LetsDrive - Dane Tyghe school of motoring in Wexford>

The first thing to do here is to look all around. That is in every window so as to do a full 360 degree look around. Then go into reverse, check your three mirrors and blind spot over your right shoulder and start reversing. You must look out through the rear window most of the time (over your left shoulder), and also give quick glances in your left side mirror. The reason you look out your back window is not to try and line up the corner but to be able to see any cars, cyclists or pedestrians that may come up from behind. If any cars do come from behind you must stop and let them pass. Stay reasonably close to the kerb and reverse slowly. Think of this manoeuvre in 3 stages:

1. Your observation at the very start and the reverse in a slow straight line as far as where the bend starts. Keep the wheel straight until the back wheels meet where the bend begins.
2. The actual bend itself. When the back wheels meet where the bend starts you start turning in to the left in an anticlockwise motion. Make sure to give a quick glance over your right shoulder before you start turning the wheel. Don’t steer too fast as you may go too close to the kerb but at the same time don’t steer too slow as you may be too far out from the kerb in that case. At the halfway point have a good look left and right, you can do this by stopping but it’s not essential to stop.
3. Straightening the car and finishing up. After your look around halfway through its time for the 3rd and final part of the reverse. Get the car reasonably close to the kerb. Your left side mirror will help you to do this. At the start of this manoeuvre if you have parked correctly then that is the distance you also want to be at the end. Sometimes the use of a small sticker in the back window helps to line the car up at this point. The wheel should be straight towards the end of your reverse, for example if you drive an Opel then the Opel symbol should be straight and not upside down or to one side. Keep reversing until the tester tells you to stop.

It’s vital that you, the applicant, understand what way the car will move when you turn the steering wheel. When reversing if you turn the wheel to the left (anticlockwise) then the front of the car will move out but the back of the car will move in towards the kerb. If you turn the wheel to the right (clockwise) then the front of the car will move closer to the kerb but the back of the car will move away from it. You must get comfortable with this as it is an aspect of the reverse that is often not focussed on enough. Practice as often as you can on different types of corners.

Reverse slowly as the slower you go the easier it will be to correct any mistakes you might make. Remember not to look too much in your left side mirror, you must look out through the back window most of the time (about 75% of the time) i.e. over your left shoulder between the 2 headrests. Try not to hit the kerb and make sure to yield to pedestrians, children, cyclists and other vehicles.

Sometimes a vehicle will come up behind you and not overtake you, if for whatever reason another vehicle does not go around you while you are attempting a reverse around a corner then do not wait for the Tester to tell you what to do, just go back and start the reverse again.  If you do not then you may be faulted under "right of way" on the reverse.  Give the other vehicle between 5 - 10 seconds before re-starting your reverse.  It is unusual for this to happen but it does occur from time to time.

Quick Tip 1  I advise people to master the art of reversing slowly before you attempt to try a reverse around a corner.  Go to a quiet area and try this using clutch control, you can use the clutch as much as you want while reversing.  Don't let the clutch up fully while reversing as you will be moving far too fast then.

Quick Tip 2  If you cannot see the kerb in your left side mirror then turn the wheel left (towards the kerb) untill you can see it.

Quick Tip 3  Don't steer too fast.  Any steering should be calm and not too hasty otherwise the car may hit the kerb or it may be too far wide.  If you are able to reverse slowly you will only need to steer slowly.

 

Your car may have a reverse gear but you as a person shouldn't