Reversing Manoeuvre - Reverse Bay Park

The 4 Reversing Manoeuvres

Whilst on your driving test, you will be asked to perform one of four reversing manoeuvres. The reverse bay park is considered one of the easier ones, its not hard at all, it's actually very structured.

These instructions are if you are doing this manoeuvre in a 5 door Vauxhall Corsa and may vary slightly if practiced in another vehicle. Please note that most instructors have their own way of doing these manoeuvres.

At the current time the reverse bay park is only carried out at the test centre car park, usually at the start, but sometimes at the end of your test.

Reverse bay park at the start of your test

1. If the examiner wants you to perform this manoeuvre at the start of your test they will ask you to drive forward out of the bay, turn to the right or left, get your wheels straight and then reverse back into a bay of your choice.

2. Do your effective all round observations before moving off, making sure you put a signal on IF there is anyone around in the car park. Using the clutch ease the car forwards about halfway out of the bay and turn to the left or right.

3. Try to keep anything from a meter and a half to two meters between the side of the car and the end of the white lines of the bay. Line the steering wheel up with the third line from the bay your going into. The first line is always the line of the bay that you intend to reverse in to.

4. Once the steering wheel is in line with the third line, stop go straight into reverse gear, do your effective all round observations.

5. Once you've done your effective observations, slowly bring your clutch up a tiny bit, once it starts to move don't raise it anymore and turn your steering wheel full lock to the right. Remember the saying, slow feet, quick hands this will increase accuracy and help ensure the car travels into the middle of the bay.

6. Keep looking all around and as the car comes round and is nearly square in the bay, start to take your steering off, get a look over your right shoulder, and in your right door mirror to see where the kerb is.

When the rear wheels are about 6 inches from the kerb, stop, apply the parking brake, put the car into neutral.

REMEMBER: The car mustn't be on the lines when you've finished, otherwise it's a fail. If it is on the lines, then you are allowed to adjust it, so there is a gap between the tyres and white line.

Reverse bay park at the end of your test

The main reason for being asked to perform a reverse bay park at the end of your test is usually if you go our on your driving test and are unable to perform a reversing manoeuvre, maybe because it was so busy or because where your examiner was going to ask you to do the manoeuvre just wasn't suitable.

Usually what happens is the examiner will stop you outside the main gate, just before you enter the main test centre car park and then explain what they want you to do. If you are lucky enough to get this at the end then the car park area where we practice this should be clear. Also this is really half a reverse bay park as you haven't had to drive out, then reverse back in, you are only reversing in, which you may well have practiced with your instructor.