Hawkwell driving schools : DSA Approved Driving Instructor:   reversing around a corner

Reversing around a corner:

The examiner will stop you at the side of the road and give you the following instruction:

Examiner's instruction:
"I now want you to pull up just past the next side turning on the left, stop, and reverse back into it, keeping reasonably close to the kerb. Please reverse into the side turning for about 3 car lengths or until I ask you to stop."

How to do it: (Please also see the manoeuvres-general page)
It is best to do this manoeuvre in three stages, take your time and stop frequently to check your position and do the necessary all-round observation.

For tight corners, which are tighter than the turning circle of the car: Reverse until you have lined up the back of the car with the end of the wall, or garden fence. Or something that is about level to the point that the kerb begins to curve around the corner. This is your turn point. Stop.

Look all around before you turn. This is the most important observation point as the front of your car will swing out towards the middle of the road as soon as you begin to move. As you reverse turn quickly on to full lock left. Keep checking in the left-hand door mirror as you go around the corner to determine your distance from the kerb.

Stop halfway around to observe up and down the major road - check over your left shoulder again before continuing.

Stop when you are parallel to the kerb of the side road. This point is best judged by lining up the centre point of the rear screen using the interior mirror. You should be lined up with the middle of a parked car behind you in the side road. Then straighten the wheels, you can do this whilst stationary if necessary. Count the number of turns as you straighten (one-and-a-half turns back to centre from full-lock).

Then to keep the car straight, KEEP the centre point of the rear screen lined-up with the parked car behind (Note: we have a marker in the centre of the rear screen).

The video illustrates the technique:-

general + tight corners
large corners