Parallel parking most disliked manouevre by British drivers

David Ross, Editor
Wed, 24 May 2023

Parallel parking is the least favorite parking manoeuvre among British drivers according to a recent study by Skoda UK. 

More than 4 in 10 people disliked parallel parking making it the least popular parking manouevre. It was followed by reverse-in bay parking (21%) and front-on bay parking (14%).

Meanwhile 73% of those questioned admitted to abandoning a parking space because they found it too challenging, opting to search for another spot instead. Only a mere 4% of motorists claimed they have never encountered parking difficulties.

The research conducted by Skoda UK demonstrates the high value drivers place on parking assistance systems, with 55% of respondents considering them a must-have feature when purchasing their next new car. These features are particularly sought after by individuals in the 25-34 age range.

Among the parking aids available, rear parking sensors were deemed crucial by 68% of those surveyed. A reversing camera ranked as the next priority for new car buyers, followed by front parking sensors in third place.

Skoda provides UK drivers with helpful parking technologies to alleviate the stresses associated with parking in challenging spaces. Rear parking sensors are standard on all Skoda models and buyers have the option of packages that include Park Assist, a semi-automatic parking feature.

The study also revealed that 33% of drivers had damaged a wheel or tyre while attempting to park, often by scratching an alloy wheel against the curb or damaging the sidewall of the tire.

Drivers in the South East of the UK were found to be the most likely to cause such damage, with 40% of respondents from that region admitting to doing so. Surprisingly, London motorists reported the lowest rate of curbing incidents, with only 38% stating they had never damaged their car while parking.

Additionally, the data showed that nearly a quarter (23%) of UK drivers had experienced a collision with another vehicle while attempting to park.

Among the regions, the South East had the highest rate of parking-related collisions, with 34% of individuals admitting to such incidents. Conversely, the North East had the lowest rate, with an impressive 84% stating they had never hit another car while parking.

The data also revealed that men were more likely to experience parking-related collisions, with 24% admitting to such incidents in the past.

Ask HJ

How do I fight an unfair parking ticket on private land?

Please can you advise me the best way to appeal a car park charge, when it was on private land with a ticket machine that only accepts debit cards and I have proof that two payments were made to cover the time.

As you say the charge occurred on private land you can appeal. Firstly you need to check if the company operating the car park is a member of a trade body, either the British Parking Association (BPA) or International Parking Community. If this is the case, you should start by appealing the charge with the company who issued the ticket first. Write to them, giving them the ticket number, your registration number, the date the ticket was issued and explain why the charge is not applicable - in this instance because the machine was faulty. Include the evidence you have of the payments that you made. You do not need to explain that you were the driver, just that you are the owner of the vehicle. Include any other evidence you have such as photographs. If this is not successful you can then appeal to the relevant trade body using the same process. If the company is not part of a trade body, you need to write to the company in the same way and explain that because the machine was faulty and you made payments to cover the parking, you will not be paying the charge. Again, do not say that you are the driver only that you are the registered keeper, because this means you can deny responsibility for being the driver at the time and cannot be pursued for the charge. Remember to include all the available evidence you have and explain why you think the charge is unfair and will not be paid. The crucial point to remember is that because this occurred on private land, it is not technically a parking ticket but an invoice. These companies do not have a right to fine you, only to send you an invoice based on what they see as a breach of contract. You can also complain to the owner of the land if you are not successful.

Answered by David Ross

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