Iliana's Parking Fixation

Tom and Ray

You heard right. This week on Car Talk, we heard from Iliana, who feels a special attraction for guys who can parallel park with style. She's found Mr. Right -- only now, he's come down with a bad case of parking anxiety. Can this relationship be saved? Tell us what you think! You can hear her story right here.

prissiprius

Now that he knows about her special attraction, subconsciously he's checking to see if she likes him for himself or only for his parking ability. If she cools off because he can't park, then the relationship wasn't meant to be. If she still loves him even through a case of performance anxiety, then they'll probably make it through anything. It all boils down to the question "Do you love me for me, or for what I can do for you (or because I remind you of Daddy)"?

jono2112

Dear Iliana,
you have found, "the one." I know this because I am a great parallel parker and my now wife mentioned that early in our dating. Of course that made me nervous resulting in parallel parking interuptus and the infamous 56 point turn in front of our favorite pub packed with observing customers. This was because I was smitten with love. Fortunately she realized that and gave me a chance. Plus, she got the added bonus of being able to kid me about it, every time, for years and including this morning when we heard your story. She thinks you have met "the one" and should give it a serious chance. It may be true love!
Good luck,
Jonathan and Lee Ann

Veritas41

This is to help Mr. Right parallel park with style, perfectly, every time! The day I turned 16 years of age, I went to the West Virginia State Police Barracks near my home to take the Driving Test, to obtain my license. I passed everything with flying colors, including the entire driving test with a State Trooper in the passenger seat. Everything, that is, except the parallel parking test, which required parking between two big orange-painted 55-gallon drums. My first try was a miserable failure. The trooper said, "I'll bet your mother taught you how to park that way, right?" Yes, sir. "OK, Here's the way REAL MEN do it!" he exclaimed. He proceeded to show me the "45-degree-straight-back-in" method, turning the wheel hard left only after the right rear wheel was very near the curb. I tried it. The car ended up 1/4" from the curb, exactly in the center of the parking space! Wow! "Excellent," he cried, and I had my new license in no time! OK, Mr. Right, fear performance failure no more! Go for it, and join the ranks of us REAL MEN who parallel park with STYLE!

Deejoy

Have him buy one of those Smart cars. He can back in perpendicular to the other parked cars and be within the law. That ought to make his honey HOT for Amor!!! He has a much better view of traffic allowing him to merge, or in other words, pull out in time!

Big Dan

aarwdc

The woman with the parking fixation simply needs to employ a simple psychological technique called reframing. Next time her boyfriend is parking, she should simply close her eyes and just notice the motion of the car, as it moves back and forth, in and out in order to get into the tight space. She should let her mind wander and come up with more pleasant associations. She will soon notice that she will no longer be interested in those parkers who are may we say, quick and efficient.
Robert in Denver

crackin' up in SA

I know where Iliana is coming from..."my turn on" is (was) when a guy palmed the steering wheel with the heel of his right hand to turn.

Iliana, please give your guy a break, the parallel parking was just a way to begin the relationship and since you've discovered many redeeming qualities about him right? So go with that. Trust me, no matter how persnickety you are in your selection of a mate, marriage will always prove that you knew nothing!

By the way, I married a man who uses both hands to turn the wheel, just like we were taught in Driver's Ed. I've only seen him palm the wheel once but I've never told him about the effects of this particular activity. To be honest, I'm afraid that he would abuse this new found power.

Dutch in Pittsburgh

He should get one of those cars with the rear bumper camera that shows where you are going when you back up (or she should get one for him, it would be kinda romantic). And if Iliana feels like this is too "artificial," tell her to think of it as Viagra!

MargeK

My daddy taught me to parallel park, too, Illiana, right in, a couple inches from the curb. He & mom were together 54 years. My husband could park right fine, but left me for a hot chick when he was in his 50's. Now I park my little Echo all alone just fine, and he parks his little Prius with his chickie just fine. What's parking "got to do with it"?

oldschool

What I think is, Don't let a womans desire for you or rejection of you affect your clear thinking.

maryellis7

Several words of advice for Ilian's beaux and other PPPA (Parallel Parking Performance Anxiety) sufferers:
1. Valet Parking
2. She drives
3. Drop her off and park in the next block.