Question

Which way should you point your wheels when parking downhill, with or without a curb?

Answer 1

When parking downhill, if there's a curb, point your wheels toward it; without a curb, point them toward the side of the road. This ensures the vehicle rolls away from traffic if it moves. Banked curves use slope to assist maneuvers without tire friction.

Step-by-step explanation:

When parking downhill, the direction in which you should point your wheels depends on whether there’s a curb or not. If there’s a curb, you should turn your wheels toward the curb. This way, if your vehicle starts to roll, the curb will help stop it from moving into traffic. Without a curb, you should turn your wheels toward the side of the road. This maneuver aims to ensure that if the vehicle begins to roll, it will roll away from traffic and not into potential oncoming vehicles.

When discussing banked curves, these principles do not directly apply. However, the physics involved illustrate the importance of understanding how to maneuver a vehicle in different conditions, such as a curve on a hill. In an ideally banked curve, the slope of the road is made to assist with the maneuver at a specific speed without relying on tire friction.

Answer 2

Safely parking on a hill is all seating your wheels into the curb — the right way. When parking uphill at a curb, turn your front wheels away from the curb. When you're parking downhill, turn your front wheels toward the curb.