Since December 2017, the reversing around a corner manoeuvre is no longer a part of the practical test. Instead, learners are to be tested on pulling up on the right, bay parking or parallel parking. Now, it would be all too easy to forget about reversing around a corner entirely. However, whilst you won't need to know it for your practical, it's still something that will come in handy in real-life driving. So, if you need to brush up on the reversing around a corner manoeuvre, you've come to the right place!
In this guide, we're going to break down the reversing around a corner manoeuvre: how to perform it, what an examiner would be looking for (if it were still on the test) and when it might be used in real-life conditions.
As the name suggests, this manoeuvre involves you driving your vehicle in reverse around a corner. When this featured in the practical test, it had three main parts: stopping before the junction you intend to reverse into, driving past the junction and then reversing into the junction (once you've found your point of turn). The instructions would be along these lines:
“I'd like you to reverse into the next road on the left. First drive past it and stop, then reverse for some distance up the new road. You need to keep a position which is parallel and reasonably close to the kerb.”
Prior to the driving test changes in 2017, reversing around a corner was one of four key manoeuvres that candidates might be expected to demonstrate during the practical test. The other three manoeuvres were:
Along with the turn in the road manoeuvre, reversing around a corner was scrapped in favour of pulling up on the right. This does not mean that you shouldn't bother learning either manoeuvre, though. The DVSA has emphasised the importance of instructors continuing to teach all of these manoeuvres in their driving lessons.
As we've said, you won't actually have to worry about the reversing around a corner manoeuvre showing up on your driving test. Even so, you should at least know how to perform it to a high standard. With that in mind, we're going to look at what an examiner would be looking for if you were to carry out this manoeuvre.
For starters, the examiner would be keeping a careful eye out to make sure you're aware of your surroundings throughout the entire manoeuvre. Just think: reversing safely relies on you making constant observations to ensure you're not endangering yourself and/or other road users. Timing is absolutely vital here—signalling too early or late can be a major source of confusion!
Throughout the manoeuvre, the examiner would be expecting you to demonstrate:
Please note: The Highway Code has very specific rules as to when and where you can reverse:
It's important to bear in mind that we're looking at how you'd be expected to undertake the manoeuvre in a test environment. In real-life, you might not need to complete the manoeuvre in so many steps.
This particular step isn't something you would need to do in real-life—it's something you would only do during a test (which isn't relevant with this manoeuvre) or during your driving course. In this scenario, the examiner (or your instructor) would ask you to park on the left-hand side so that you can prepare yourself for the reversing around a corner manoeuvre.
Once you're sure the junction you're intending to reverse onto is clear, you need to drive past it and stop. Make use of the MSM routine to ensure it's safe.
It's now time to begin the reversing part of the manoeuvre and finding your point of turn. Observation is absolutely vital here, as reversing requires the utmost control and attention.
Now you're finally ready to reverse around the corner. It's important that you keep up with the observations—if you're facing oncoming traffic coming out of the junction, you should wait until it's clear.
And there you have it! Though you might not need to use as many steps in real-life driving, it can make it easier to break it down into smaller sections.
For starters, reversing around a corner is one of the many ways in which you can turn your car around (as long as it's safe and legal to do so). Whilst a turn in the road manoeuvre is a very popular approach, it can't be used if the road you're on is too narrow. In such situations, reversing around a corner is ideal.
Imagine, for example, that you're driving down the road only to realise that you're going the wrong way—or that the road is obstructed. Instead of continuing, you can safely perform the reverse around a corner manoeuvre—reversing into a junction and then driving back the way you came. It's simple!
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