Photo: Foundry Co via Pixabay
Parking and starting your car on a hill are two challenging driving maneuvers. Here are some tips to help you accomplish these tasks like a pro when you’re driving an automatic transmission vehicle.
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Photo: Manfred Richter via Pixabay
Tips for parking on a hill
If at all possible, it’s usually best to avoid parking on a hill, as TopGear’s Leandre Grecia articulates. For one thing, you never know if or when an accident might occur as a result of your car or another person’s car that’s parked near it. And, from an auto maintenance viewpoint, regularly parking on a hill can cause premature wear on the braking and transmission systems, as well as inaccurate fluid readings.
However, if you absolutely must park on a hill, try to park on the least steep section of the incline and follow these steps. First, pick a parking space that’s big enough for your vehicle and that lets you maintain a generous space between your vehicle and the ones in front and behind it. That way, both you and other drivers have sufficient room to maneuver your vehicles safely in and out of their respective parking spots.
Next, use your indicators to signal to other drivers that you intend to park your car. Then use your mirror and turn your head to rule out any obstacles hiding out in your vehicle’s blind spots.
When parking your vehicle, make sure to park with the wheels turned away from the curb. This will minimize the chance that your vehicle will trigger a collision if by some small chance it should start rolling downhill.
Lastly, engage the emergency brake before turning off the ignition and exiting your car. You can also place wheel chocks behind your car’s wheels for an extra level of security when parking on a hill. It’s a wise investment especially if you frequently park on inclines, as Grecia suggests.
Photo: Pixabay
Tips for doing a hill start
If your vehicle is equipped with Hill Start Assist technology, as many modern cars are these days, you might assume you don’t really need to know how to do a hill start without it. But while HSA systems can help make a hill start safer and easier, it’s best not to rely too heavily on them, as PassMeFast Blog contributor Katie Scott advises. Even the best tech is fallible and an HSA-equipped vehicle could still roll backward in some situations.
When starting your vehicle on a hill, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, put your left foot on the brake pedal, then release the emergency brake. Check your mirror and blind spots to make sure it’s safe to maneuver your car back onto the road.
Next, shift the car out of park mode and into drive mode and gently press the accelerator pedal with your right foot. Once you feel the vehicle moving forward, immediately take your left foot off the brake pedal.
Apply more pressure to the gas as you travel smoothly uphill and maneuver your vehicle back onto the road. The steeper the incline, the more pressure you’ll want to apply to the accelerator, as Scott recommends.
Whitney Russell resides in Dayton, though her spirit can be found beach-bumming in Puerto Rico (the land of her half-Puerto Rican heritage). When not crafting car-related content, she can be found chasing after the most amazing toddler in the world, watching her “beaver” of a husband build amazing woodworking projects, hanging out with two crazy dogs, and visiting family and friends. She also enjoys traveling, crafting, and binge-watching period dramas when time allows. See more articles by Whitney.