Reverse Around A Corner
Step-by-Step
On your actual driving test the examiner will only ask you to perform one of the four manoeuvres which you need to learn and master.
The four manoeuvres are: Turn-in-the-Road, Reverse-into-a-side-Road, Parallel Park and Bay Park.
As you may already appreciate all of the manoeuvres should be carried out slowly by using very strict ‘clutch control’. On all of the manoeuvres carried out on the driving test you will be judged on two things, your Control and your Observation.
Read through all of the steps before you commence any of the manoeuvres
Reverse Around A Corner
This manoeuvre should be carried out very slowly to demonstrate your control over your vehicle. To achieve this, very careful use of the ‘clutch control’ is needed. Once you have found the ‘bite’ point (this is the point where the vehicle ‘just’ begins to move), keep your foot very still. This is how you will retain full control over the speed of the vehicle. By using the ‘bite’ point you will be able to inch your vehicle backwards ensuring complete control over the speed that you allow your vehicle is to move.
Whilst carrying out this manoeuvre the ‘gas’ just ensures that the engine does not stall – in this particular case the ‘gas’ does NOT control the speed of the vehicle at this time. The clutch however, DOES control the speed of the vehicle. The higher the clutch is allowed to come up the faster the vehicle will move. The lower the clutch is put down, the slower the vehicle will move. The point at where the vehicle engine note just begins to fade. This is what is commonly referred to as the ‘bite’ point.
To begin the exercise, select a quiet side road ensuring that you choose a safe and convenient place to stop next to the kerb. Ensuring that you don’t block or obstruct any driveways or entrances and that you do not stop opposite another vehicle or other obstruction such as a skip etc.
Do not commence this exercise until you are sure that the road is clear and that you will not endanger or inconvenience any other road-users, including pedestrians. If any other road-users are present you need to ensure that it is safe to begin the manoeuvre and if in doubt wait until you are convinced that it is safe to proceed.
Remember that no matter in which direction you are moving your vehicle, forwards or backwards, wait if any pedestrians are walking past in front or behind your vehicle. This is to ensure complete safety, for example in case your foot inadvertently slipped off one of the pedals.
You should stop your vehicle on the left-hand side of the road before the junction that you are intending to reverse into, so that it is ahead of you.
Below are the following steps you need to carry out
1. Look over your left shoulder through the back window – NOT through the centre mirror – to establish where the outer edge of the kerb is in relation to a point on your back window and make a mental note of where it is. You will find this a useful point of reference once you have entered the side road
2. Clutch Down and Select 1st gear
3. Set the gas
4. Clutch up to the ‘bite’ point
5. Hand on the handbrake (ready to release)
6. Check the centre mirror
7. Check your side mirror AND the blind-spot (over your right shoulder)
8. If it is safe to proceed – release the handbrake (down)
9. Clutch up to move off normally and drive slowly in 1st gear past the side road which you intend to reverse into
10. As you drive past look into the side road to see if there are any problems or hazards which you may need to take into account
11. Pull up and stop just past the road which you intend to reverse into
12. Handbrake on (up)
13. Select Neutral and Rest your feet (you can now take your feet off the pedals)
14. Select Reverse gear
15. Set the gas
16. Clutch up to the ‘bite’ point
17. Hand on the handbrake (ready to release)
18. Look all round your vehicle – left and right, in front and behind
19. If it is safe to proceed – release the handbrake (down)
20. Look over your left shoulder as the vehicle begins to move backward
21. Keep a looking around for passing traffic and pedestrians
22. Wait until you ‘feel’ that ‘now’ it is time to begin turning the steering wheel towards the kerb (to your left) under very strict ‘clutch control’
23. Keep a looking around for passing traffic and pedestrians
24. Be prepared to make adjustments as you negotiate the corner
25. Keep a looking around for passing traffic and pedestrians
26. Watch for the kerb of the side road to come into view in the rear window
27. Keep a looking around for passing traffic and pedestrians
28. Manoeuvre the car slowly and gently into the position on the back window that you established before you drove past the side road at the beginning
29. Keep a looking around for passing traffic and pedestrians
30. Continue to reverse back until you are asked to stop
31. Handbrake on (up)
32. Select Neutral and Rest your feet (you can now take your feet off the pedals)
Once you have mastered this exercise the Reverse round the Corner manoeuvre should be performed as follows:
Pull up and stop at the side of the road a few car lengths before you reach the junction you intend to reverse into, at a safe and convenient place (i.e. not obstructing anyone’s driveway, avoiding stopping opposite other vehicles or entrances, or too close to a junction if possible). Decide if you need to signal to any other road-users as you stop.
Handbrake on. Select Neutral.
You will now be asked (by your Driving Instructor, or your Driving Test Examiner if on test) to ‘Drive past the junction and stop. Then I would like you to reverse into the side road on the left keeping ‘reasonably’ close to the kerb. Continue to reverse back for some distance until I ask you to stop. When you are ready you can begin’.
Remember POMPOM. Prepare, Observe, Manoeuvre.
Select 1st gear ready to move off.
Take a good look all round the car being aware of any other road-users such as vehicles, pedestrians or cyclists nearby, and wait if necessary or if in doubt.
Drive past the road junction staying in 1st gear. As you drive past, look into the road which you are about to reverse into to see if there are any hazards, potholes or drain which you may ‘feel’ as you reverse. Also you are looking to see what type of corner you will be dealing with, whether it is a sharp right-angle corner, or whether it is a gently curved corner.
Check your rear view mirror. Signal if necessary. Pull and stop about 2 car lengths from the corner.
Remember POMPOM. Prepare, Observe, Manoeuvre.
Select reverse gear.
Find the clutch ‘bite’ point to take into account any camber of the road and to ensure that the car will not roll forward. Take all the time you need to be certain that you have got the ‘bite’ point as the accuracy is much more important than the speed.
Put your hand on the handbrake ‘ready’ to release it – but DON’T release it yet.
Once you have the ‘bite’ point, you are now ready for the O of POMPOM, Observation. Look out of every window in the car to make sure that the road is absolutely clear. If anyone is approaching, wait to see what they do next. If they wait for you, you should continue. If they continue, you should wait. So effectively you don’t need to make the decision, ‘they’ make it for you, and you do the opposite to what ‘they’ do.
Take a good look out of all of the windows of the car being aware of any other road-users such as vehicles, pedestrians or cyclists nearby, and wait if necessary or if in any doubt.
As soon as it is clear to move off, move the car very slowly under strict clutch control, watching over your left shoulder to decide when you should begin to turn the steering wheel to the left, towards the kerb. Remember to keep glancing ALL ROUND the car, not just forwards.
Be prepared to make any steering adjustments as necessary as you negotiate the corner, just as anyone experienced driver would also be doing.
As the kerb arrives into your rear window, keep the car moving very slowly, or stop if you prefer, to take another good look all round the car especially to your right. Don’t do ‘token’ looks, but be very aware of any approaching road-users.
If it is all clear, continue very slowly, and carefully line up your reference point in the rear window. As it becomes lined up, quickly straighten the steering wheel by turning the steering wheel away from the kerb. Look all around the vehicle again and continue reversing back, making any little steering adjustments as necessary until you are asked to stop by the driving examiner.
Handbrake on. Select neutral.
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