Reversing Around a Corner

As part of the Driving Standards Agency driving tests you will be asked to 1 of 4 manoeuvres and the most dreaded is the Reversing Around A Corner. In fact this manoeuvre is fairly simple if you break it down into it’s 4 parts.

Part 1
You will be asked to pull up before the junction you will reverse around and this will always be on the left, for a learner. Whilst the examiner is giving instructions take a look at the corner for anything that you can use as a guide, for instance many pathways have a grass verge and the grass ends when the kerb stones start to turn around the corner. So we can use this as our turning point.

Pull across the junction when you are ready indicating when you get to the middle of the junction to show others you are pulling over again. DO NOT signal earlier as it will look like you are signalling to turn left and you will be marked down on your test.

Pull up 2 to 3 car lengths passed the junction with your wheels straight and on the outer yellow line if possible. It’s ok if you’re a little bit out.

Part 2  
Your instructor should have told you all about the ready position (set the gas, clutch down, find the biting point and hand on the handbrake) so now get to the ready position and check all 5 spots around you car.
1) Left blind spot
2) Left mirror
3) Centre mirror
4) Right mirror
5) Right blind spot

Presuming there is nothing coming release the hand brake and creep the car back until you get to the turning point. Your vision at this point should be mostly through the rear of the car with glances into the mirrors to ensure you are still straight. Once you get to your turning point stop and apply the hand brake.

Part 3
You are now ready to turn and because the nose of the car is going to move out into the road you need to have another look around at all 5 points, as before. If it’s still safe start reversing and turn the steering wheel fairly quickly. The speed of the turn will depend on how tight the corner is, if it’s a tight/small corner you will need to turn the steering very fast and if it is a fairly regular sized corner at a slower pace.
As soon as the nose of the car starts to kick out into the road you must look up and down the road to ensure nothing is coming. If there is, hold your position and let them go around you.
Continue turning the wheel until you get to a full lock (can’t turn it anymore) or the car is nearly straight in the road you are reversing into. When you get to the point that you need to start straightening up but before you do stop! And put the handbrake on.

Part 4
You must now have another look around all 5 points, as before, to ensure it is still safe to carry on. Presuming it is, release the hand brake and turn the steering wheel 2.5 turns to the right. This will straighten the wheels of the car.
Once you are happy the wheels and car are straight, with a slight ¼ turn of the steering carry on creeping backwards until the back left wheel looks like it is about to hit the kerb, use the left mirror. You must now turn a ¼ turn to the right until the car is straight again. Stop, apply the handbrake and make sure the car is tucked into the kerb (on the yellow lines) and the car is straight.

Care
Make sure the car is always slow
Steering is accurate
You finish 3 car lengths back not over a drive and not opposite a parked car
If the examiner asks “are you finished” they may well be giving you an hint that not everything is correct, so check.
Look through the back and glance into mirrors (50% through the rear windscreen)