People that know me on a personal level will tell you how much I hate parking my car! Don’t get me wrong; I’m not useless at parking, I just don’t feel that confident in doing so. I once remember buying a car that had tinted windows (from the factory).
It was OK to park during the day, but at night it was an absolute nightmare. In fact, I may as well have been driving a van. Visibility through tinted windows at night is non-existent!
If you hate parking too, you’ll sympathise with me when I say I try to avoid doing so if possible. Of course, some places are OK to park, such as the driveway outside my house. But, when it comes to parallel parking or going to a car park, it’s like my worst nightmare come true!
The good news is that technology can lend a helping hand and make life easier when it comes to parking your car. Today I’d like to share with you some tried and tested gadgets that make parking bearable. Check them out below:
Front and Rear Parking Sensors
There is one feature that seems to be almost standard across the board in today’s cars. I am, of course, talking about front and rear parking sensors. They work by using radar to detect the proximity of obstacles. As you get closer, an audible beeping noise gets heard.
You can have them fitted to any car. But, you may want to buy a car that has them as standard. Take a look at the Imperial Car Supermarket website to see some examples.
Smartphone
You might think it’s a bit strange talking about mobile phones on a blog post about car parking aids. But, you might not realise how important your phone can be when it comes to parking! Why? Let me explain.
Your Apple iPhone (or whatever phone you use) lets you download and install apps. You can get apps that tell you where your nearest car parks are located. That means you don’t always have to attempt parallel parking in a busy city street! Instead, you can just take your time browsing for a suitable space in a car park.
Reverse Camera
These “backup” cameras spring into action as soon as you select reverse gear. They offer a live video feed out the back of your car, so you can see how close you get to any obstacles.
Many of today’s cars often have them fitted alongside parking sensors. If you want to fit an aftermarket camera, I recommend the Sniper model sold on Amazon.
Park Assist
Last, but not least, you could always buy a car with built-in “Park Assist” technology.
In a nutshell, it finds a suitable space for you to park your car. It then controls the steering, while you take care of the accelerator and brake pedals. In effect, you have a semi autonomous vehicle!