E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSSAfter telling Parade magazine he is "one of the five best parallel parkers in the United States of America," TODAY's Willie Geist is put to the test, attempting to show off his parallel prowess on the plaza.
"1. Relax. You’re Michael Jordan at the foul line late in a playoff game. Sure, there’s some pressure, but you don’t feel it because you don’t miss. Even with that guy honking to get around you."
"2. Pull all the way up nice and flush to the car parked in front of your spot. If you graze the side-mirror, so be it. You’re on a mission. Petty property damage is not your concern."
"3. Get that arm up on the back of the passenger’s side seat. It’s the iconic moment in any parallel parking job."
"4. Cut the wheel much sooner than it feels like you should."
When do you cut the wheel exactly? For instance, the FNL Driving School of New Jersey says you should start cutting when the back end of the parked car to your side is in the middle of the passenger-side back window.
But Geist doesn't have any such strict rules.
"I play on gut and instinct, much like Michael Jordan himself. Let the game come to you. It’s a feel thing."
"A second or two after you begin to turn in, cut it back and then straighten ‘er out. You don’t want to have to pull out and start over."
"5. Glide in slowly and prepare to accept the accolades from your passengers."
Leave a Comment:
WOW! I am not a letter writer to sites concerning TV programming and this is the first time I have ever done this but after your segment with Willie this morning I was floored!
Being a lifelong car guy, it is people with Willies' attitude that have forced me to park FAR away from other cars in general.
To espouse that you just need to tap the car behind you...just a little....is absurd! It shows complete lack of respect for other peoples' property. There are some of us out here that don't want our cars 'love tapped' in ANY way thank you! I suppose Willie that you also think that when you are opening your door toward a car next to you that it is okay to just rest it slightly against the car next to you as well!
To help illustrate my position, door openings scratch the car next to you since your car rises or falls as soon as you exit or enter your vehicle. Love taps on the bumpers almost always leave a mark of some sort or if you have a front plate, you end up smashing the screws that hold that plate into the surface behind it. Don't even get me started when a vintage car, bumper, or fog light acts as your Braille parking device.
I despise people with such blatant disregard for how I want to keep my car looking as good as I can for as long as I own it. Maybe with the salaries that they pay TV personalities you can afford to buy a new car every few months or have your bumpers repainted every year or so or whatever but those of us out here in real life land who really love our cars care and respect that which we have worked very hard to buy.
I thank you to hire yourself a driver to take you places and please stay off the road and out of parking lots. Sorry, Natalie, I give Willie an 'F'!!!!!
Signed,
One of the four best parkers in the country, obviously and by a mile!!!!!!!!!
Well said. As a fellow car guy, I felt the exact same way when I saw this segment. The fact that Willie hit the car behind him and endorsed such a practice was ridiculous. I am glad Matt and Al called him out on it, but there are way too many idiots out there damaging other peoples' property because they cannot properly parallel park.
Hopefully the day will soon come when all cars are required to have reversing cameras for such inept parallel parkers as Willie.
Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe bumping another car while on your driver's test will cause a failure, no? At least a deduction of points.
WOW!! I am not the letter writing type to write in to sites concerning TV programming and this is the first time in my life that I have done this but, after watching Willie's parallel parking segment this morning I have to say that I was floored!!
Being a lifelong car guy, it is precisely people with Willies' attitude of complete disrespect for other peoples' property that have forced me to park FAR AWAY from other cars whenever possible.
To espouse the attitude that it is okay to slightly tap the cars' bumper behind you is absolutely absurd! It shows complete disregard for your fellow human being and their property! I suppose Willie that you also think that when you park next to someone in a parking lot that it is okay to just gently rest your car door against theirs as you enter or exit your vehicle too?
Maybe they pay TV personalities so much that you can afford to buy a new car every year or have your bumpers repainted every few months but for the rest of us out here in Real Life Land, there are those of us that actually want to preserve our vehicles in the best possible shape that we can out of respect for ourselves and our car.
Just to illustrate for you the 'petty damage' that you cause when let loose on this nations' unsuspecting parkers....as you enter or exit your car, your door then leaves a cute little vertical scratch as your car moves up or down because of your weight. As far as your 'love taps' are concerned, your bumper almost ALWAYS will leave a mark on the bumper you are violating. Especially if there happens to be a front license plate as the screws that hold that plate usually carve nicely into the surface behind it. Don't even get me started talking about the damage you can do to a vintage car bumper, fog light assembly, protruding headlights or that old fashioned thing called real chrome!!
Broadcasting to the nation Mr. Willie Geist as one of the top five parallel parkers in the nation and then allowing him to defile the property of someone else just perpetuates the attitude of disrespect of our fellow citizen that continues to bring this country down. People continue to drive cars when they really don't possess the necessary skills to do so proficiently due to lack of education and training and now to be told that parking by Braille is acceptable? What next? The Botts dots on the road are just there to assist the blind drivers to be able to stay on the road?
People jump in front of others to only end up next to them at the next light, they are the same types of people that rush to get in front of you at the checkout line and then take forever writing a check, or counting out pennies all the while ignoring all those behind them.
Please Willie, in spite of my congratulations on your addition to the Today Show cast, use some of your new found wealth to hire a driver to run you around and keep you away from our nations' parking spaces.
Warmest Regards,
One of the 'Four' Best Parallel Parkers in the Country, obviously!
I live in a converted warehouse with my cars and my 14 year old son frequently moves cars around inside for me and even HE knows where his bumpers and fenders are!
Sorry for the double post, I didn't think my first one went through and was lost when the registration process took place. In any event, I think I made my point.
Willie's at best mediocre parking skills are a waste of video and time.
Not even close to one of the best - see video of Mini-Cooper parking
Mini-Copper Parking
Min-Cooper Parking
Sorry,
the link I wanted folks to see was this,
apparently the comment function does not permit embedded links
He's definitely one of the top 5 douches in the United States of America. Love how in #2 the petty property damage of another person's vehicle is "not your concern" as long as you get your spot. If you hit another car while parking I'm pretty sure that disqualifies you from being one of the best. I seriously hope that some day he does that crap just as the car's be-muscled 'riod jockey comes out of a store and gets a load of that sh*t happening. Then he'll be one of the top 5 people in the United States of America drinking breakfast, lunch and dinner through a straw.
Congress should be rated ZERO in honesty and integrity. They pay no social security tax, make no health contribution, get free everything while the middle class is loaded with tax burden and healthcare costs.
Let them be real Americans and pay their way just like every red blooded real Americans.
Sorry, Willie, I enjoy your stuff on-air, but this is really lame. 46 years ago, a fire captain from LA taught me the secret of parallel parking and, to this day, people who watch me ace it (every time), applaud. Let me know if you're worthy of knowing this great skill.
I have taught many women - and men - how to parallel park. It's one of the easiest maneuvers when parking a car. I agree with BayCity, CA - Willie, you're fun to watch but hire a driver. I love to parallel park and find it exasperating to watch others do it so badly.
Gentlemen, I may be female, but my daddy taught me how to drive and mechanics of a vehicle; this is one chick that is a good driver and fantastic at parallel parking.