“At least it’s minimal damage…”
Parking can be stressful enough when you’re trying to squeeze into a tight spot. But sometimes, getting into a parking space is the easy part and getting back out is where things get complicated.
This woman accidentally found herself stuck in a parking space and questioning how she could possibly get out.
In a viral video with more than 1.1 million views, content creator Haneen (@haneeneid99) turned to the internet for help out of a difficult parking situation.
“What do I do? I’m scared. What do I do? What do I do? Can I just leave it like this?” she asks.
The camera then pans to a black car parked extremely close to a vertical metal partition. And it’s not just extremely close, it’s right up against the wall. It’s unclear how she managed to get into the position.
“I’m scared,” Haneen repeats.
“Help,” she writes in the caption.
In a follow up video featuring security camera footage you can see that Haneen turned right into the parking spot. From where she was it likely seemed like she had enough space, but as soon as she got into the spot Haneen realized something was wrong and jumped out. That’s when she’s seen filming the panicked TikTok.
She has yet to post an update on whether she was able to get out of the spot without damaging her vehicle.
Getting into a tight parking spot is one thing. Getting out without damaging your car is another. Toyota of North Charlotte says the first step is to put your car in reverse while keeping your foot on the brake. Before moving, check your rearview mirror, look over your shoulder, and make sure there’s nothing in your blind spots.
And don’t rely entirely on your backup camera. While it can help you see what’s behind the vehicle, you still need to physically check your surroundings.
Once it’s clear, slowly begin reversing. They recommend waiting until you’re about a third of the way out of the parking space before turning your steering wheel in the direction you want the rear of your car to go.
For example, if you want the back of your car to move right, turn your steering wheel right. But don’t rush it. Keep checking for approaching vehicles and other obstacles.
Valley Driving School also recommends when reversing, for example, to use your rear wheel arch or passenger-side door handle as a reference point to estimate your distance from nearby obstacles.
For drivers who regularly struggle with tight spaces, the school suggests practicing in empty parking lots to get a better feel for their vehicle’s dimensions. It also recommends backing into parking spaces whenever possible. That way, you can drive straight out when it’s time to leave, rather than trying to reverse into a busy lane.
Haneen’s parking predicament gave people secondhand anxiety.
“Bestie I’m scared too but I’m gonna scroll now good luck,” a top comment read.
“Take a picture and send it to ChatGPT,” a person recommended.
“Turn your wheels to the right as far as you can… reverse only 2 rotations of the tire.STOP.. STRAIGHTEN your wheels..BACK 2 ROTATION.. Hard right. Now you should be out of the parking spot….. at least it’s minimal damage now,” another suggested.
Another asked the question on many minds: “Bestie how did it get here in the first place?”
Motor1 reached out to Haneen via TikTok direct message and comment. We’ll be sure to update this if she responds.
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