Parallel Parking

If there is a space you would like to get into that requires the parallel parking manoeuvre, you will need to:

-Pick the space you want to go into, then drive alongside the car in front of the space. You need to leave half a metre (50cm) gap between the side of your car and the other car.

-Slowly drive forward in first gear until your knees are level with the front of the other vehicle.

 

-Then pick reverse gear and slowly drive backwards, keep your steering wheel straight until in your left wing mirror the vehicle disappears from view.

-At this point still driving the car slowly backwards, turn your steering wheel slowly and gradually full lock to the left. (Be aware at this point your car bonnet will swing out into the other side of the road so be careful as this is potentially dangerous if full observations are not constantly used).

 -Then once the same reference point you use in bay parking comes into line with the back right side of the other vehicle, begin to slowly and gradually turn your steering wheel full lock to the right (this brings the car bonnet back into the correct side of the road)- still reversing.

 -Once the car looks like it is straight turn the steering wheel back to the straight position (usually one and a half turns- to the right on this occasion)- quickly this time.

-Then back into neutral and handbrake on. (If you feel like you need to go forward a bit to make up the gap feel free to do this, as long as it’s sensible to do so).

Remember:

There may be a possibility that your car will stray either too close or too far away from the curb when carrying out this manoeuvre, all you need to do is correct the positioning of the car either left (to go closer to curb or right to come away from the curb)- the same curb correction used in left reverse.

Remember to always throughout the manoeuvre check all round observations including blind spots. If another vehicle comes behind or towards you  assess whether they’re going to wait for you or not, then take appropriate action eg. Turn your left indicator on to tell them you have stopped for them etc.


Watch these videos for a different perspective:

 

Bay parking

Before you try and do bay parking you need to understand how reversing works so that you feel confident reversing in your car, and secondly you have to find your reference point in order to be able to carry out the manoeuvre in the first place.

How reversing works:

-To get into reverse gear you need press the clutch down to the floor and select reverse gear on the gear stick, then find the biting point.

-To reverse back slowly press the clutch down.

-To reverse back quickly bring the clutch up (release pressure on the clutch with your foot).

-When reversing you need to look over your shoulder to move into a clear pathway.

Reference point for bay parking:

The reference point for bay parking is the point where you begin to turn the steering wheel in order to reverse into the parking space.

To find this you need to:

-In the middle of the road reverse slowly straight backwards and stop when the line of the bay comes just parallel under your left wing mirror (the bottom of your wing mirror should look like it's touching the bay line).

-Get out of your car and stand on the line you have lined up with facing towards the wing mirror.

Walk in a straight line from the bay line towards the car wing mirror. The wing mirror needs to be in line with the bay line you are standing on, in order to get your correct reference point. If wing mirror is not in line with the bay marking you will need to get back into your car and move forward or backwards correctly line up with the bay line. Again, get out and check the line until wing mirror and bay line are parallel with each other.

-Once bay line and wing mirror are in line sit in your normal driving position and see where the bay line meets a reference point inside your vehicle (see image below yellow line, edge of door handle become reference point)- it could be a door handle or mark on the window etc. This reference point will then act as your point for point of turn when beginning to turn into the bay. 

 

Remember that if you want to go into the right bay you need to use the same method for finding the right hand side reference point for point of turn. Usually in most cars you can transfer the left reference parallel to the same object that is on the right hand side of the car opposite, for example if the left door handle edge is my reference point, this will also be the reference on the right hand edge door handle for going into a right bay.

 

Bay Parking:

-First drive into the centre of the road (only if it’s safe and convenient to do so) and select reverse gear and find the biting point.

-Then check observations, begin to reverse backwards in a straight line keeping the steering wheel straight at all times.

-When car comes to the bay line you wish to turn at (remembering at point of turn it will take you 3 bays back) put full lock on either left (on left bay park) or right (for right bay park). Remember to observe the road around you.

-Then eventually when you feel the car is straight quickly take the full lock off and bring steering wheel to the straight position, so that your wheels are completely straight.

-Reverse backwards (keeping steering wheel straight) until the car fits in the bay nicely. Then secure car and into neutral.

Remember you should be doing this manoeuvre all on clutch control, and possibly using the brake if needing to slow down. Sometimes you may need to use the accelerator (gas) pedal to prevent the car from stalling for example reversing into a slight incline going into the bay as it gives more power to the car therefore preventing it from stalling.

Left reverse (round a corner)

-Drive past and make sure the road is clear.

-Stop on the other side of the road around 3 car lengths away from the junction. Keep a 30cm (1 ft) distance away from the side of the kerb- always maintain this throughout the manoeuvre.

-Prepare the car and find the biting point to reverse etc.

-Check observations, start from left blind spot to right (check all mirrors).

-Reverse slowly keeping the steering wheel straight, whilst doing this look over left shoulder. Glance in left mirror to check the correct 30cm distance of car and kerb.

If car gets too close to the kerb e.g. less than 30cm from kerb, turn one full turn to the right slowly. If car gets too far away from the kerb e.g. more than 30cm from kerb, turn one full turn to the left.

-When the corner of the kerb disappears from the back window stop and put the handbrake on. Check in left mirror to see if distance of kerb and car are still maintained at 30cm. Prepare the car and check observations.

-Now turn steering wheel one full turn to the left (because you will be going round the corner at this point).

-When the car looks parallel (straight) with the kerb straighten the car up by turning the steering wheel one full turn to the right, whilst steering keeping the 30cm distance from kerb. (Use back reference point to adjust car to make it parallel to the kerb).

-Reverse back 3 car lengths and stop (secure the car and return to neutral).

Remember:

Don’t dry steer (steer with steering wheel when car not moving) because this is counted as a minor driving fault in the actual test.


Check out this great video below for a visual look at the maneuver:

Emergency Stop

In an emergency, such as a deer running into the middle of the road you would have to obviously stop in order to prevent hitting it. This means that the way you carry out an emergency stop is important because the maneuver has to be carried out safely.

To carry out an emergency stop you must:

-Keep both hands on the steering wheel, trying to prevent the car from skidding.

-You then need to put your right foot on the brake pedal firmly and quickly, so that the car rapidly slows down in speed.

-Then your left foot needs to press down on the clutch pedal straight to the floor in order for the car to come to a complete stop and preventing the engine from stalling.

In an emergency stop you don't look at the middle mirror before carrying out the emergency stop, because in an emergency you should be more concerned with the hazard in front of you then what's going on behind you.

So remember in an emergency:

-Both hands on steering wheel.

-Right foot on brake pedal- firmly and quickly.

-Then quickly left foot on clutch pedal.

For a better explanation watch the video below (video shows how examiner on practical test with carry out the emergency stop routine too):

Hills starts - up and down

Hill starts - uphill

Assuming that you're stationary maybe parked at the side of the road facing up a hill, you have to:

-Press the clutch down

-Change into first gear

-Find the biting point

-Observations around including blind spots

(Indicate if necessary)

-Then with the accelerator press down harder and firmer than you would normally do when pulling off- you have to do this in order to help the engine move the car to get up the hill.
-Take the handbrake off slowly.

-Then pull away like normal.

If you take the handbrake off and don't use the clutch and accelerator correctly it's likely you will start to roll backwards, if this does happen press the clutch and then the foot brake down quickly and put the handbrake on to secure the car. Then try again.

Watch this video below:

Hill starts - downhill

Again assuming that you're stationary maybe parked at the side of the road facing down a hill, you have to:

-Press the clutch down

-Change into second gear this time

-Put your right foot on the brake pedal

-Release the handbrake

-Observe and indicate if necessary

-When it's safe put your right foot on the accelerator and press down whilst removing your left foot off the clutch

-Then pull away like normal (use the foot brake if you feel you need to slow down).

The reason you would go straight into second gear when facing a downhill start is that if you went into first gear and moved off the car would build up speed very quickly which is unsafe, so by going into second gear straight away the car will build up speed slower than it would do in first gear which is obviously safer to do.

Watch this video here:

Junctions and 'creeping'

Junctions

Junctions are similar to roundabouts in the way of positioning. The same rules apply to position yourself correctly and indicate in plenty of time.

To go left: position yourself to the left of the road if on a single road with no left lanes, otherwise position yourself in the left lane and indicate left- making sure it's safe and clear to go at the give way marking.

To go right: position yourself to the right of the road if on a single road with no right lanes, otherwise position yourself in the right lane and indicate right- making sure it's safe and clear to go at the give way marking.

At junctions always look left and right at least twice, have a final check to your right to make sure no other vehicle is coming and be especially cautious of motorbikes at junctions because they are small, fast and hard to see.

There two types of junctions, these are called 'open' and 'closed' junctions. An open junction is where from a fair distance on approaching a junction you can see what the traffic is doing ahead of you on the road you want to turn into. A closed junction on the other hand is where you cannot see the traffic at all. At closed junctions you will have to use first gear to pull away because you will have to stop to assess what the traffic is doing and if it's safe to go. Whereas in an open junction you can see the traffic and the gaps in it so you might not have to stop at all (but you still need a low gear such as one or two to merge into the traffic on the road you want to turn into).

Creeping

Creeping is the term used when you are at for example the end of a junction and instead of putting your handbrake on and then preparing to go e.g. finding the biting point and then using the moving off routine, instead you simply use the clutch to roll the car forward and if it's safe to go you drive on.


To creep forward: Slow down, change into first (recommended) or second gear and bring the clutch up to the biting point of the car, let the car slowly move forwards and whilst doing this observe whether it's safe to go- (it's advisable to hover your right foot over the brake e.g. in case of rolling or needing to stop for another reason). If it isn't safe to go stop the car and put the handbrake on, then start the moving off routine.


Although creeping is a useful method to use in order to merge from a junction you have to use it with extreme caution because it can be dangerous, I would advise only to do this when your driving instructor thinks you are ready to- my tutor did this with me.

Roundabouts

To go round a roundabout you need to position yourself in the correct lane and indicate correctly and in plenty of time too.

To go left: position yourself in the left hand lane (the outer lane) and indicate left.
To go ahead: position yourself in the left hand lane (the outer lane) and this time indicate left just after you pass the entrance to the left turning, then go ahead.
To go right: position yourself in the right lane (the inner lane) and indicate right.
 
You have to remember to cancel your signals when necessary, and if you end up getting lost don't worry go round the roundabout again and be more observant to which lane and turning you need to drive to. However it's not advisable to do a u-turn on a mini roundabout because this is dangerous and could confuse other drivers to where you are going. You need to give way to traffic that is coming on your right because they have right of way, just before pulling off make sure you observe the traffic until it's safe to go and again be careful of motorbikes.