Reverse bay parking is one in every of doable 4 manoeuvres that the examiner can select throughout your sensible driving check and it’s a manoeuvre that you will want to study earlier than taking the driving check.
Bay parking is a manoeuvre that many wrestle with, however thankfully it’s much less possible on the driving check in comparison with different manoeuvres on account of not all driving check centres having bay parking bays obtainable. On events nonetheless, chances are you’ll journey to a unique check centre that has bay parking services to conduct the manoeuvre throughout your check offering the centre in shut sufficient.
This step-by-step tutorial will provide a way with diagrams that ought to allow you to move this a part of the driving check offering it’s adopted as guided. Reference factors, or ‘markers’ are a invaluable support in finishing a manoeuvre efficiently and as such, we off the bay parking reference factors information.
Be aware; this tutorial is for reversing right into a bay. The brand new driving check now consists of driving ahead right into a bay and reversing out which is a separate tutorial.
There are not any guidelines to the bay parking manoeuvre as such, though throughout the driving check, the examiner shall be in search of you to exhibit 3 essential key factors. These are:
- Accuracy – To efficiently park in a bay inside the traces and never too near a automobile on both aspect.
- Management – By holding the automobiles velocity beneath management by use of clutch management and by use of efficient steering.
- Statement – Fixed all-round remark all through the bay parking manoeuvre.
Put together, Observe and Transfer
Important significance for the bay parking manoeuvre (or any manoeuvre) is to Put together the automobile, Observe your environment after which Transfer if secure to take action (POM). See driving routine POM for additional info.

A. Positioning and Reference Level
As illustrated in diagram A, place the automobile within the centre of the highway. Don’t fear the place the purpose of flip is in the meanwhile, focus on making certain your automobile within reason within the centre of the highway. This may give ample distance from the bays you can be parking in by making the turning circle wider and due to this fact simpler to manoeuvre and observe. Plus, it’s going to give ample distance to the precise for when the automobile swings out, avoiding any obstacles akin to kerbs or fences for instance. As soon as you might be completely happy that you’re within the centre of the highway, cease the automobile. If you’re on a slope, apply the handbrake. Choose reverse gear no matter different automobiles or pedestrians. Your reversing mild shall be illuminated displaying them your intention to reverse the automobile.
You’ll now must reverse the automobile to the purpose of flip. The reference level might range barely from automobile to automobile, so chances are you’ll want to determine your personal reference factors. Earlier than beginning to reverse the automobile, take all spherical efficient remark to make sure you are clear from different automobiles and pedestrians. If you’re completely happy it’s clear, it is vital you look out of the rear windscreen as that is the way in which you might be travelling (you’ll fail should you don’t). Very slowly reverse the automobile. Think about a gradual strolling tempo as a sign of velocity. You will want to be looking for the reference level and likewise trying round in all instructions while reversing the automobile. See bay parking reference factors for additional info.
Bay parking level of flip reference factors
Select one of many parking bay traces as illustrated in diagram A and line it up with the centre of your entrance passenger door and cease. If you flip full left lock, this can information you into the third bay from the road. Ideally, the automobile park shall be empty. If that’s the case, select which ever reference line you would like. If there are different automobiles within the bays, chances are you’ll must calculate which reference level line you’ll need to information you into your chosen bay.

B. Fast Steering, Sluggish Automobile
You’ve reached the reference level and stopped the automobile. It isn’t obligatory to cease the automobile at this level, nonetheless by doing so it breaks the manoeuvre down into sections which makes issues simpler. It is going to additionally remind you to take a look at essential areas that may be a deciding issue of should you move or fail the driving check.
Now that you’ve stopped on the reference level of flip, apply the hand brake if you’re on a slope should you really feel that the automobile might roll. At this level, you’ll need to steer the wheel briskly to full left lock. Earlier than you do that or transfer the automobile, it’s important that you simply take a superb go searching to make sure the realm is obvious, then have a look in your proper blind spot because the entrance of your automobile will swing out. When you’re completely happy all is obvious, look out of the rear windscreen, transfer the automobile gently backward. As quickly because the automobile strikes, steer full left lock.

C. Statement and Reference Factors
This a part of the bay parking manoeuvre is probably the most tough, so make sure you hold the automobile very gradual. If at any time you aren’t certain of your place, cease the automobile to re-evaluate.
As you might be slowly reversing, continuously go searching in all instructions, together with the rear windscreen and the blind spot to the precise. If any pedestrians or automobiles get shut, cease the automobile. If they’ll go previous, wait till clear earlier than continuing. In the event that they cease and look ahead to you, then proceed.
Repeatedly carry out all-round remark and because the automobile begins to show, hold checking the left aspect mirror as it’s best to see yellow line ‘A’ starting to look in it (reference level diagram C). It is possible for you to to determine how shut or far you might be from this line through the use of this mirror. The nearer the automobile heads in direction of the bay, you will notice yellow line ‘B’ seem in the precise mirror. It’s important you retain trying round and hold checking reference factors – that’s a variety of trying, so make sure you hold the automobile very gradual to suit all of it in!

D. Ending Off and Adjusting
As quickly as line A and B look parallel with the automobile within the aspect mirrors, straighten the wheel up. It’s often a few flip and a half of the steering wheel to straighten up from a lock. Keep in mind, if it’s essential regulate, steer in direction of which ever line you need to get nearer to.
For a last reference level, the very finish of line B (diagram D) ought to line up along with your proper aspect mirror. Utilizing this reference level will forestall you from going too far again, hitting a kerb on the rear (which can be a failure). Utilizing these reference factors ought to assist an awesome deal for the bay parking manoeuvre. As beforehand stated, the reference factors might have to be altered barely for various automobiles and seating positions. After you have stopped the automobile, apply the handbrake and choose impartial.
Bay parking strategies
This is only one bay parking method that works nicely. There are different strategies, however offering you do the manoeuvre safely by holding the automobile gradual and do loads of all spherical observations, it doesn’t matter which method you utilize.
Bay parking to the precise
This bay parking tutorial is designed for parking to the left. The identical method could be utilized to bay parking on the precise. The distinction being that the reference level of flip shall be out of your window and never the passengers. See bay parking reference factors for extra assistance on establishing reference factors.
Rolling the automobile
Automobile parks are most frequently degree, on some events there could also be a slight slope. Rolling the automobile within the route you don’t intend on going is classed as a lack of management by the examiners. Make sure you use the handbrake and acquire the chew level each time you cease if there’s a slope. This may remove the potential of rolling the automobile.
Loads of time to bay park
Typically, you will have about 4 minutes for a manoeuvre. That is really a very long time and most learners don’t want that point. Use as a lot of that point as you’ll be able to. Protecting the automobile as gradual as doable will larger your likelihood of being correct will reference factors and to go searching continuously.
Easy methods to bay park assist and ideas
Beneath are assist and tricks to allow you the most effective likelihood of the bay park manoeuvre throughout the driving check.
Manoeuvre stress
The automobile park of the check centre will ideally be quiet with few automobiles within the bays. It could nonetheless be slightly busy with automobiles coming out and in. If different automobiles are ready so that you can get out of their method, don’t velocity the manoeuvre up get out of their method. It’s a check centre in any case and they’re more likely to remember that you’re on a check and shall be very happy to attend. By doing the manoeuvre too rapidly will possible lead to doing one thing unsuitable.
Persevere with the manoeuvre
If throughout the bay parking manoeuvre you will have over shot a reference level or when completed, you suppose you aren’t inside the bay traces, clarify to the examiner that you will pull ahead slightly to right. Offering you do all of it safely, all must be good for a check move.
If all of it goes terribly unhealthy and say for instance, you hit a kerb abruptly, then a check fail is probably going. Some examiners could be extra lenient than others nonetheless, particularly for manoeuvres. Ask the examiner politely is you’ll be able to strive the manoeuvre once more. Relying on the examiner and time allowing, they might nicely allow you to.
Approaching automobiles and pedestrians
The perfect managed and correct bay park ever made will nonetheless fail the driving check should you don’t observe what’s round you and react on it if appropriately. Protecting the automobile gradual is important so you’ll be able to go searching in all instructions repeatedly. If any automobile or pedestrian approaches you, cease and permit them to move earlier than you proceed. If they’re ready then proceed.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
For a information to determine reference level and markers, see:
For tutorials on all check manoeuvres, see:
Fashionable myths
Fable 1
It’s typically thought that you should end utterly straight and parallel with the traces within the bay and within the centre of the bay between every line. This isn’t the case. It’s positive to complete at an angle within the bay and never straight. Offering you might be within the bay traces, then all is nice. If the examiner isn’t certain you might be inside the traces, they may exit the automobile to examine.
Fable 2
The manoeuvre must be accomplished in a single transfer with out adjustment. Once more not true. As you might be reversing in direction of the bay and really feel it’s going off-course, they’re very happy should you pull ahead to right.
