No matter how much of your life you have spent driving, parking your car correctly in a compact garage can be a very challenging prospect. Everyone has seen someone struggle or experienced the struggle themselves of trying to fit their vehicle into a garage with only a few inches of clearance.
The best way to park in your garage perfectly is by using a precision parking sensor mounted to your garage wall, or whatever object may be directly in front of your vehicle when parked (Example: cabinet in the picture above). Using a sensor like this in combination with measuring your available parking space and placing markers on the garage's exterior to line up with your vehicle will make accurate garage parking much simpler.
As is the case with most things in life, however, the details are worth investigating. Especially if you have scratched mirrors from too many meetings with your garage door, take a look at these techniques and devices to help you park perfectly—every time.
For many drivers out there, most of the parking you do will be at night, and most garages don't come with adequate lighting right off the bat. If you find yourself struggling to see all around you when you are parking in your garage, you may need to consider upgrading your lighting. Most garages only have one light fixture to work with, and a single point of light is not enough to light up a room as large and intricate as a garage.
One option growing in popularity thanks to its ease of use and its fantastic versatility is the Multi-Point Illumination or MPI Garage ceiling Light from STKR Concepts. We have designed the MPI to work seamlessly with existing light fixtures as it only requires one fixture to function. Part of what makes this solution so valuable is that you only need a ladder and a bit of patience to set it up; no electricians are required!
Simply screw the MPI center into your existing ceiling light fixture, and then mount the other four light points into the drywall or studs in your ceiling. Run the cables from each lighting point to the center fixture, then slowly twist the outer light points until the cords are taut. This system will eliminate potential dangling hazards and provide a clean, precise look that will easily illuminate any garage.
Once you've added the MPI to your garage and you're finally able to see what you're doing, the next step is to look at some parking techniques that can help make you feel more comfortable squeezing into those tight parking spaces.
Even the smallest garage will usually have enough space to park at least one personal vehicle. However, the issue is that most of us use our garages for storing items that won't fit in the house, along with vehicular storage.
If you're uncertain if there is exactly enough space to park your vehicle in the garage alongside the other items, start by measuring the distance from the back wall of your garage to the door sensor in front of your garage door. Then, measure the length of your car bumper to bumper, and determine if you need to shift any items around in the garage to give it enough length to sit fully inside.
There are a few ways to practice parking in your garage without risking your building's walls or the sides of your car. One way to do so is by practicing parking your vehicle in a crowded parking lot between two other cars. Suppose you are a newer driver or just uncomfortable with the idea of practicing near other vehicles. In that case, you can also take the measurements of your garage from the previous section and use chalk or tape to mark them on an empty lot.
Whichever method you choose to use, ensure that you practice parking both forward and reverse. One aspect of parking that people forget sometimes is that no matter how you like to park in your garage, you will need to be comfortable with reversing and driving forward.
Many people struggle simply with getting their vehicle into position to move into the garage. If this is a hurdle you are working to overcome, try positioning your car perfectly one day when you have plenty of time to know the exact spot required. Once you've found the precise location, use a permanent marker or pieces of tape within the line of sight of your mirrors (or something else visible through your car windows) to give you a target.
It may take a few tries to get right, but if you can create perfect positioning markers, you will be able to get the ideal approach to park in your garage every time!
If all else fails and you are still struggling to get into the right spot to park your car, sometimes watching another driver do so can help. If you have a friend or family member who is a competent driver, watch them park inside your garage both from outside the car and inside. Getting additional perspectives can help some people who may struggle with the spatial awareness of their vehicle.
We've all seen the various devices that people use to position their vehicles in their garages. Sometimes it's a tennis ball suspended from the ceiling, or a couple of parking blocks littering the floor, or even lasers that inevitably end up shining in the eyes of the driver. Rather than dealing with these makeshift devices, it can be best to get the right device for the job.
The Adjustable Garage Parking Sensor from STKR Concepts takes all the guesswork out of parking your vehicle and doesn't litter the floor, ceiling, or walls with unsightly stopgap measures. It works by using ultrasonic adjustable range-finding technology that gives incredible precision and direction to park your car correctly.
You can mount the Garage Parking Sensor to the wall, shelf, or whatever surface is in front of your car. After it is in position, when you are beginning the approach into the garage, the sensor will show a green light to indicate that you should move towards it. It will turn to a yellow light to signify that you should slow down as you get closer, and finally, when your car is the desired parking distance from the sensor, it will turn red to show that you are in the right spot.
The best part about setting up the Garage Parking Sensor is how simple the process is. When you have your vehicle in the garage in the exact spot you want it, press the "set distance" button on the sensor, and it will memorize that position, and the red light will illuminate whenever your vehicle makes it to that spot. This precision not only makes finding the right place easy every time but having a color-coded light means it's just as easy to reverse as it is to pull into your garage.
Parking in a garage perfectly comes down to practice, preparation, and getting the right tools for the job. Whether you have a small single car garage or an extra-wide one, utilizing the space to the best of its ability will save you headaches down the road. Garages are one of the last parts of a home that people invest time or money into, yet commuters end up spending time in their garages every single day.
If you need to improve your garage, whether with the MPI system, or a precision Garage Parking Sensor, take a look at our website, where we provide practical solutions for common problems. We are passionate about lighting and even more passionate about helping our customers solve everyday life problems.
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