Headline: 'The Parking Assistance Lowdown - Let Us Be Your Parking Aid Aide'.

Lead image:

Image Source: Hispotion

So you've passed your driving test, acquired a vehicle and are now a part of the mobileelite. The tarmacadamed world is your gravelly oyster – every publicly available road,track, lane and motorway is accessible, stretching out in front of you to a multitude ofnewly available, exotic destinations. But then what?

As a minor segment in the driving curriculum the ability to park a car is only moderatelychecked before a person is deemed fit to take to the road. For many the prospect ofparallel parking anywhere other than in a space long enough for a bus remains daunting;garages and low walled driveways hold the threat of mutilated wheel arches; the publiccar park is a labyrinth of shifting hazards and insurance claims.

In this age of social media there is also the danger of international exposure withnumerous Facebook groups and Twitter feeds set up to identify and shame those whodare to break the sacred parking rules.

If you are a troubled driver who just can't fit between the lines, and aren't fortunateenough to permanently have a passenger who can get out and guide you into the space,there are numerous solutions out there to help you complete your journey in full. Fromsimple to elaborate, from private to public, here are a few examples of ways to ease yourparking woes:

Parking in private: The least public, but possibly most embarrassing place to fail atparking, is your very own garage (if you are lucky enough to own one). It's unlikelyanyone will be watching your poor attempt to guide a vehicle into it's purpose builtharbour but your self respect could dwindle rapidly if you continually get it wrong.

The answer could be the use of guiding lasers which are installed on the ceiling, such as

Chamberlain's offering, where a bright dot on the dashboard marks the sweet spot. Forthe less tech savvy, or financially bereft, a simple tennis ball hanging on a string at therelevant point in your garage serves (excuse the pun) the same purpose – simply driveuntil you hit the ball, it couldn't be easier.

Image Source: V6 Mustang Performance

Parking in public: Far scarier, of course, is the prospect of doing yet another circuit ofthe block at snail's pace, infuriating fellow road users and gradually inducing a stroke asthe frustration comes to a head.

If you're not missing by a mile every time perhaps the simplicity of the Easipark reversinglens is for you – by magnifying and expanding your rear view it can give you feet whereyou used to have inches.

Near the other end of the spectrum there are more and more cars now coming off theproduction line with parking sensors as standard. They range from bleeping alarms thatincrease in volume and frequency as you approach an obstacle to video streams frombumper mounted cameras combined with graphic illustrations and 360° views.

At the top end of the market are cars with semi-automatic parking assist systems. As youdrive alongside a row of parked cars they identify spaces sufficient for the size and shapeof your vehicle and you pull to a halt. You are now free to take your hands off the wheeland be guided in with only the speed and gear stick under your control.

Parking in style: More and more companies are appearing in major cities the world oversupplying the one thing more reliable, more personal and more classy than technicalassistance. Welcome to the world of the valet parking company.

Image Source: RPM Parking

If you don't want to improve your parking skills; if you can't be bothered to find a space; ifyou just want to remove any bothersome parking strife at your chosen destination thenyou can have a professional take the strain. From around £5.00 per hour it is possible topull up near the venue of your choice and be met by your own personal valet. At a pre-arranged time they will return with your car and hand you back the keys.

Oh, and yes......there is an app for that!