How To Carry Out A Turn In The Road

The object of the Turn in the Road is to be able to turn the car around in the road, using forward and reverse gears, so the car is facing in the opposite direction. To do this you will need to be able to co-ordinate the speed of the car with the steering and carry out effective observations.

Speed – The first skill you will need to master is keeping the car moving slowly. To do this you need to be able to use ‘clutch control’. Prepare the car to move off as usual. When you release the handbrake, move your clutch pedal up a ‘touch’, the width of a pound coin. The car will start to move very slowly. If the car picks up too much speed dip the clutch pedal down a ‘touch’ This will slow the car down. Repeat this movement on the clutch pedal until you have finished manoeuvring. Most roads have cambers (where the road rises in the middle and slopes down towards the kerb). It may be that as you cross the road and get near to the kerb, the car will start to pick up speed and roll towards the kerb. As soon as this starts to happen, pivot your right foot from the accelerator across to the footbrake. Apply the footbrake and push you clutch down below the biting point. You will still need to move the car towards the kerb – do this by releasing the footbrake a ‘touch’, the width of a pound coin. This will allow the car to move. If the car picks up too much speed re-apply the footbrake. Repeat this movement until you reach the kerb. The skill of clutch control needs to be carried out throughout the manoeuvre until the whole manoeuvre is complete.

Steering – As soon as the car starts to move, steer briskly to the right until you cannot turn the steering wheel any more – this is known as the ‘right lock’. As you get near to the kerb, take some steering off by steering to the left a couple of turns. Apply the handbrake and prepare to move back.

Release the handbrake and as soon as the car starts to move, start steering briskly to the left until you cannot turn the steering wheel any more. This is known as the ‘left lock’. As you get near to the kerb, take some steering off by steering to the right a couple of turns. Apply the handbrake and prepare to move forward.

Release the handbrake and as soon as the car starts to move, start steering briskly to the right until you know you are not going to touch the kerb. As the car straightens, check your centre and right mirrors and if it is safe, take up your normal driving position and drive on.

Observations – Before you release the handbrake to move across the road for the first time, ensure you carry out full observations to the front and rear. Start with checking over your left shoulder, then your left and centre mirrors, the road ahead, your right mirror and finally over your right shoulder. Only start to move across the road if it is safe to do so. Keep checking up and down the road until you have stopped just before the kerb.

1st Reference Point – you will know you are close enough to the kerb when crossing the road for the first time if you understand your reference point. You will not be able to see the kerb by looking at the front bumper. As you get near to the kerb, look under the right door mirror – you will see the kerb ’slice’ through the driver’s door a few inches under the right door mirror. When you see this you will be close enough to the kerb. Stop the vehicle. (This reference point may vary slightly)

Before releasing the handbrake and reversing back across the road, carry out full observations. Ensure that if there are any pedestrians on the footpaths, they have passed. Also ensure if there are any cars approaching, you do not move until they have either stopped and allowed you to continue, or they have moved around you. As you reverse back the bulk of your observations should be over your left shoulder out of the back window. However, keep making regular checks all round to ensure it safe to finish off the reversing part of this manoeuvre.

2nd Reference Point – you will know you are close enough to the kerb when reversing if you understand your reference point. You will not be able to see the kerb by looking out of the back window. As you get nearer the kerb, look over your right shoulder and check where the kerb is. As you look down at the kerb you will see it near the driver’s door catch, in the corner of the driver’s door window. When it reaches this point you will be close enough to the kerb. Stop the vehicle. (This reference point may vary slightly).

Before you release the handbrake to move across the road for the final time, ensure you carry out full observations. Again, only start to move across the road if it is safe to do so. Keep checking up and down the road until you have completed the turn. Never beckon a vehicle to pass you. You could inadvertently call them into danger. Before you move off ensure that if there is a vehicle approaching, it stops to allow you to finish the manoeuvre or it passes you.