uboma: It irritates when I see parked vehicles with the front tyres not in a straight position, they are either turned to the right or to the left. When parking my car, I ensure that the wheel is straight. How do you park yours?

chimchim1:
I have bin driving 4 a long-time now though it has not happened to m̶̲̥̅ƹ bt I understand wat he's trying to say as it expected dt U̶̲̥̅̊ aя̩̥̊ε̲̣̣̣̥ d only same person on d road wen it comes to driving. I hope it makes some senses to U̶̲̥̅̊. ° • · ♥·♡ τнäиκ$♥·♡ · • °

uboma: It irritates when I see parked vehicles with the front tyres not in a straight position, they are either turned to the right or to the left. When parking my car, I ensure that the wheel is straight. How do you park yours?

mufutau55:

Actually you are parking your car wrongly. Your front tires supposed to face right or left based on what side you are parked, either on a uphill, downhill or on levelled street.. You are supposed to park so that if the car rolls, it does not roll to the street or highway.. parking with the tyres facing the right or left will prevent this. If you ever drive overseas, that will make you FAIL your driving test in a jiffy.

Hajji Mufutau

Teletexter: HOW DOES THIS NOW AFFECT THE PRICE OF GARRI

uboma: It irritates when I see parked vehicles with the front tyres not in a straight position, they are either turned to the right or to the left. When parking my car, I ensure that the wheel is straight. How do you park yours?

Parking on a hill

When parking facing downhill, turn your front wheels towards the curb or right shoulder. This will keep the vehicle from rolling into traffic if the brakes become disengaged. (Diagram 2-43 A).

Turn the steering wheel to the left so the wheels are turned towards the road if you are facing uphill with a curb. The tires will catch the curb if it rolls backward (Diagram 2-43 B).

When facing uphill without a curb, turn the wheels sharply to the right. If the vehicle rolls, it will go off the road rather than into traffic (Diagram 2-43 C).

When parking on a hill, always set the parking brake and move the gear selector into park, or shift into first or reverse gear if your vehicle has a manual transmission. Turn off the engine and remove the key. Check for traffic before opening the door and remember to lock your vehicle.

uboma:

Thanks for providing the link. The uphill parking is well understood now but parking on a level road with the wheels not in a straight position is still something some drivers need to work on.

life_style: Don't have a car yet but when i buy one, i will park well.

Siena: Somorin is very correct with regards to pointing the wheels to the kerb in the direction of gradient (if there's one). Parking brakes can fail, true. This is also encouraged by Driving Standards Agencies, who have little interest in mechanical wear. But with a lot of these cars being automatics, the P position is selected for parking anyway, and unlike the brakes, this is a mechanical lock inside the transmission, a pawl than drops onto a slot or cog. An automatic automobile in P ain't going anywhere.

The electric pump used in the Toyota MR2 (which I'm using in my Audi A4 V8 DTM) is not exempt either. Once fluid pressure is built up in the pressure side (full lock) and the motor's killed, that pressure remains, it will only drop if there's a slow leak.

And of course with manual, you can select 1st gear, in addition to the parking brake being engaged, to prevent roll away on a gradient.

When you turn your wheels full lock, the natural self-centering built into the rack tries to move the wheels to a more neutral position. With power-assisted steering, more so, due to hydraulic resistance. If you hold your wheels at full lock, then switch off the engine, the wheels kick sharply to a more neutral position. There will be hydraulic pressure maintained in the high-pressure line (pump to rack). This is why when you try disengaging the steering lock, you need to excert considerable force by turning the wheel further full lock, otherwise you can't turn the key.

This same force is held by the steering lock, and causes premature wear on the locking pawl. Excess pressure held in the hydraulic high pressure line will eventually damage it. Bulges, due to weakened hoses will eventually rupture, dumping the fluid. In more extreme cases, the seals in the high pressure side of the steering rack or box will fail.

Of course, everyone's responsible for their own automobile, and can treat them as they wish, I see some members on here sneering at this thread, and dismissing all they've read. Again, their choice. But when they decide they require assistance, we know where they'll be heading for, and help! threads will spring up like a rash.

Drive safe everyone!