[ishan12]

While reversing the car in would be the more easier and simpler thing to do. But the location of that gate makes it a perfect candidate for a sliding gate.

[chinmaypillay]

Excellent explanation! When you keep driving you instinctively know reversing is better, but the reason finally enlightened me.

Wish I had someone to teach me these physics so I could have scored better in school :P Maybe a business opportunity to teach physics real time by driving!

[DeadCenter]

If you are able to drive it out nose first in one go then you should be able to drive it in nose first in one go as well.

The steering dynamics that apply will be the same in both cases.

You may just need to go in from as wide a line as possible.

[thirdmainroad]

Originally Posted by androdev

Car steering is based on Ackermann Steering geometry which allows different turning radii for different wheels thus avoids tire sliding.

Thank you for the very detailed explanation.

Originally Posted by samyakmodi

In a tight fit like this I wonder why would you want to park your car nose in ?

Originally Posted by DeadCenter

If you are able to drive it out nose first in one go then you should be able to drive it in nose first in one go as well.

Wanted to park the car nose in because because the sun comes full blast very early here in Chennai and my parking gets some shade for the most part of the day - the Ignis has rear sunfilm, but none on its windshield, so wanted to nose in.

No way can the car be parked nose in with the gates out - I did try quite hard and for quite a bit!

[MT_Hyderabad]

Originally Posted by thirdmainroad

No way can the car be parked nose in with the gates out - I did try quite hard and for quite a bit!

It can. You did not run over the foliage along the wall. Try doing that.

I park in even a tighter spot. The trick is to move literally 2 cm close to the wall and then turn your steering fully and move forward, then move back with your steering fully straight. Please note, you can only move back very little. Then it purely depends on your car length how many times you need to move back.

I do it two to three times with my car as it is 4650 mm long.

If your right side rear view is not allowing you to move closer to the wall, close it.

Come as close to the wall as you can.

[androdev]

To park nose forward:

Drive along the wall, be as close to the wall as possible

Don’t drive into your parking spot. Instead pretend you are going to park in the imaginary slot that’s just ahead of your slot.

Turn full lock and move towards this imaginary slot. Then turn full lock in opposite direction and reverse till you are positioned straight ahead of your slot. Just drive forward and park.

If I were you, I would fix the design of the gate to prevent the shutters blocking the road. Parking nose forward will prevent yellowing of headlights and other heat related damages.

[Axe77]

I think there’s more than enough explanations on how a car turns above. Just coming to the problem you’re trying to solve, here’s perhaps an alternate proposition to your predicament.

You can actually redesign and replace / modify your gate such that each gate has an additional hinge mechanism somewhere around the middle. That way it can fold along the outside of your house boundary wall as opposed to opening outward completely and reducing the space available for your car to turn.

Personally whether to park nose in / nose out for me depends on different considerations at different times. It depends on whether I prefer being “ready to drive out” vs what kind of access I need to my boot.

[narayans80]

I have the exact opposite problem as yours.

I have a ramp entering into my parking, so I have to park nose first. If I park tail first, I'll fry my clutch. Tried it once and dropped it.

Usually the problem with nose first parking is visibility/psychological. Would I hit the gate on the far end is what will play in your mind.

In your case there is fair amount of space to play with, in terms of road width and the gate size.

The strategy I would suggest is to do a question mark turn:

• Leave some space between yourself and right wall.
• Bear right a bit and do a sharp left turn. This way you'll enter your gate at a more acute angle than a straight left arc.

I can post a video from my parking if you are interested.

[arjab]

Originally Posted by Axe77

You can actually redesign and replace / modify your gate such that each gate has an additional hinge mechanism somewhere around the middle.

If the existing gates are made slidable upon rails embedded along the boundary wall, the opening aperture to the driveway will be much favourable for multiple manouevering scenarios.

[Chetan_Rao]

Originally Posted by thirdmainroad

...
Now I can reverse into the spot quite easily, but for the life of me, cannot go in nose first...

Dimensions can be deceptive in a photo. How wide is the road? If you drive your car straight up to the opposite wall, can the gates swing without touching the car?

[supermax]

Originally Posted by MT_Hyderabad

I can park nose first easily in this one. Come closer and parallel to the wall. Turn your steering fully. Move a little forward. Reverse a little with your steering straight. Turn your steering again and enter.

Might be doable, but it's quite tight. You already start quite close to the wall, and you can't really drive much inside, so the place remaining to do the 'reverse a little with steering straight' step isn't much at all. You might then end up having to do a forward/backward/forward/backward tango repeatedly, winning a few centimeters each time till the nose is straight enough to clear the jutting gates. Not pleasant at all. I don't think it's doable with a single forward-reverse-go all the way in sequence at all.

Originally Posted by DeadCenter

If you are able to drive it out nose first in one go then you should be able to drive it in nose first in one go as well.
The steering dynamics that apply will be the same in both cases.

Not at all. The front of the car requires more vertical distance to make the turn while the rear requires more lateral distance, as it swings out. While nosing out, the outward opening gates are not a problem, as you have plenty of time to make the turn as you drive outside. On the way inside, the gates mean that you can't do a sharp turn in, as the left front door will make contact with the gate, if you do so. Nosing in and nosing out are therefore not the same thing, so one being possible doesn't mean the reverse is possible, particularly when you have obstacles that hinder more in one direction, like this gate here.

Originally Posted by MT_Hyderabad

It can. You did not run over the foliage along the wall. Try doing that.

I park in even a tighter spot. The trick is to move literally 2 cm close to the wall and then turn your steering fully and move forward, then move back with your steering fully straight. Please note, you can only move back very little. Then it purely depends on your car length how many times you need to move back.

I do it two to three times with my car as it is 4650 mm long.

If your right side rear view is not allowing you to move closer to the wall, close it.

Come as close to the wall as you can.

You are totally right. It'll take a few forward and reverse steps to win the necessary distance. Doable, but not as clean or simple as a simple backing in. What I observe is that for various reasons, many people are rather scared of backing in, and this makes them avoid backing in, even if that's the obvious solution. The other big benefit of backing in is being able to get a vastly better view of the outside world as you drive out nose first, as opposed to backing out. In this case, since it's a 90 degrees sharp turn with the gate destroying even more of the view, it's a totally hail-mary blind exit should you have to back out. Or you have to have someone else standing outside everyday, as you back out, to ensure you don't hit a fast moving bicycle or moped on the way out.

[MT_Hyderabad]

Originally Posted by supermax

Might be doable, but it's quite tight. You already start quite close to the wall, and you can't really drive much inside, so the place remaining to do the 'reverse a little with steering straight' step isn't much at all. You might then end up having to do a forward/backward/forward/backward tango repeatedly, winning a few centimeters each time till the nose is straight enough to clear the jutting gates. Not pleasant at all.

Look at the tyre(tread) marks in the first image to guess the size available to OP. There is a huge scope of movement.

Going forward with steering fully turned will give you sufficient space at the back as per my assessment.

[supermax]

Originally Posted by MT_Hyderabad

Look at the tyre(tread) marks in the first image to guess the size available to OP. There is a huge scope of movement.

Going forward with steering fully turned will give you sufficient space at the back as per my assessment.

And it's the smaller car that needs to go in, not the larger car. I think my mind was trying to fit in my Octavia Estate with a tow hook on the rear, into that space, nose-in, which wouldn't be pleasant in the least! Yes, you are quite right; it should be quite doable.

[nandakumar]

A specific suggestion to you. Looking at the pic, the gate is mounted on the inner side of the pillars which allows a maximum of 90 degree opening and also blocks almost 15-20% of available space to turn.

If you can move it to the outside of the pillars, you will be able to open them to 180 degrees which will allow to maneuver into your parking a lot more easily.

Also it will eliminate the chances of scratching the gates accidentally. Just a thought.