Now I’m having flashbacks to my road test in Wakefield in November 200whatever, and the proctor making me parallel park on a curb that wasn’t even visible because it was covered in leaves.

Don’t take it in Wakefield. It’s probably the same dude from almost 20 years ago who yelled at me after the test while we sat in my mom’s car behind Old Mountain Lanes.

I don't know the reasoning of DMV. But I think that the ability to effectively parallel park is a clear demonstration that the driver knows where the wheels and the four corners of the car are located, and how the vehicle actually turns. If you can parallel park, you should certainly be able to park any other way. And if a car parks very close to you in a parking lot, you have the skills to be able to get out of your spot without hitting the adjacent car. An understanding of how the wheels work in parallel parking can be applied to other close maneuvering: one should be less likely to cut a corner too close and hit the curb, for example. Parallel parking requires a good understanding of close maneuvering which can readily be ported to many day-to-day situations.

Interesting explanation. I didn't think of the spatial awareness implications as opposed to simple "parking".

This! Before I knew how to parallel park, I side swiped a car being to close in a parking lot when I first got my license. This is so true. I wasn’t taught how to parallel park, I taught myself

Parallel parking wasn't on the test for me and gotta say I wish it did. It's a useful skill and knowing how to do it before you're trying to Parallel park on a busy street with pissed off drives would save a lot of stress and a lot of people hitting parked cars

I didn’t have to parallel park.. but that was back in 2013

I think I got lucky when I took my test. The instructor only had me reverse in a straight line along the curb.

I've always thought it was a good way to demonstrate a grasp the spatial awareness of the vehicle.

On the flip side, I had to back up like 100ft in a straight line during my driving test. I haven't come close to doing that since.

At the time, I figured it made sense. What if I'm trying to get away from a bad guy and I go down an alley, but then the bad guy is at the opposite end of the the alley because he anticipated my move? Now, I realize that I overestimated the likelihood I'd ever need to do that. Total waste of time.

Because most people don't live on a farm in the middle of nowhere their entire life and at some point drive into a city where they will have to parallel park.

How did you get your license?

When was the last time you parallel parked? I go into Providence fairly regularly and I don't think I have ever had to parallel park. Maybe on the East Sid on rare occasions, but not frequently.

At any rate, I'm not anti parallel parking, I just think it plays an outside role in getting your license when there are far more important skills.

What are you talking about? I parallel park in downtown every day.

I literally parallel park 2-5 times a day every day..lol

I think some of the other important driving skills have been removed with the COVID restrictions. The DMV tester couldn't be in the car, so everything had to be done in a parking lot. That removes things like taking a left turn in traffic, and turns it into a skills show. I don't know if they've removed the part about the tester being in the car yet, but that was my understanding.

Same. Taken in RI in 2018.

There was other parts of the test. They didn’t make me parallel park. I have no idea

This is why I can't wait for self driving cars to take over. Most people are bad drivers, don't know how to drive or park, damage other people's cars and property. Insurance rates should come down dramatically or cease to exist

We just had our daughter go through this last week! I suggest going to the Cranston DMV and watch the cars taking the test. They do it right in plain view in the parking lot. Had I known I would have taken my daughter to watch so she'd know what she was in for. They also have a video on youtube you can watch. It is so weird to me that they don't test on any kind of road. It's all about parking, stopping, a little back up and a turn. But she passed!

Good tip, thanks!

This has always been a big part of the test in all kinds of states. I think it speaks to a) city driving and b) control of your car and spatial awareness. The driver is in control of a hunk of steel that can kill. They need to show they can manuver it.

Did you test in RI? MA and NY def have it in the test and have for decades.

Okay I was 19 and wasn’t taught during the drivers test. How is that my fault? I know how to drive and park now. I said I taught myself to parallel park. This was the only time I hit someone and I was a new driver.

Pawtucket DMV?

Not sure why you're being downvoted. I live in Providence, never parallel park. The city's such that if you don't want to parallel park then you can simply route plan better and park down a side street and walk an extra 30 seconds.

Sure, if you don't want to risk burning more calories than you have to, and so insist on parking directly in front of wherever you're going, yeah, you'll probably have to do it.

I'm just saying I can't wait for self driving cars because people cause more accidents than ai. Not sure why you're getting so defensive and taking my opinion on self driving vehicles personally?

I took my test in august and there is a video on YouTube that takes you through the RI road test course and I REALLY recommend watching that. After watching the video a few times I went to a school parking lot after hours that has a bunch of cones in it and just arranged all the cones the exact way it showed in the video and I was able to practice the exact course until I felt comfortable. Truly I think that was the main reason of why I did so good on my road test

I also just want to say that the parallel parking portion of the test was quite easy and it was for sure the part I was most worried about. Also I’m not sure if you scheduled the appointment for providence or for Cranston but I did mine at providence and the instructors stand in the parking lot right next to your car and they really help talk you through it all!

Cranston testing site I think. It was next to Rogers Williams Park.

Took my driving test in Middletown in 2006, didn’t have to parallel park

Depending on where you are in Providence. I live in Providence and there is only parallel parking near my apartment.

I parallel park every day for work (Pawtucket). Besides that, I lived in another city for a while and had to frequently parallel park.

I like parallel parking.

I moved here from NYC when I was in my 30's. I didn't drive and took the test in RI in 1996. There was no parallel parking on the test! My son took the test in 2016 and there was no parallel parking. He can parallel park though, but I sure can't.

Same

So I took my driver's test in SC, and passed but did horribly with parallel parking. They still gave my license(this was years ago). I am 35 years old and still cannot parallel park well. I drive to Boston weekly and have to spend anywhere from 15-60$ for parking just for a few hours because I cannot parallel park. I have to research parking before going anywhere. I very much wish I had mastered parallel parking. It would make things much easier.

When I went in Pawtucket. They had me drive around the block and park along and empty curb. It was so weird.

Pawtucket. Took a right out of the parking lot. Next right. Another right. And then another right back into the lot. “You passed”. No shit.

Probably because it’s such an unpracticed but valuable skill. That being said, I didn’t have to do one for my test, just a 3pt turn

Same. The hardest part (for me back in 2001) was not going up on the curb when taking the first right out of the parking lot.

Backup cameras have really simplified parallel parking. So much easier now to know where you are - and how much more room you have. I learned how to parallel park in 73 Gran Torino Station Wagon with manual steering. It was not easy finding spots big enough for that land yacht.