can anyone explain (in detail) how to reverse round a corner and reverse park?

Question

Hi there,
I'm about to sit my driving test and will not have any last minute lesson- just can't get these manoevres clear in my head. Thanks

Answer 1

This is long but really useful (my exam's soon as well) :)

TOP-TIP: slow manouvre equals good control

Reverse round the corner:

Start by lowering your left side mirror so you can see the kerb more but not too low you can't see a cyclist on your left. Do this before the test starts NOT during the test as you need to set/check all mirrors before moving off.

Make sure you only glance on the mirror a few times (as you need to check the distance of your car from the kerb) whilst looking at the back most of the time because you're obviously reversing. My instructor's voice : "Look-look (at the back)..Glance-glance (at the left side mirror)".

When you've reached the end of the kerb, just as you see a big gap between kerb and your car, stop, look around (this is the observation part which examiner checks!).

Start steering to the left. Again checking your left side mirror briefly, whilst obviously looking most of the time at the back. Check that you're not too close or too far from the kerb. When you see that the car is getting closer to the kerb, make short, quick steers to the right. Be patient. Give your wheels time to respond as it will eventually move away a bit further from the kerb to keep your healthy gap. Steer to the left when you want to get closer to the kerb. Don't over-steer as you'll waste time over-steering back again to correct the mistake.

Look at your back window. As soon as you see the kerb align in the middle of your back window, try to straighten your wheel and get to the T-position. Move back a few more inches so you at least have a car-length space in front of you. Remember, this space is important to allow other cars who might be behind you to position themselves safely before turning off the junction.


Reverse park:

Thing to look for is the parked car next to you (usually on your left). When reversing, watch the back of the parked car disappear in your left back window. Soon as this happens, stop, look around (obs). Then soon as you move again, do a half-steer to the left. Your car will move at an angle towards the left.

Next, look at the parked car's left rear corner. You have to also find the middle of your front passenger's door side. When you see the parked car's left rear corner align the middle of your front passenger's door, do a half-steer to the right.

(I know it's complicated but my instructor's technique is by far the easiest to adapt and it works!).

Then after the half-steer to the right, glance at your left side mirror. This is what you should see - your left door handle will appear on top of the kerb. Soon as this happens, do a 1 1/2 steer to the right.

This will make your car align with the kerb. When this happens, do a quick 1 1/2 steer to the left. And if you're happy with the gap between kerb and your car, place steering wheel in T-position. Then leave a car-length space infront of you and the parked car. DONT reverse too far back as in theory there should be another car parked behind you (if you reverse too far back, then you've hit the car behind you).

Good luck. Hope this helps.

Answer 2

Consider this, your vehicle, when reversing follows the arc described by the rear wheels. Forget all the rubbish about matchsticks and so on. Sit in the driving seat and imagine that the car has no body, just the four wheels, get used to where the wheels are. Now assuming that you are going to reverse to the left around the corner, the nearside rear wheel is the only thing to consider (Apart from the obvious) All you have to do is make that wheel follow the the curve of the corner, nothing else, just that wheel. Take a look at the back of the car you are taking your test in, where is the rear wheel in relation to something inside the car, under the corner of the seat? in line with corner of the rear window? whatever. Let that wheel, and only that wheel roll round that corner without touching the kerb, and the rest of the car will follow. Dead easy, you`ll see. This is simply the mechanics of reversing a car round a corner, nothing else.

Answer 3

right then if you are in say a corsa the rear wheel is just behind the bench part of the seat, when that gets to where the conrer starts start tuning the wheel usually left hand down.
keeping it a slow as possible in this manouvre is paramount it gives you plenty of time to get parralell to the kerb before the old fart next to you sorry the examiner says stop, they will then open the door to check the distance between car and kerb, you want to be no more than 6 inches away from the kerb.
do not forget the all round observation and if a car comes up before you get in to the corner you must pull forward indicating left

Answer 4

i'm about to sit mine too in a couple of weeks... good luck!
i'm hit and miss with reversing round a corner, but the parallel park..
here goes.. drive half a cars length past the car you're using, then stop. reverse until your back lights are level with the other cars back lights. then steer one turn to the left, until you get to a 45 degree angle, then steer one turn to the right, then when the door handle u can see in ur left hand wing mirror is about to hit the pavement, full right lock and straighten up. hope that helps.

Answer 5

If you are about to sit your test and unclear about how to reverse round a corner and reverse park are you sure you are ready for the test? Plus the more you worry about thinking about it the more you will mess up - once you are in the car and doing it, it will come to you.

Answer 6

you could desire to in the beginning get constructive in reversing in a at once line. ensure which you will opposite a minimum of one hundred yards with out wavering everywhere. This gets you used to the way the motor vehicle works while going backwards. the main suitable thank you to opposite around a corner is to take a solid seem on the corner as you bypass it, till now you start up reversing, and spot how huge the pavement is, how huge the line is, and get a sparkling image on your ideas of how the corner seems. Now, till now you start up reversing, get a sparkling image on your ideas of the line you prefer to take around the corner. you realize that the lower back nearside wheel is the important one. you do no longer prefer it working over the kerb, and you do no longer prefer it too a ways removed from the kerb. so which you prefer to be waiting to choose while the rear wheel will attain the apex of the corner, on the line you envisaged. pass the motor vehicle as slowly as a probability, via slipping the snatch, after which because of the fact the rear wheel reaches the situation the place you think of the apex is start to tutor the guidance wheel today. do no longer seem interior the mirrors as this distracts and confuses you. shop glancing in direction of the front so as which you will discover how a ways you have long gone around the corner, and in simple terms till now you attain parallel with the part-highway kerb, start to wind off the guidance, so as which you're guidance at once via the time you complete the turn. Now make despite adjustment is critical to get the perfect place on the edge of the kerb. in simple terms shop doing it on a similar corner till it clicks, and while it does pass to a distinctive corner that's distinctive and do it over lower back. as quickly as you have finished it good some situations, you will never have a challenge lower back

Answer 7

Corner/ Line car straight, check mirrors, and all around you slowly go back until rear wheel is level with corner of kerb, slowly turn steering wheel left if going left, right if going right, while slowly moving back, KEEP CHECKING MIRRORS level up when car is aligned with kerb, keep going back until instructor says to stop.

Parking/ basically the same get close to car you are parking behind, making sure your car will fit in space available, when rear wheel is level with back of car, turn sharply, CHECK MIRRORS and watch nearside front and rear of your car, when wheel nearest to kerb is almost touching straighten steering wheel to bring you in line.
Do everything slowly, checking mirrors and around you all the time and you will be fine.
Good luck with the test

Answer 8

why are you taking the test when you cant do the required moves?
get professional lessons
make sure your instructor is qualified to level 5 or 6 ( ASK FOR PROOF)
both will have a GREEN triangular badge in the windscreen
and NOTa red trainee badge

Answer 9

ive never had to reverse around a corner...

to back up basically turn your wheel the oppisite way you want the vehicle to go.

Answer 10

When your rear wheel hits where you want to turn, turn the steering wheel in the direction you want to turn,then when your front wheel hits the same spot then begin to straighten up