The length, width and turning circles of current British mass-produced cars costing less than 1,750 pound were examined, and the maxima (15 ft 8 in. long, 5 ft 10 in. wide, 41 ft O in. diameter turning circle, approximately) were taken as the dimensions of a notional Standard (Parking) Design Car. These dimensions are almost the same as those proposed for a similar Design Car by the Ministry of Housing and Local Government in a draft Design Bulletin, "Cars in Housing". (1) Cars of a size similar to this Standard were then tested for ease of parking in a garage of the dimensions recommended by the Ministry of Housing and Local Government for use in new construction. Some popular smaller cars were also tested in the garage. It was found that there was no difficulty in parking small and mediumsized cars in the garage (size 16 ft x 8 ft, with 7 ft between door posts) from a forecourt 22 ft wide. It was almost impossible to park cars approximating to the Standard (Parking) Car dimensions in the garage in one movement if driven forwards, but experienced drivers could do so in three movements (forward-reverse-forward), or in one reversing movement; less experienced drivers took five movements to park the larger cars, whichever method they adopted. (1) It is understood that the Ministry of Housing and Local Government are revising their Standard to conform with the Standard (Parking) Car dimensions given above.
Abstract