Help with driving test reversing maneouvre please

toffee'n'tom

Hi

Can anyone help with this. If you are executing the reverse around the corner maneouvre in a driving test, you're half way round and a car comes up right behind you from that road, what do you do?

I was out with my son today and we were practising that manoeuvre at a junction used on a driving test. As he was half way round a car came along the road he was reversing into and drove quite near to him, so he wasn't able to complete the manoeuvre and it wasn't safe for the car behind to overtake and pull out of the junction.

If that happens on his test - what should he do? It was totally no fault of his. Should he say to the examiner I don't think it's safe to continue with the maneouvre?

thanks

[Deleted User]

He should move forward, back to the position he started from, wait until the junction is clear, then begin again.

Sgt_Pepper_2

As Bob says.

arcon5

There's still no harm in him explaining the reason for his decision to move back forward to the examiner.

Can't say i'm surprised it happened, some road users are ignorant twits.

barbiedoll

My instructor told me to keep the driver's side window open a little so that I could listen for any approaching cars during the manoevures. I was told to look, look and look again and to listen and to stop if there were any signs of other vehicles. And if he's in the situation that you described, he should do as Bedside Bob suggested and he should also explain why.

Thankfully, this manoevure didn't come up in my test, I'd probably still be driving on L-plates if it did!

toffee'n'tom

Thanks everyone - really really appreciate that. I'll tell him now. Test tomorrow.

I've been driving for 30 years now and I can assure you I've never needed to reverse around a corner!!!! I've parked in many a bay, turned in many a road but I really do think that is a dangerous manoeuver.

I know they use that particular corner on the driving test and I think it really is dangerous. Vehicles who are approaching the junction you are reversing into can't clearly see you.

thanks again

prowla

Yep - unless the manoeuvre is complete, then go forwards and get out of the way, and then try again.

I've reversed around corners a couple of times.

gpc273

Ain't no need to explain it to the examiner, he knows why.

The reason its in the test in to show some skill at reversing a vehicle, do you only want people tested in forward gears? Not every test centre has the space to allow bay parking.

DaveF327

Bedsit_Bob wrote: »

He should move forward, back to the position he started from, wait until the junction is clear, then begin again.

This.

Also be aware of the time taken to complete the manoeuvre. If you take too long and reverse unduly slowly, stopping every few centimetres, then it's far more likely that a car will approach. If you get on with the manoeuvre at reasonable pace, you're more likely to finish before anyone comes along.

The key requirements for any reversing manoeuvre are:

• under control
• with proper observations

The observation requirement is all about reacting correctly to what is seen and using judgement. Here is a video of how it should not be done!

[Deleted User]

gpc273 wrote: »

Ain't no need to explain it to the examiner, he knows why.

The reason for explaining to the examiner is to make it clear why you are doing something, on a driving test never assume ( !!! out of you and me as I was taught) always make it clear it goes along with making exaggerated use of mirrors checking blind spot etc.

londonTiger

hopefully your test will be at 2pm in the quiet suburbs so these situations should not happen.

In my test there was a tree that was being cut down from someones property, it was a big treet that required a mini crane do do the job. I was stuck behind the truck for 20-30minuites of the test. I asked the instructore whether she wants me to do a 3 point turn to back, pretending like I actually want to do that, deep down I was thinking "wahaay keep me stuck here forever".. Unfortunately she added 15minutes to the test. I didn't do the full session, but she did make me drive a little bit longer to make up for the lost time.

Reversing back into a junction is one of those things that you never do in practice. It's just to test your control over the vehicle, because reverse can be tricky.

As others have stated, move forward back into the main road if it's safe to do so. You can never check for hazards enough times, so do a double check and triple check of the hazards so make sure you do not brush the kerbs and not to come in the way of other moving vehicles that have right of way. I believe those are major fails.