Driving test - bay parking. A compulsary maneuver?

Tiddlywinks

book12 wrote: »

I hope that happens on my test, and driving lessons. I don't want to bump/scratch the car behind me.

It's understandable to be nervous before any test - if I had to sit it again tomorrow I'd be nervous and I've been driving for several decades . But if you really think you are going to find these things difficult then you need to get more lessons in and concentrate on building your skills and confidence.

I changed my instructor when I was learning as I didn't really think we clicked - he wasn't teaching me in the way I needed to be taught (and believe me I was nervous and kept wandering towards the kerb all the time and would pray I wouldn't need to stop at a roundabout ). I changed to someone else and he seemed to inspire confidence and was also more realistic about how many lessons I needed. It took me 6 months but I passed first time . Maybe you need to take a close look at your instructor to see if he / she is right for you?

Just looking to pass a test rather than seeing this as a chance to learn lifelong skills is dangerous - after all, if you pass and still lack confidence remember that once you've passed you will be in that car on your own and the decisions will be all yours (as will the insurance premiums).

Good luck.

dizziblonde

It was an on-going bug of mine that I was never taught how to get in and out of a parking space when I learnt to drive (another of the 2 out of 3 manouvers to be done era). It was just one of those things you had to figure out when you got let loose on your own. No parking bays where I did my test anyway.

As for the two I had to do: reverse around a corner (was always quite good at them) and parallel park (thought oh heck I've failed the second he asked me to do that as I hate doing them - but nailed it bang on - probably the only time I ever did!). Passed first time - but I'll admit I'm a cautious driver and I drive through necessity and not choice.

zappomatic

The test centre I used (Pinner) had the widest parking bays I've ever seen, they made disabled bays look narrow! I did manoeuvre in one movement in a Ford Focus (not the best rear visibility) yet a girl also attempting a bay park managed to mess it up in a Ford Ka, which probably could have gone in the bay sideways.

book12

Done a bay parking lesson today. Struggled with it at first, but got the hand of it in the end. Next month onwards are about mock driving test.

The driving instructor told me the following:

• the local driving test centre near the area I live in has car spaces to do bay parking
• this manoeuvre can be done at the start or end of the driving test
• even though the test centre has car spaces, that doesn't mean that this manoeuvre is compulsary

clarabella23

Can I ask if anyone was taught how to bay park their cars by driving in? It's something neither I or others having lessons around the same time were taught. I passed first time, but if the were judging the way I parked when I went back to the test centre, I wouldn't have stood a chance! Something I just had to learn by doing after while in my own car.

book12

clarabella23 wrote: »

Can I ask if anyone was taught how to bay park their cars by driving in? It's something neither I or others having lessons around the same time were taught. I passed first time, but if the were judging the way I parked when I went back to the test centre, I wouldn't have stood a chance! Something I just had to learn by doing after while in my own car.

I haven't been taught how to bay park by driving the car in. The driving books don't teach driving into a bay, only reversing into a bay. Reversing into a bay is good, so it's easier to get the car out.

It's easy to drive in a bay I believe. Reversing takes a lot of judgement, etc...

angeltreats

I find it far, far easier to reverse into a bay than I do to drive in forwards. My husband is the opposite.

DaveF327

clarabella23 wrote: »

Can I ask if anyone was taught how to bay park their cars by driving in? It's something neither I or others having lessons around the same time were taught. I passed first time, but if the were judging the way I parked when I went back to the test centre, I wouldn't have stood a chance! Something I just had to learn by doing after while in my own car.

You won't have been taught this as the "commonly officially recommended" method is always to reverse in and drive out. That said, it would be an idea for instructors to at least cover how to drive in forwards (no need to perfect it) so that test candidates who are asked to drive forwards in at the end of the test don't just panic, stall or almost drive into the test centre building :eek:

Tygermoth

Arrgh... The bay park.

I am really worried about this one. Have my test on Friday and the bay parking at my centre is dire.

There are only three usable bays of four (one is motorbikes only) but they run five tests at a time. The bays are at an angle and too short which makes it very hard to do the 90 degree version. But too tight to swing your nose out and then reverse back to the space. As there is a gradient I find it hard to see the lines doing it this way anyway.

I can do it everywhere else (supermarket street etc) but just can’t there much to my instructors frustration.... Also having two people queued up watching and waiting for you to finish so they can have the space makes me nervous. (that and I know they will be critiquing the manoeuvre and waiting to see how long the examiner is in the car with you... rule of thumb: Short = Fail, Long = Pass)

I am praying any or all the other manoeuvres but the bay park...

(Fingers crossed)