A DRIVING expert has revealed how a simple ABC rule could save you from hefty repair bills and make you a better driver.
Motoring whizz Xiao Qiao posted a video to TikTok outlining the handy hack, which could be vital for parking, reversing or pulling away safely.
Tiktok/@chequanxiaoqiaoDriving whizz Xiao Qiao shared a simple ‘ABC’ rule for perfect driving[/caption]
Tiktok/@chequanxiaoqiaoThis refers to the three window pillars in the average car[/caption]
Tiktok/@chequanxiaoqiaoLining them up properly could save you dents and dings[/caption]
In the clip, she taught drivers the ‘ABC’ trick to account for the blind spots in their motor.
The ABC part refers to the three window pillars on the average car.
These are, as you might guess, the A pillar that forms the frame of the windscreen, the B pillar that marks the join between the front and rear passenger windows and the C pillar which forms the back corner of the rear passenger windows.
As Xiao explained, these can be used to judge the distance between your motor and any obstructions, such as parked cars, when it might otherwise be hard to see.
Because of the position of the driver’s seat, it is impossible to see your own front wheels or the front corners of the bonnet and, therefore, can be hard to gauge how far away you are from crashing into something.
Most people might have to get a friend to help them squeeze into a tight space from outside the car or hop out to check the gap, but with the ABC rule, you can do it all without having to move an inch.
For example, if you are approaching another car from the side, keep an eye on the lower left-hand corner of your windscreen.
When the front end of the other car lines up with the 90-degree angle created by the A pillar, turn the steering wheel to full lock in the direction you wish to move.
You can rest assured that you will complete the turn without touching the other vehicle and end up parallel to it.
Likewise, when backing into a tight parking space on the left, look over your shoulder at the C pillar on that side.
When the headlights of the car in the next bay lines up with the corner created by the pillar, turn the steering fully to the left and you should finish perfectly within the lines.
And when you’re driving back out of the space, look at the car next to you, making sure the B pillar lines up with its front end.
At that point, just turn the steering wheel whichever way you wish to exit and you will glide out of the space without scratching your car.
You can also do this when reversing out of a bay by lining up the A pillar with the front of the next car over.
The ABC tip is particularly useful given that a new poll from the AA suggests that nearly half of UK drivers struggle with dangerous blind spots in their car.
Government crash statistics also recorded the number of fatal crashes where blind spots were listed as a contributing factor at a five-year high.
Not only could it help experienced road users save on dent and ding repair bills, but the ABC rule could also be useful for learners facing a common problem.
Inexperienced drivers will sometimes find that they struggle to keep a good distance away from the curb on the left-hand side, particularly on narrow roads where the temptation is to stay away from the centre line.
But Xiao claimed that if you keep the corner of your A pillar lined up with the curb, you will always keep a distance of around 50cm from it.
Official advice is to leave around a meter, but it’s a useful rule of thumb to have an idea of the minimum limit and stop you from mounting the curb.
It comes after an engineer explained how you could transform your car into a racer with an easy DIY job using a £20 item.
Tiktok/@chequanxiaoqiaoIt’s perfect for parking in tight bays[/caption]
Tiktok/@chequanxiaoqiaoIt can also help judge your gap from the curb[/caption]