How To Carry Out A Reverse Around A Parked Car
The object of this manoeuvre is to be able to pull up alongside a parked vehicle and reverse around it, parking within two car parking spaces.
Speed: Clutch Control – Once again you need to be able to use this skill throughout the whole of this manoeuvre until you have parked.
Observations: Full Observations – As with the reverse around a left corner, carry out full observations before starting this manoeuvre and throughout. As with the reverse corner to the left, when you steer left into the parking space the front of your car will swing out to the right. Make sure you check ahead and over your right shoulder before steering in towards the kerb, to ensure the front of your car will not swing into the path of any vehicle passing. The bulk of your observations will be out of the back window. Make regular allround checks. If there are any other road users approaching which are close enough to be affected by your movements, pause and let them pass. Repeat allround observations before continuing with the manoeuvre.
Accuracy: Phase 1 – Once alongside the vehicle you intend to reverse around, look out of the rear side window behind the front passenger seat. You will want to ensure the rear of your car is level with the rear of the parked car you are going to reverse around. To know this you will need to understand a reference point. You should be able to see the rear of the car you are reversing around in the left corner of the rear side window. It may be that the rear of the parked car is in the middle of the rear side window. If this is the case you will need to reverse a short distance until it is in the corner of the rear side window. (be guided by your instructor).
Phase 2 – When the rear of the parked vehicle and your vehicle are level, it will be time to start turning the steering wheel towards the kerb. Approximately ONE complete turn of the steering wheel towards the kerb will be sufficient to get the rear of the car going in towards the kerb. It is possible to turn the steering wheel a lot more than once and still park up. It will just mean you will have to apply a lot more steering to avoid hitting the kerb and to park correctly.
Phase 3 – You will now be travelling back towards the kerb at a 45 degree angle. At some point you will need to steer away from the kerb, otherwise the rear wheel will hit the kerb. When you start to steer away from the kerb, the rear of the car will start to move away from the kerb and at the same time the front of the car will move in towards the kerb. If you do this correctly you will finish in a parked position. You will need to know when to start turning away from the kerb.
You will therefore need to know the reference point for when to start turning away from the kerb. Look at the left door mirror. When it is roughly level with the rear wheel arch of the car you are reversing around, begin steering away from the kerb. If you have applied one turn of the steering wheel in, towards the kerb, you will need to turn the steering wheel more than one turn away. Keep turning the wheel at a steady pace until the back of the car starts to move away from the kerb. At this point pause with your steering and re-assess whether you need to turn the wheel away any more. You may need to check your left door mirror to see how big the gap is between the side of the car and the kerb. When the car is virtually straight, turn the steering wheel back to the left until the front wheels are straight. (be guided by your instructor).
