PORTLAND, Ore. — Parallel parking, you know, squeezing your car into a tight spot between two parked vehicles on a busy city street, it's not necessarily the easiest maneuver.
Most of the time you've probably got an audience, and that makes it a little tougher. The growing line of drivers behind you are patiently waiting for you to get out of their way, and you know it. The pressure's on.
Did you have to display the ability to parallel park in order to get your driver's license? The state of Washington does require that skill, Oregon does not, and has not, for years. Sometimes it shows.
Many people we watched on this particular day in Northwest Portland actually did a pretty good job. Some didn't. And some skipped the need altogether by snagging the coveted end spot.
And what's a reasonable amount of time to spend parallel parking on a busy city street? Chime in on my Facebook and Twitter posts.
Most agree, it's a needed skill. Not everyone would say their skill is top-notch. A recent PEMCO Insurance Poll found that about a third of respondents rated themselves as "only fair" or "poor".
And of course when they asked Northwest drivers about the other drivers they share the road with, the answers were even more disparaging.
I do the Driving Me Crazy feature as a generally -- but not always -- lighthearted take on things that drive people nuts on area roadways. Most of us can relate, and most of these topics are your ideas. What drives you crazy? Post your videos and pictures on my Facebook page. On Twitter. Or if you're just anti-social you can email me cmcginness@kgw.com
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