How 2 Reverse When Space is Limited

[SnineT]

A lesson thread


Now this is based on using an S90 but I'd imagine most of the larger models will be the same and especially on the newer 2015 onwards ones,

This is my blog on it, before buying the S90 I measured my Hanger (garage) to make sure I had enough room to put baby to bed each night, I've had Omega's, Superb's and a last gen Avensis estate I almost bought in the past in there before and they went in really easily but you sat higher in them and the edges were trailing down where the S90 is like looking along a table

This resulted in width wise no problem but length wise I had 15 inches to play with (no smut please) which I divide into 6 off the door, 9 off the rear wall, however the car is almost as long as the swing in space in front of the garage and I've always had to back my cars into it anyway as going in frontal just doesn't work and makes it very hard to get back out again if the car is anything larger than say an Astra,

So assuming you have the same issue here's the best and easiest way to re-holster the car after you're done for the day, incidentally the issue on the S90 is her super styling also means you can only see and judge the back of it to the rear door handles unless you do what I'm about to suggest,


So here's the method,

Backing up the alleyway with the sensors doing their own cover of Whams Bad Boys I get my basic position and start my turn in which always leaves me looking like the passenger side is 50% gonna hit the wall and nowhere near where I need the back to be, getting out for a look though shows the car is marginally out from where it needs to be,

So going back as far as I dare at a / angle to the aperture I then go forwards as much as I dare and straighten off as I'm doing so so I'm now _ I-I _ to the target,

Now here's the magic, the problem I have with the S90 that I didn't with the others is the mirror's, some time about 12 years ago the mirror design was altered to help with blind spot detection on cars, this distorts the rear view when backing up making the car appear to be not where it is relative to the surroundings,

The tip now is to tilt both mirrors downwards until they focus on the lower door line and inwards and you'll find the rear of the car and the aperture of the garage start to show real positions, by now I'm going back and the sensors are now playing thrash metal, I try to keep the drivers side about 3 inches off the side as I know then I won't hit the passenger side (width is tight as well) I have some pointers once in to avoid hitting the rear wall as well as hanging some old rubber floor mats on the wall as a bumper stop, the rear sensor's will say SCHTOP! when I still need another 4 inches to be able to shut the garage door so the markers allow me to ignore the sensor without hitting the wall behind,

So mirror, glass only in and down, find your sweet spot marker on the walls either side and it's happy dayz "innit",


I know there will be others who can achieve this reasonably easy without help but there will be others who can't, using a banksman 1st time is helpful but now you might be able to let Mabel, Deirdre, Agnes, sleep inside rather than out in the elements,

Remember though, if you think it's gonna hit and you don't have someone watching you back it probably is gonna hit so reposition and try again or give up.

p.s a last minute thought I didn't include, when coming back out you must watch for tail swing, you may think you are ok but if you start your turn to get straight too early you will pivot the rear wing into the garage wall, mine requires me to come out then back up again changing the angle before I can then go forwards safely, it's also helpful to program your key so when you next use the car the mirrors will automatically go back to your normal driving position.

[EssexExile]

Wot - no cameras?

[SnineT]

Originally Posted by EssexExile

Wot - no cameras?

LOL, yeah, 40+k originally and no cameras, tbh I don't think the rear one would help much anyway as it distorts the dimensions thx to portrait mode.

Goin in bareback

[TeamG]

One aid that I like to use in this situation is to screw a length of 2”x4” down to the garage floor at exactly the distance I want to be from the rear wall. You can confidently drive back until you feel the wheels up against it.

[ITSv40]

Originally Posted by TeamG

One aid that I like to use in this situation is to screw a length of 2”x4” down to the garage floor at exactly the distance I want to be from the rear wall. You can confidently drive back until you feel the wheels up against it.

Another method is to hang a fluffy paint roller from the garage roof so that it touches the rear window when the car is in far enough.

[Pidgeonpost]

I had that arrangement in a previous place, but was always tripping over it. Now I have a loose short length of 6"x2" which works unless my Glamorous Assistant decides to move it to sweep the garage out.

[SnineT]

Thanks for all the other great idea's, glad to see I'm not the only one who has to be more considerate now when parking to avoid a visit to the body shop,

The 2x4 is a well suggested idea among garage users, the roller equally as effective and less likely to result in a trip to the dentist.

[DaveNP]

Originally Posted by Pidgeonpost

I had that arrangement in a previous place, but was always tripping over it. Now I have a loose short length of 6"x2" which works unless my Glamorous Assistant decides to move it to sweep the garage out.

During the first lockdown we dug out and graveled our front garden to accommodate our cars, we had some raised flowerbeds before so we redeployed some of the sleepers they were built with as bump stops in front of the lounge window. The error in our plan was to not secure the sleepers, I noticed the other day that where we keep bumping up against them they've moved backwards about 6 inches, we've got a few feet more before we go through the window but we'll have to revisit it before then

Regarding SnineT's plan to get into the garage, I've just given up working as a truck driver but over the years I've taught a few novices how to reverse an artic into a loading bay. One of my bits of advice to them was 'there's always going to be drama, you just choose where', in order to get into a tight space I advocated a lot of 'dramatic' maneuvering at the start to set oneself up for an easy push back into the tight space, a lot of people try to do one gentle turn and then there's a lot of expensive 'drama' as they hit the sides.
The other good bit SnineT has cottoned on to is using the exterior mirrors, another habit I picked up from truck driving, as it gives you a view down the side of the vehicle and allows you to see what clearance you have and where it's aimed at, obviously in a truck there's no rear windows to look out of but in many modern cars the view out of the rear and side windows is close to worthless for use when reversing too.

[100K+]

Originally Posted by SnineT

but length wise I had 15 inches to play with (no smut please)



.

That's a runway...
7 years ago I had a new brick garage built to replace the delapidated wooden structure I'd inherited when I moved in. I decided on building it 2 foot wider and 2 foot longer than the wooden one. It was also going to have a 2'6" front bench, with fitted draws and cupboards for my tools and other DIY stuff, rather than the previous 2 foot bench.
When I came to put the car away it wouldnt fit - or so I thought at first - how had I miscalculated so badly!!!
Well garages are sized externally, so 20 foot is the external size not internal, the walls have "ribs" reducing size further, the roller door is mounted on the inside of the backwall piers The P3 V70 is approx 100mm longer than the P2 V70.
So, I have only 2.5" to play with ( deffo no smut please) and I was not going to modify the front bench ,draws, cupboards so I use a golf ball hung off the roof to let me know to stop. Fortunately the front of the V70 is somewhat flexible, cos I don't always get it right"

Cheers
Bob

[SnineT]

Originally Posted by 100K+

That's a runway...
7 years ago I had a new brick garage built to replace the delapidated wooden structure I'd inherited when I moved in. I decided on building it 2 foot wider and 2 foot longer than the wooden one. It was also going to have a 2'6" front bench, with fitted draws and cupboards for my tools and other DIY stuff, rather than the previous 2 foot bench.
When I came to put the car away it wouldnt fit - or so I thought at first - how had I miscalculated so badly!!!
Well garages are sized externally, so 20 foot is the external size not internal, the walls have "ribs" reducing size further, the roller door is mounted on the inside of the backwall piers The P3 V70 is approx 100mm longer than the P2 V70.
So, I have only 2.5" to play with ( deffo no smut please) and I was not going to modify the front bench ,draws, cupboards so I use a golf ball hung off the roof to let me know to stop. Fortunately the front of the V70 is somewhat flexible, cos I don't always get it right"

Cheers
Bob

Mines got a standard size door on it and the rough size of it is 17x9.5 feet iirc, although I'm not glad you are sharing the pain it shows the pain is out there,

Your last line is why I felt the need to write this up as I knew if I had to concentrate other's would have to as well, I'm well versed in tight parking from an early age when I used to have to find homes for 30 cars & vans in a compound for 10 parked comfortably,

Funny thing with garages, even today you can get most cars in to them but actually being able to get out of the car afterwards is the real issue which is why I wouldn't buy a house with one that's the standard width.