cannot parallel park consistently. Some days I'll get it, and others I will not. I am crippled with anxiety on most days I drive. I am ashamed of myself, because I am turning 20 years old. I feel too old to be going through this.

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Too old??? Too old????

There are people I know their 30's that don't have a driver's license or are terrified of driving.

I got mine when I was 28 years of age. 8 years older than you- "oldie".

I was never "ready" to drive and felt really anxious behind the wheel when I was younger.

If you are not ready, you are just not ready.

Its hard to change Momentum from where it is ; since you have been feeling anxious about this issue for a while now.

Take what the others have said and get the technical details right so that you can gain some confidence.

Its all about confidence. And confidence is "knowing' what to do when/if something does not go according to plan- because it is seldom "smooth sailing" on the test day anyways.

It may rain, the instructor may be in a "mood", there could be traffic, there could be road repairs,the traffic lights may be malfunctioning,you may have to deal with an aggressive driver alongside you etc.

Secondly.Focus on the end result.Focus on on how it will feel after getting your license.Focus your attention in that space and avoid everything else.

Fail your drivers 1st time; focus
Fail your driver's 2nd time; focus
Fail your drivers 3rd time; focus
Fail your drivers...you get the picture. You have to focus on the end result.Only on the end result.

The nice thing about Saturn in 3h- and you might not see it now,is that it will make you an even better driver than those who got the license before you.

Because this was a "weak" spot that you learned to develop,it will thrive and become very strong- even 2nd nature. It'll be like you have been driving for 100 years.

I wish I could give you a hug.I know the feeling because I have been there.