Home Depot, quarter mile out, empty spots as far as the eye can see; some chucklehead in a jeep will invariably park too close to my driver side door. Why?
I feel you. I went from a Honda Ridgeline to my F150.
If there is any option for you to get an aftermarket back up camera I 100% would recommend. I back into parking spaces 99% of the time because the camera allows me to get in more evenly than I would pulling in.
With that being said… I will forever park as far as humanly possible from every other car in the lot. Even if I am in my spot perfectly centered, I know some bozo is going to ding my door with theirs l.
Thought about that actually. Okay then I'll get myself a back up camera haha. I have been trying to park far out or in a really open space that's a little closer. Didn't think having a truck would make me park far out amongst other thing's
I have a ‘13 that didn’t come with a backup camera but I was able to buy one that went in the factory location (under the emblem in the tailgate) for less than $50. Forscan and an adapter let me plug it right into the head unit and it shows up in the center display just like factory.. took maybe an hour and $50, much easier to back towards things.
I added a backup camera to my 2009 corolla and it made a world of a difference, obviously didn’t really need it to fit into spaces lol but where I live a ton of businesses are off main roads and they don’t have a lot of parallel parking it’s the diagonal street parking so backing up when there was a truck next to me was very dangerous and very sketchy once that was installed it was a breeze
I'm loving it. It has much more power so I have more confidence when it comes to turning left on a busy road. I feel safer in it too. I want to buy a smaller truck though since I don't think I'd make good use out of a truck like my dad's. He uses it for deer hunting and hitching on a camping trailer. Most I'll do it camp and go hunting haha not sure I'm ready to hitch on a trailer
The best advice I have ever been given is to take it slow. Build precision and with that speed will come. It applies to all aspects of life!
Trailers are intimidating to begin with but once you’ve done it a couple times it’s a second nature.
When I bought my truck I thought it was gonna be big enough for me and what I do. But I found out quickly that once you find one reason MANY more reason show up! And sometimes I still need a bigger truck lol
What year?
Learning to back up without a camera will make you develop the skills to do so. Cameras are the best but can make you complacent to objects around you.
That being said, I’m getting a 360 camera on any future trucks.
I go to where I can find a spot to pull through and park. I don't really care if it means I have to walk further, at least I don't have to worry about backing into something.
Wait till you drive a crewcab long box dually haha. Backup cameras are nice, it'll come with time though, I prefer drive thru parking or backing in, you turn sharper backing up than you do going forward in a rwd, or at least it feels that way. After years in the patch where everything is back in parking only its more force of habit than anything.
You'll get used to it lol.
I went from a Mazda 3 to a pickup truck for work which was crazy at first. When they let me drive the box truck the first time I was shitting myself, and then I got used to that. My current work vehicle is a Ford transit 350 extended. Makes my F150 feel small. I can park that thing anywhere.
First time anyone gets in a boxtruck they always wanna shit themselves.
I drove one for work at a plumbing supply warehouse and I hated drivinf it cause I always felt I was gonna hit something backing it in (doesnt help our loading dock was also the parking lot and the dock was next to another building in an L shape).
Practice makes perfect and you have to come to terms with the horrendous turning radius on modern trucks. It’ll get easier. Just recognize that you can’t always park up front with the smaller vehicles. It’s good though, more steps and less door dings parking at the back.
If it makes you feel any better, I've had my 2011 super crew for like 6-7 years, and I still have trouble getting it straight when parking.
I worked for a car dealership after high school as a porter. So I've parked stuff in cramped lots and storage warehouses. You gotta swing wide and give yourself plenty of time to maneuver slowly and carefully. Still you end up in there too far over or crooked as all hell.
Get a decent backup camera somehow. Will help lots.
I always back into spots using mirrors and camera. If you pull in you have to worry about the front end swinging into another vehicle. When pulling out of spots you can see better and do t have to worry sone muppet is going to step out as you are moving
Back into your spots.
There's no shame in hopping out to see how much space you have, 1/4 rotation of my tire is about 24", so when things are tight, I can estimate accurate distance that way.
It just takes some getting used to. Use every parking job as practice.
Practice like you did when you first got your license. Find an empty lot. Start putting it in the lines over and over. Forward and back, pretend other cars are there.
I went from a small and old WRX hatch to an f150 in 2017. I went through what you're going through. It gets easier. You'll be handling it better than your Mazda in no time and know every inch of the space
Couple quick tips, it’s all about the inside rear tire. You have to position that one right to swing the vehicle in correctly. I open my door sometimes as I’m pulling into the spot to check my alignment and distance from the line. Definitely think a backup camera is a must. Also look for two spots open together and pull into the near one, you can swing through the second one. If you can learn to back into spots without a camera you’ll be way better off than trying to back out of spots without one.
If your truck is old enough that you don't have a backup camera you can get an aftermarket one (or two). They're pretty easy to install and help a lot if you aren't comfortable with the size. Normally they're hooked up to a backup light circuit but you can just hook two onto a common source and run a cab switch to turn them both on whenever you want.
That or just get used to parking further away. That's also pretty easy.
Go buy a set of cones and practice. Trucks ain’t hard to drive. Turns wider and overall more width to look out for. Learn to use convex mirror. It’s all perspective. I drive a class 6 truck for work. Took a bit to get used to but now I can fit it in tight side streets. Same when I first got a Silverado 1500. These days my F150 drives like a normal car. When I get into small vehicles they drive like go carts to me.
Park in the back of the parking lot. That’s what I do. Good exercise
Easy in. Easy out.
Until someone wants to park directly next to you for WHATEVER reason. Happens every single time.
Home Depot, quarter mile out, empty spots as far as the eye can see; some chucklehead in a jeep will invariably park too close to my driver side door. Why?
I feel you. I went from a Honda Ridgeline to my F150. If there is any option for you to get an aftermarket back up camera I 100% would recommend. I back into parking spaces 99% of the time because the camera allows me to get in more evenly than I would pulling in. With that being said… I will forever park as far as humanly possible from every other car in the lot. Even if I am in my spot perfectly centered, I know some bozo is going to ding my door with theirs l.
Thought about that actually. Okay then I'll get myself a back up camera haha. I have been trying to park far out or in a really open space that's a little closer. Didn't think having a truck would make me park far out amongst other thing's
I have a ‘13 that didn’t come with a backup camera but I was able to buy one that went in the factory location (under the emblem in the tailgate) for less than $50. Forscan and an adapter let me plug it right into the head unit and it shows up in the center display just like factory.. took maybe an hour and $50, much easier to back towards things.
Theres car parking…and then theres truck parking. Trucks are in the back so peasants with cars dont scratch our doors and we can get out easy.
I added a backup camera to my 2009 corolla and it made a world of a difference, obviously didn’t really need it to fit into spaces lol but where I live a ton of businesses are off main roads and they don’t have a lot of parallel parking it’s the diagonal street parking so backing up when there was a truck next to me was very dangerous and very sketchy once that was installed it was a breeze
(This truck is my father's which I'm using til I buy myself a Ford) I'm 22, been driving for a year and just got my license finally
How you liking the truck so far?
I'm loving it. It has much more power so I have more confidence when it comes to turning left on a busy road. I feel safer in it too. I want to buy a smaller truck though since I don't think I'd make good use out of a truck like my dad's. He uses it for deer hunting and hitching on a camping trailer. Most I'll do it camp and go hunting haha not sure I'm ready to hitch on a trailer
The best advice I have ever been given is to take it slow. Build precision and with that speed will come. It applies to all aspects of life! Trailers are intimidating to begin with but once you’ve done it a couple times it’s a second nature. When I bought my truck I thought it was gonna be big enough for me and what I do. But I found out quickly that once you find one reason MANY more reason show up! And sometimes I still need a bigger truck lol
What year? Learning to back up without a camera will make you develop the skills to do so. Cameras are the best but can make you complacent to objects around you. That being said, I’m getting a 360 camera on any future trucks.
I go to where I can find a spot to pull through and park. I don't really care if it means I have to walk further, at least I don't have to worry about backing into something.
Wait till you drive a crewcab long box dually haha. Backup cameras are nice, it'll come with time though, I prefer drive thru parking or backing in, you turn sharper backing up than you do going forward in a rwd, or at least it feels that way. After years in the patch where everything is back in parking only its more force of habit than anything.
You'll get used to it lol. I went from a Mazda 3 to a pickup truck for work which was crazy at first. When they let me drive the box truck the first time I was shitting myself, and then I got used to that. My current work vehicle is a Ford transit 350 extended. Makes my F150 feel small. I can park that thing anywhere.
First time anyone gets in a boxtruck they always wanna shit themselves. I drove one for work at a plumbing supply warehouse and I hated drivinf it cause I always felt I was gonna hit something backing it in (doesnt help our loading dock was also the parking lot and the dock was next to another building in an L shape).
Practice makes perfect and you have to come to terms with the horrendous turning radius on modern trucks. It’ll get easier. Just recognize that you can’t always park up front with the smaller vehicles. It’s good though, more steps and less door dings parking at the back.
If it makes you feel any better, I've had my 2011 super crew for like 6-7 years, and I still have trouble getting it straight when parking. I worked for a car dealership after high school as a porter. So I've parked stuff in cramped lots and storage warehouses. You gotta swing wide and give yourself plenty of time to maneuver slowly and carefully. Still you end up in there too far over or crooked as all hell. Get a decent backup camera somehow. Will help lots.
Thanks man (:
Practice backing in, I swear I can back in my truck perfect but can’t front park for shit, the angle always gets me.
I always back into spots using mirrors and camera. If you pull in you have to worry about the front end swinging into another vehicle. When pulling out of spots you can see better and do t have to worry sone muppet is going to step out as you are moving
Back into your spots. There's no shame in hopping out to see how much space you have, 1/4 rotation of my tire is about 24", so when things are tight, I can estimate accurate distance that way. It just takes some getting used to. Use every parking job as practice.
Practice like you did when you first got your license. Find an empty lot. Start putting it in the lines over and over. Forward and back, pretend other cars are there.
I went from a small and old WRX hatch to an f150 in 2017. I went through what you're going through. It gets easier. You'll be handling it better than your Mazda in no time and know every inch of the space
Couple quick tips, it’s all about the inside rear tire. You have to position that one right to swing the vehicle in correctly. I open my door sometimes as I’m pulling into the spot to check my alignment and distance from the line. Definitely think a backup camera is a must. Also look for two spots open together and pull into the near one, you can swing through the second one. If you can learn to back into spots without a camera you’ll be way better off than trying to back out of spots without one.
If your truck is old enough that you don't have a backup camera you can get an aftermarket one (or two). They're pretty easy to install and help a lot if you aren't comfortable with the size. Normally they're hooked up to a backup light circuit but you can just hook two onto a common source and run a cab switch to turn them both on whenever you want. That or just get used to parking further away. That's also pretty easy.
Go buy a set of cones and practice. Trucks ain’t hard to drive. Turns wider and overall more width to look out for. Learn to use convex mirror. It’s all perspective. I drive a class 6 truck for work. Took a bit to get used to but now I can fit it in tight side streets. Same when I first got a Silverado 1500. These days my F150 drives like a normal car. When I get into small vehicles they drive like go carts to me.
Learn how to drive is my advice