From December 2017 the UK Driving Test will include the option of the forward bay parking
manoeuvre.
Whilst it is still recommended that we reverse into parking bays whenever possible, we may
occasionally need to pull into a bay forwards, so it is good to practice this manoeuvre so
we are able to do so safely.
First, we’ll get an overview of the manoeuvre from outside the car, before going inside
to see a more detailed view from the driver’s position.
If you have any questions about the video then please leave a comment and we will do
our best to reply.
If the driving examiner on your test wants you to carry out this manoeuvre they will
direct you to a suitable car park, and then say “I’d like you to drive forward into
a convenient parking bay, finishing within the lines, either to the left or the right.”
We have to park in a bay next to the road we are driving on, so we can’t drive through
a bay to park in a bay in front of that.
Once the car has stopped, they will say “Now, I’d like you to reverse out either to the
left or the right (if the car park allows it).
We are not allowed to go into any empty bays behind us, so we must stay on the road as
we turn.
Once this has been completed they will say “Drive on when you’re ready” and the
test route will continue.
We enter the car park, and choose to park on the left in front of the lamp post.
We position our car on the opposite side of the road to give more room to turn, check
to our left for any danger, and signal.
The reference point we use for turning is to look for when the first bay line for our
bay appears under our left door mirror.
We steer quickly left, and gently straighten the steering as we enter the bay.
Once we have stopped we can look in the mirrors to check that our rear wheels are within the
bay lines.
When reversing out we need to look around very carefully before moving, as there are
often many hazards in a car park.
Once it is safe, we reverse very slowly and steer to face the car towards the exit.
Once we have enough space we can stop, check all around for danger, and then drive on.
The reference point we use to steer into the bay is to wait until the first bay line for
our bay appears under the door mirror.
However this will not suit everyone, as other factors will affect when to turn, so If needed
experiment with different turn points until you find one that works well.
If possible, we would normally choose to park in a bay that has empty bays next to it, as
this allows more room to manoeuvre the car.
If this isn’t possible, then choose a bay that has the following space empty as this
will give room for the front of our car as we turn.
If the car park is very busy we might have to park in a bay between two other vehicles.
We will need to be extra careful, so we drive very slowly to ensure we don’t cause any
damage to the other cars.
In this video we have concentrated with parking on the left, but the technique for parking
on the right is exactly the same - drive very slowly and position on the opposite side of
the road, once the first bay line is below the right door mirror steer quickly to the
right, and carefully drive into the parking bay.
If we turn into the bay at the wrong time, then the car will enter the bay at an angle
and stop with our rear wheels outside of the bay.
If this happens we are allowed to carefully reverse out of the bay and drive back in again
to straighten the car up.
Car parks are often very busy, so we must look carefully all around the car before reversing,
and once again before driving forwards back into the bay.
When parking near other vehicles it will be more difficult to reverse out again safely,
because our view is obstructed.
We must look around for danger, and stop if needed.
Once our door mirrors pass the other cars we steer quickly and turn the car towards
the direction of travel.
So, remember to: Choose the target bay carefully
Position on the opposite side of the road Turn into the bay precisely
Reverse out again very carefully
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