Parking using Reverse Gear

This is a phase 2 exercise and will be introduced by the examiner at the end of phase 1. Usually you will have come to rest behind a car which you can use for the exercise. If the car should move off whilst you are in the middle of your briefing then carry on with the briefing, you will be able to find another vehicle afterwards. When you have completed the parking exercise do not think that is the end of phase 2, it isn't. You still have to return to the test centre and the Supervising Examiner will expect you to instruct him as you would in any other phase 2 exercise. The examiner can vary the standard of the pupil. He could say that he has never been shown the exercise, or he could say he has been shown it but he is having difficulties. Therefore you will need to establish the extent of his previous knowledge and then decide on the best way to go about the exercise. If he hasn’t been shown the exercise before but he has been shown all the other exercises then there will be no need to treat him like a novice. You can adjust the content of the briefing outlined below. If he has been shown how to do it but is having difficulties, then you can ask him about the kind of difficulties, offer some advice then allow him to try correcting and guiding him as necessary. It is unlikely you will need to use the full briefing below but you may want to use parts of it.

Briefing

Today I am going to show you a useful exercise 'Parking using Reverse Gear'. This is very useful when you want to park in town between cars when the space is limited. The smallest space is one and a half lengths of the vehicle you are driving, you cannot manoeuvre into a smaller space. The reason we use reverse gear is because the vehicle is more maneuverable in reverse gear, we can make the front of the car move almost sideways.

If you will look at this diagram I will explain what is required. At the moment we are here and we are going to drive forward into a position alongside the vehicle ahead about two feet away and roughly level with it or slightly ahead. Then we are going to reverse in between the cars into this position. This manoeuvre will need three things: Control, Observation and Judgement. I will deal with each of these separately.

CONTROL When we begin to reverse we must drive the vehicle slowly below walking speed because:

a) we will be reversing against the flow of traffic so we will have to give way to other road users,

b) we do not have the same degree of control as we do driving forward,

c) we do not have the same degree of observation.

How do you think we will achieve that? Make sure pupil understands clutch control is essential on the level and uphill. To control the vehicle downhill the clutch must be fully depressed and the weight controlled with the foot brake. As we come backwards there will come a point when we need to turn the steering to move towards the kerb, which way do you think we will turn the wheel? Make sure pupil understands which way to turn. Then we will straighten up and at this point you may feel the influence of the camber. If you do feel the influence you must react immediately by applying the brake and depressing the clutch. Then there will come a point when we want to bring the front of the car towards the kerb, which way do you think we will turn the steering? When pupil gives correct reply finalize the control by saying. Straighten up just as the car comes level with the kerb. Have you any questions on the control aspect?

OBSERVATION We must maintain all-round observation throughout the manoeuvre. Before we move off check all three mirrors, the road ahead and your blind spot. Before stopping you must use the MSM procedure because no one will be expecting you to pull up in the middle of the road. As soon as you stop engage reverse gear so your reversing lights are showing. Before starting to reverse look all-round the vehicle, twist round in the seat so that you can see through the rear window or tail-gate. It is important to maintain all round observation throughout the manoeuvre. If you can see that you are going to interfere with any other road user who is in close proximity of our vehicle, then you must stop. Now we are not talking of vehicles on the horizon, we are meaning other road users who are very close. On most occasions when other drivers see what you are doing they will stop to allow you to complete your manoeuvre, so if they do, get on with it and do not delay them any longer than necessary. There will come a point when we have to turn the wheel to the left, what will happen to the front of the car? When the pupil understands that it will move to the right ask, who is it likely to affect? Then we must look all-round before we turn the wheel. For a time the front will continue to move towards the centre of the road and during this time if anything approaches we must give way. Then the vehicle will start to sink in between the vehicles, at this point if anything approaches it is better to continue because you are improving conditions by getting out of the way. When we reach the point where we are ready to turn the steering to the right, we must look forward to ensure we have cleared the vehicle in front. As the front of the car swings in towards the kerb we will be looking backwards and forwards like a tennis spectator, watching both the cars in front and behind. Any questions on observation?

JUDGEMENT I don't think you will have any problems moving forward and stopping a couple of feet out from that vehicle and roughly level with it will you? The pupil should confirm. As we move back the first thing we have to judge is when to put the lock on. At first when you look through the rear side window, all you will see will be the side of that car, but there will come a point when you can see daylight past the back of it. That's when you put the lock on. The next thing we have to judge is this angle because it is critical. If we allow the car to go nearer to a right angle, then we will be unable to avoid hitting the car in front when we want to bring the front of our car in towards the kerb. On the other hand, if we don't achieve that angle we will go well past the car before we reach the kerb. This is how we judge it. You will notice this line intercepts the kerb 1½ car lengths from the vehicle in front then it take another ½ a car's length to straighten up. In this example the car is parked within 2 car lengths, if we want to park within 1½ car lengths then we choose a point a car length behind the vehicle in front. So imagine now if our car was parked bumper to bumper with the car in front where would our rear bumper be? When a realistic judgement as been made and a point established on the kerb, you say well that is the point you aim for with the middle of the back seat. The next thing to judge is when to bring the front end in. Explain (with the aid of the photographs), how by looking at the kerb and following it towards the car it will disappear from view, now you must imagine in your minds eye where it will be in relation to the bottom of the nearside rear wheel. Point out the dotted line and how most of the vehicle appears to be on the kerb. Tell the pupil that you will be doing it in stages to begin with and you will point out these points. It is important now to make sure that we have cleared the car in front before we apply the right lock. As the right lock is applied the front of the car will swing towards the kerb and the kerb through the rear windscreen will appear to be moving to the left. When we are in the final position the kerb should appear where it is now relative to the bottom edge of the rear windscreen. Use all the photographs to illustrate the points you are making. Remember the pupil will still need these things pointing out again in the ensuing practice until he has cultivated his own judgement. If time permits you can put icing on the cake by mentioning. If you are doing it between two cars you can use the nearside indicator of the vehicle which you are reversing towards, and if you are near shop windows you might be able to use reflections to judge when you are close to the vehicle behind.

It may well be that the examiner may want you to teach him how to park in a car park reversing to the left or right. If that is the case you can fall onto his previous knowledge of left and right reverses and the diagrams plus any other tips you consider useful.

Top of Page ¦ Briefing ¦ Control ¦ Observation ¦ Judgement

Back to exercise 4 ¦ Forward to Exercise 6 ¦ Driving Instructor Training