The Manoeuvre
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If you are given this manoeuvre, at some point during the test the examiner will ask you to pull up on the left using words such as “please pull up on the left well before the next parked car”. Make sure you find somewhere safe and convenient and, doing as the examiner asked, don’t pull up too close to the parked car - if you do, it will be difficult to do the manoeuvre properly.
When you have stopped, the examiner will explain what he wants you to do. If you are not sure what he is asking, he will be happy to explain it another way.
When you are ready, prepare to move out as usual. Make sure it is clear well behind as after you move out you will stop. If it is clear, slowly move out and pull up about a car door’s width out from the car you are using and about half a car’s length past it.
Stop the car. Select reverse - no need to put the handbrake on first as you want the reversing lights to come on as quickly as possible. The reason for this is that the reversing lights tell other road users of your intentions and stop them from coming up too close behind you, stopping you from reversing. You can pull on the handbrake if you need to (for example if you are on a hill) after you have selected reverse.
Now observe all around the car. If all is clear, very slowly start to move the car backwards. About a metre before your point of turn (which will be pretty soon after you’ve started moving) look all around the car. This is because, when you turn, the front of the car will swing out and you need to be sure it is clear.
If it is clear, when the back window is about a metre past the very back of the car you are parking behind, turn the steering wheel ONE TURN to the left - that’s NOT full lock, it’s just one full turn.
The car should now come in at an angle of about 45 degrees. This is important because it keeps you well away from the vehicle you are reversing behind!
As the car comes in, make sure you keep looking around. When your exterior left door mirror is roughly in line with the corner of the car you are reversing behind, turn the steering wheel two full turns to the right, keeping the car moving.
The front of the car will now begin to swing towards the kerb. Just before the car is parallel to the kerb and with the car still moving, steer one full turn to the left - this will straighten the front wheels. The car should now be parallel to the kerb and a couple of inches out. You can check this by looking in the exterior left mirror. If the car is not quite straight, it is ok to move slowly forward or backward to make the necessary adjustment - just make sure you don’t lose control.
When you have finished, stop. Pull on the handbrake and select neutral.
The examiner will thank you and ask you to move away. When you do so, remember there is a parked car in front of you which will limit your vision and cause you pull out at a sharp angle. Click here for details of how to do this.
Parallel park
Remember: You are supposed to be reversing into a limited space. If there is no parked car behind you when you reverse in, do not keep reversing until the car is straight - imagine there is a car there no more than two car lengths from the car you are reversing behind. Look for a marker when you first pull up if it helps.
