How to reverse into a side road on the left

WELCOME BEST DRIVING SKILLS

How to reverse into a side road on

the left

This manoeuvre is useful for turning round to travel in the opposite direction or for reversing into your driveway or bays in car parks. It takes practice to master this manoeuvre. Don’t worry if you can’t get it right first time. Start from a fairly wide road on a corner that isn’t too sharp.

A–B: With safety in mind, you need to plan this manoeuvre as you approach the side road.

As you drive past the road, check for any

parked cars or other obstructions that could make your manoeuvre unsafe. If necessary,

move on to another location to practise.

Using the MSM routine, drive past the corner until you can see it in the interior mirror and stop on the left about half a metre from the kerb.

B–C: Turn in your seat so that you can

see well down the road through the middle of the rear window.

You may remove your seat belt if you feel restricted.

When you have checked that it’s safe

all around, use clutch control to creep

slowly back.

As you reverse towards the corner, the kerb will disappear from view in the rear window. You are now close to the point of

turn. It is very important to look all around to the front and sides to make

sure there will be no danger to other road users. As you steer left the front of your car will swing out!

As you look over your left shoulder again, you will see the kerb come into view in the bottom corner of the side window. If sure it is safe, you can begin steering to the left. Keep checking that it’s safe and keep steering to the left until you see

through the rear window that the car is straight in the new road. The amount of steering you need will depend on how sharp the corner is.Keep looking well down the road through the middle of the rear window. This will help you judge whether the car is parallel with the kerb.

An occasional glance into the nearside door mirror will help you judge your distance from the kerb.

If you want the car to go nearer to the kerb, turn the wheel towards it. If you want to take the car away from the kerb a little, turn the wheel away from it. Any adjustments in steering at this point should be very slight. If you misjudge

and bump the kerb or get too close to it, pull forwards a little and then reverse again to correct your position.

Make sure you finish your reverse in a safe place, far enough away from the junction to allow others to use it properly. As a guide, you need to be far enough back so that when you move off again you can position correctly for turning right at the junction.

If you removed your seat belt for reversing, make sure you put it on again before driving away. READ MORE

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