There are three driving test manoeuvres, and you will be asked to carry out one of them during your practical, You won’t know which manoeuvre the examiner will choose on your driving test, The ‘reverse around a corner’ and ‘turn-in-the-road’ manoeuvres will no longer be tested, but you should still be taught them by your instructor. so make sure that you get confident at all of them. To carry out the manoeuvres successfully you’ll need good accuracy, control and observations. Remember to drive slowly and observe around a lot.
Let’s take a closer look at what these manoeuvres
- parallel park at the side of the road
- park in a bay – either driving in and reversing out or reversing in and driving out (the examiner will tell you which you have to do)
- pull up on the right-hand side of the road, reverse for 2 car lengths and rejoin the traffic.
- You might also have to carry out an emergency stop too.
parallel park
To successfully reverse park behind a parked car within two car lengths and not too far away from the kerb.
Also, You must not touch the kerb or mount the pavement. use the clutch to control speed and show effective steering and constant observation.
How to carry it out
1. Pull alongside the car. check your mirrors and blind spots, don’t get in the way of oncoming traffic. Then, stop the car a bit ahead of the other vehicle and select the reverse gear.
2. MSM and correct positioning. Check your mirrors and blindspots—keeping an eye on the rear window as you start reversing. Line up the rear of your vehicle with the other car’s and come to a stop.
3. Find your reference point and reverse into the spot. Start to reverse and quickly steer once to the left. Start to look for your next reference point—when the left corner of your vehicle lines up with the right corner of the other vehicle.
4. The L.R.R.L technic. Use your left, right, right, left technic, all the while doing all-around checks. Straighten up the vehicle, apply the handbrake and select neutral. Move off once you’re told to—do your checks again.
tips:
- Remember that you have plenty of time for manoeuvres, therefore take your time and go through the process you have been taught by your instructor.
- Before reversing backwards, ensure you have carried out all necessary observations
- As you reverse around the parked car, the front end of your own car swing out into the road. This is the most hazardous part of the task. Use all mirrors and check your blind spot for safety.
- Be aware that Some roads have difficult cambers. Keep covering the brake to prevent unnecessary rolling.
Park in a bay
- You are required to park either driving in and reversing out or reversing in and driving out (the examiner will tell you which you have to do)).
- You need to keep within the white lines of the bay and not too close to cars on either side. Observation and speed control skills are essential
Forward bay parking
1. Pick a bay. Make it easier for yourself and pick a bay on the right. Try to avoid bays that have vehicles on either side—you’ll be able to see the parking lines more clearly that way. Keep things slow and steady.
2. Start to move and find your reference point. Move over to the left to give yourself plenty of room. Check your mirrors and blind spots as you make your way towards your point of turn.
3. Steer quickly and move at a slow pace. If the way is completely clear, slowly start to move into the bay with a full right/left lock. Straighten up the vehicle, select neutral and apply your handbrake.
4. Reverse out of the bay. Select reverse and do all-around checks before reversing to your reference point. Next, half turn to the left (or right) until you’re clear—then switch to first gear, signal, complete your checks and move off.
Reverse bay parking
1. Pick a bay. Pick a parking bay that doesn’t have vehicles on either side. Try to position yourself in the centre of the road for extra space. Drive 2 car lengths past your chosen bay.
2. Find your point of turn and steer quickly. Reverse the car until it’s at the point of turn (3rd line from the bay), check it’s clear and steer quickly with a full-lock to the right (or left).
3. Get into the bay and adjust. Slow and steady does it—keep checking your mirrors and blind spots. You’ll be able to see if you’re inside the lines of the bay by using your side mirrors.
4. Finish and move off. After straightening up, switch to neutral and apply your handbrake. Once you’re good to go, switch to first gear, disengage the handbrake and indicate to the left or right before driving out.
Tips:
- Be aware of camber and slopes in the road. You may need to use hill start manoeuvres during the task.
- As you reverse, keep checking over your shoulder, especially as the car begins to jut out into the road.
- Choose one of the parking bay lines to help you line up the car. Ensure you learn all your reference points so you can position the car easily, accurately and safely
- Keep alert for vehicles and pedestrians at all times. It may mean you will need to stop your manoeuvres to let them past before you can continue.
Pulling up on the right-hand side manoeuvre
- This manoeuvre was added to the driving test at the end of 2017 to reflect real-life driving situations. Its name: the pull up on the right-hand side of the road, reverse for 2 car lengths and rejoin the traffic manoeuvre. What you’ll be asked to do
- There are 3 parts to this manoeuvre:
- Pull up on the right-hand side of the road
- Reverse for 2 car lengths
- Rejoin the traffic
- ▪ The stretch of road that you’ll be asked to do this on will be straight and pretty quiet – but there might be a light flow of traffic to keep your eye on.
- What the examiner is looking for
- You’re able to show proper care for the safety of other roads users when pulling to the right, reversing and moving off
- You’re able to prove you’re competent with reversing and moving off unsupervised
- Your overall awareness, planning and judgement skills
Emergency stop
One in three people taking their driving test will be asked to do an emergency stop. The emergency stop will be done in addition to your other manoeuvres. Although you should always be prepared to do an emergency stop should the situation arise, if your examiner would like to see you demonstrate an emergency stop, they will ask you to pull over to the side of the road and ask you to do so..