Manoeuvres: Three point turn & Left hand reverse   

During your driving lessons you will be taught a number of manoeuvres, including the turn in the road and left hand reverse as detailed on this page. You will be expected to perform one of these reverse manoeuvre exercises on your driving test.

                                       How to make a Three point turn / Turn in the road

The examiner will ask you to select a safe place to stop on the left to perform a turn in the road.

You will be asked to turn the car in the road using forward and reverse gears to face the opposite direction, trying not to touch the curbs.

A. Look at the level of the road and access as to whether the road is level, uphill, downhill. Remember the camber of the road will also influence how the car behaves. Select first gear, then have a good look in your rear view mirror and then check over your right shoulder. Once you are happy that it is safe, then start to move off very slowly.

                           

B. Turn the steering wheel quite briskly onto full right hand lock. Keep looking both ways and remember to stop if any vehicles approach and see what they are doing before you proceed. About 3 feet before you reach the curb turn the steering wheel to the left as much as you can (opposite lock), then stop  and apply the handbrake. Remember not to steer when the vehicle is stationary. Select reverse gear.

                                                                                                                                                                                                 

C. Keep looking all round, when safe one final check out of the rear windscreen, find the biting point  then start to reverse back slowly, turning the steering briskly onto full left lock. keep looking both ways and stop if other vehicles approach, see what they intend to do before you proceed

About half way across the road, look over the right shoulder at the curb to your right. When the car reaches around 3 feet from the curb, turn the wheel as much as you can to the right (opposite lock), again do not steer when the car is stationary. Remember to disengage the clutch: and brake to stop the car. Apply the handbrake and select first gear.

                                                                                                                                                                                                 

D. Find the biting point to ensure the car does not roll backwards into the curb. Before moving off, look both left and right and if all clear move off slowly and steer briskly to the right.

                                                                                                                                                                                                  

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                                          How to make a left hand reverse manoeuvre

Left hand reverse is one of the four manoeuvres you will need to learn for your driving test. You will be required to perform one manoeuvre on your test. On your driving test the examiner will first ask you to park on the left just before a turning to the left. He will then tell you that he wishes you to perform the left hand reverse manoeuvre.

A. It may be advisable to lower your nearside door mirror so that you can see the nearside wheel arch.

Before moving off check your mirrors, look over your right shoulder and indicate if necessary. Take a look into the road you will be reversing  into as you pass, as to whether it is uphill, level or downhill and to make sure it is suitable to perform the manoeuvre.

                                       

B. Just as you are about half way past the left turn, check the mirrors and indicate left to pull in if necessary. Stop the car around 2 to 3 car lengths beyond the corner and between 12 and 18 inches from the curb. Stop parallel to the curb and ensure the wheels are straight. Once stopped apply the handbrake and select reverse gear. It may be beneficial to adjust the nearside door mirror so that you can see the rear wheel arch.

Before moving off access the level of the road and apply the clutch bite point if necessary. Check your mirrors and check over your right shoulder.

                                        

C. Look out of the rear windscreen and then if safe, start to slowly move the car backwards. As you get near to the start of the corner, you will see the rear nearside wheel at this point, check forward and then over your shoulder, remembering that the car will swing out into the road, If any vehicles or pedestrians are at a point where you could be a problem to them, then stop. proceed only when you feel it is safe.

                                                                                                                                                                                                

D. Turn the wheel to the left half a turn; you should now see that the left hand rear wheel should be following the curb round maintaining the same distance from the curb. Adjust the steering as necessary to maintain the same distance remembering steering to the curb will take you closer to the curb and steering to the road will do take you away from the curb. Maintain the observation all around. If any vehicles or cyclist are getting close you will need to stop the car. When safe keep reversing back till the examiner tells you to stop.

Remember to re adjust your door mirror.