ANA Discussion Forum

General Category => AN Issues => Topic started by: leapyrtwins on July 28, 2007, 11:03:10 pm

Title: Parking between the lines
Post by: leapyrtwins on July 28, 2007, 11:03:10 pm
Now that I'm back to driving again, I've noticed that I'm having a problem parking between the yellow lines in parking lots.  When I'm parking my car, I always have the perception that I'm right in the middle of my space.   But when I exit the car, I'm never dead center between the lines like I used to be prior to surgery; I'm always off to one side of my space.  Anyone experience similar problems?  Will my parking improve with time?

Title: Re: Parking between the lines
Post by: Jeanlea on July 29, 2007, 09:47:43 am
I've noticed the same problem with parking.  I think I'm perfectly parallel to the car next to me, but when I get out I see that I'm a bit crooked.  I have been learning to compensate and it is getting better.  It must have something to do with my lost depth perception. 

Jean
Title: Re: Parking between the lines
Post by: jerseygirl on July 29, 2007, 10:15:24 am
I had that after my first surgery; my depth perception was seriously impaired. It will get better over time just like anything else. What helped me at the beginning is parking away from the crowd at the supermarket and mall lots. Another exercise that helps is to take a car I am about to drive to the school parking lot and try to judge how it is parked; your depth perception adjusts this way. The only way you won't get better is to give up driving and parking alltogether.

If it helps any, while my second tumor was growing, I was called a good driver! I don't know yet if the second surgery added to the load as I don't drive (still!!!).

       Eve
Title: Re: Parking between the lines
Post by: Omaschwannoma on July 29, 2007, 03:05:31 pm
After reading your posts I am reminded of my driving inabilities while turning the corner.  I would "climb" the curb every time!  I learned to wait a few nanoseconds then turn.  Boy after a sharp bump up and then down the curb sure had my eyes and head swimming (not to mention if there were a person on the sidewalk they were running).  I learned real fast how best to compensate. 
Title: Re: Parking between the lines
Post by: Brendalu on July 29, 2007, 05:12:46 pm
Darn, I'm sure glad I'm not the only one with this problem!  Just think, I'm teaching my granddaughter to drive!  Scary, isn't it?
Brendalu
Title: Re: Parking between the lines
Post by: Lorenzo on July 29, 2007, 11:05:27 pm
Mamma, I'm glad I had CK! Drove around California post CK and didn't attack any corners or worse, people! Gees... :D  Mind you, I did rent a smaaalllll car, just in case....  That was scary in itself too mind you. No problems with driving or parking or three point turns or whatever now. Maybe it's a surgery thing only. Keep parking and practicing, youi'll compensate I'm sure!

Ciao, Lorenzo
Title: Re: Parking between the lines
Post by: Dan on July 30, 2007, 04:28:17 am
I haven't had surgery, CK or GK and never had problems with balance, but I do have to admitt I very rearly park parallel to the lines.  Parallel parking I do fine, but between the lines??????

                                     Dan in Germany   
Title: Re: Parking between the lines
Post by: matti on July 30, 2007, 08:02:03 am
I'm sure glad you brought this up, I thought it was just me. I have gotten somewhat better over the years pulling into a space, but for the life of me I still struggle with backing into a space. It usually takes 4 to 5 attempts before I am parked straight within the lines. Using my side and rearview mirrrors make it worse.

Also, while driving in traffic I notice that I have a difficult time judging the distance with the car in front of me, so I end up braking alot sooner than I should.  I hate to say it, but since surgery I find driving to be a chore and before surgery I loved to drive.  I find that I have to work so much harder and have had to alter my driving times so that I don't get sensory overload. Life would be great if all the cars would only go the direction I'm going ;)

Cheryl
Title: Re: Parking between the lines
Post by: Joef on July 30, 2007, 08:39:46 am
  I actually did compensate for the perception differences in driving fairly well .. I have even driven overseas in England (wrong side of the road) and Italy (Road racing) .. but what I still have trouble with ... I cant take my eyes off the road for a nano second! .. the the old days BS (Before surgery) .. I could watch for signs or look at scenery.. but today I can't .. its like my hands forgot how to drive .. when I turn my head to look at something .. my hands and the car follow... not a good thing at highways speeds  :o  ...
Title: Re: Parking between the lines
Post by: Lorenzo on July 30, 2007, 08:54:48 am
same here, if I turn to look at the scenery, I run the risk of seeing it a bit too closely, from the ditch! I tend not to look on the opposite side of where I'm driving, or I'll have a close encounter with a fellow driver.  And I thought it was something that I was doing...   Should have known better! 

Ciao, Lorenzo
Title: Re: Parking between the lines
Post by: leapyrtwins on July 30, 2007, 11:31:13 am
I'm so glad I started this topic; it's good to know I'm not alone  :)

It sounds like some of you have gotten better with this issue as time goes one.  I can only hope that's true in my case also. 

The last few days I've taken to pulling into a parking spot, deciding I'm not in between the lines, then backing up and pulling in again to try to center my car.  Sometimes I do this 2 or 3 times before I just put it in park and "call it a day".

And, Cheryl, I must say - you are incredibly brave for even attempting to back into a space.  I haven't tried that one yet; should be interesting when I finally do  ;D

Title: Re: Parking between the lines
Post by: Brendalu on July 31, 2007, 04:32:59 pm
I love this post.  I can now tell my husband that it isn't just me!  It's a lot of us with this SSD thing who have had the surgery!!!  I've been looking for an excuse for over 40 years!  Thanks all.
Brendalu
Title: Re: Parking between the lines
Post by: Windsong on July 31, 2007, 05:45:12 pm
same here..... i don't look at the lanes coming towards me... i can park 2-3 times  to get it right...parallel parking seems easier.... but most of the time i have a spot that's wider due to the handicap sticker lol.... sometimes i simply leave it at an angle hahaha...or park on the line taking up two spaces (usually at non busy times)...what i really don't like is underground garages downtown with low ceilings.... or worse is the having to go up 7 levels in some parking garage to the top.. all that circling around to get up to spot makes me dizzy... i first noticed this line problem after an acute vestibular attack... a lot of the time i am fine now with that but i do find driving fatiguing (i used to enjoy it) and i won't go on the 401 with so many lanes as the very worst scenario is being stuck between two big trucks with their wheels by my head while going at a fast speed....

Title: Re: Parking between the lines
Post by: matti on July 31, 2007, 05:59:21 pm
Windsong - I can't tolerate the multi-level parking garages either. By the time I get out, I feel like I have just gotten off the spinning tea cups at Disneyland.

Cheryl
Title: Re: Parking between the lines
Post by: hendi51 on July 31, 2007, 06:05:48 pm
I'm a newbie to the site and just wondered what SSD is. Thanks.
Title: Re: Parking between the lines
Post by: matti on July 31, 2007, 06:08:02 pm
Hi hendi and welcome!  SSD stands for single sided deafness

Cheryl
Title: Re: Parking between the lines
Post by: Lorenzo on July 31, 2007, 11:44:21 pm
I'm glad that my parking is still as good as ever, straight and centered. Must be the exception, or CK, or my swiss background. As for those merry go round parking lots, eurk, not nice.
Title: Re: Parking between the lines
Post by: Bigbear on August 01, 2007, 08:04:20 am
Thought I'd weigh in with my sad driving/parking tale...I blew out my left front tire three weeks ago because I couldn't seem to negotiate my car into the company parking lot (in which I drive and park every day...).  I ran the left front wheel up and over the metal-rimmed curb, which shredded the sidewall. 

I drove on the rim into the nearest space and sat in silence for a few moments while all the emotions ran through me:  fear: I am really screwed up and could really hurt somebody if I can't drive...crap, what if I can't frive? ...anger:  what the hell is really wrong with me?  embarassment:  did anybody else see this?  what will 'they' think?  what if I lose my job...oh yes, and the totally unnecessary cost or replacing both a tire and wheel...I really hated my little tumor at that moment and as I clenched my teeth and squeezed my eyes shut and totally tensed up, the total frustration of everything made me laugh out loud, because all of my prayer and sheer force of will couldn't make my tumor just dribble out of my ear and leave me alone...

and so on and so on

The episodic and non-predictable nature of dizzy spells (or disequilibrium, if you please) has me a bit spooked, I don't mind having a woozy spell while wandering through the supermarket aisles (although crashing into the neatly stacked cereal boxes is a bit laughable), but wobbling around while driving is not good ... and gripping the wheel tighter didn't seem to help (ha ha ...)

peace to all

frank
Title: Re: Parking between the lines
Post by: Omaschwannoma on August 01, 2007, 01:09:46 pm
Hi,

SSD = single sided deafness
AN = acoustic neuroma
ANer = one of us

Hope this helps and anyone else that has other shortcuts please chime in--BING!
Title: Re: Parking between the lines
Post by: Denise on August 01, 2007, 03:16:23 pm
Hi, just thought I'd add something.

After my surgery I had two accidents one pulling into a space and one backing out. So now I just go further away from the other cars in the lot and pull through so I can just pull out when ready to go.  I have to walk a little farther, but, hey it  helps me with my balance issues.

Denise
Title: Re: Parking between the lines
Post by: susier on August 01, 2007, 07:11:37 pm
I asked the same question a few days ago....SSD = single sided deafness.