Hello, Living in So Cal cities that have curbs along with steep sloping hills like Laguna Beach makes one wonder how to fit the cars like an El Camino or 327 powered sedan delivery safe when leaving the car. Some places have a ton of sloping streets and a ton of visitors that makes the parking situation worse. So, what are people supposed to do when in a sloping street parking situation. Well, for one, notice the flow of traffic and if possible, go around the corner to see if there is no slope to contend with when parking. That makes it simple. A lot of sloping streets have cross streets and those are usually not steep or angled up/down. Otherwise, the peak is shown and only a few spots are situated like that. a peak intersection is rare. If there are no level streets nearby, then one must learn the rules of uphill/downhill parking with your car. San Francisco is the epitome of a “hilly” or sloping streets and parking is always a joy to do… NOT. But, once learned, the safe parking rules do work. After I taught my wife to drive a stick shift car, the final test was to drive up the sloping Coast Highway along the Pacific Ocean though Santa Barbara up the Big Sur area and into San Francisco. It was a week long, get away reward vacation for my wife learning and passing with flying colors, the stick shift driving and parking. Also, a new aspect of driving called the “Hill Start.” She learned that not to park on slopes without using the parking brake, standard procedure. But also, a transmission in gear also helps. Finally, the difficult thing of being behind another stick shift car on a hill requires being back a car length or longer. Why? Upon stopping for a stop sign or light at a sloping hill intersection, when the light turns green, most stick shift cars will roll back a few inches to more than a foot before accelerating forward. This is due to the foot coming off of the brake pedal and jamming forward with the accelerator, as the clutch is let out. The time between the foot moving from the brake, moving to the gas pedal is enough to allow gravity to take over and make the car roll backwards in a small amount or a large amount. Then we all see the car roll back and then go forward with a jerking motion and away from your front end. If you are so close to that guy in front, he will roll back into you, before he goes forward. So, we always are a car length or more behind on a sloping hill. However steep or no so steep but enough to make the stick shift car roll back. My wife learned from me, in small increments as short sloping stop signs and progressed to steep roadway parking lanes, etc. It was a simple procedure that guarantees no rolling back upon starting. Using the clutch, brake, gas pedal and the hand brake lever. She passed with flying colors from So Cal to northern cities along the coast and a few days exploring San Francisco. It was the longest time I did not drive at all. She said it was her car and she had to know all about it. She passed with flying colors and a huge smile across her face… YRMV The general rule is trying to make the wheel hit the curb, if the emergency brake fails. That way, the car is blocked, before it rolls into traffic. Downhill makes you go into the curb and away from traffic. The last choice is always in play due to some communities and cities not having curbs and sidewalks. Laguna Beach has curbs, but parts of the city does not have curbs and therefore the “curbless” rule comes into play. no curb, then make it go facing into the slope away from traffic. Jnaki People have used all sorts of ways to park and some even say their parking brake never fails, so parallel parking will always be even with the curb. So, be it in most cases. BUT, that one time will be forever remembered and costly, as the traffic accident inspectors will note the direction of travel when cars collide.
The Jalopy Journal
