For driving instructors or those thinking about becoming a driving instructor.
DorWey
Driving School -
Reversing Around Corners
Reverse Around Corner (sweeping)
Key Points: Keep the speed down and OBS high. Try to correct the steering as soon as you feel it needs adjusting - don't let problems build up so that you end up a long way from the kerb or brushing up against it which will require large and disorientating movements of the steering wheel.
NB I mention three observation points below but you must put in as many as necessary. Obviously the busier the location - the more observations will be required. See my comment, on the Manoeuvres Page, about the time it takes to carry out these manoeuvres.
Please note that 'OBS' = Observation
1. OBS - then moving backwards slowly until kerb disappears out of view in the rear window2. Fine-tune on door mirror until tarmac starts widening between kerb and rear of car - you have now reached your turning point
3. OBS - then as soon as car is moving rotate steering wheel to the left until the bottom spoke is pointing upwards.4. Using the lens and the steering wheel keep the black writing in the gutter, using an occasional glance in the door mirror.
5. Half way around corner another OBS6. As you move into the minor road the kerb will reappear in the back window. This is the time to abandon the lens and now watch the kerb's progress across the bottom of the window.
7. Wait until the kerb is about halfway across the wiper blade then start straightening out.8. When the kerb arrives at the 'bump' finish straightening out
9. Continue backwards until you can see straight kerb in front of the car, or the examiner asks you to stop.Mistakes that are generally made on this manoeuvres:
Observation - Driver gets so absorbed with the task that other road users are forgotten. You must keep a good lookout and stop the car if there are any problems. Safety - as in all driving - is the main issue. If you do wait for an approaching vehicle make sure that you are in the correct gear, hand on handbrake and ready to go. If drivers do stop for you they will expect you to get moving rather than fiddling around in the car.
Steering at the turning point - Driver doesn't turn the wheel soon enough (spoke to vertical) and sweeps wide as the car goes around bend. It is vital that as soon as the car starts moving, after carrying out the OBS at the turning point, that the steering wheel is turned, otherwise you will sweep too wide. By turning at this point you will also find it easier to keep the car on line.
Speed - Driver goes too fast. The speed should be kept slow for safety reasons but if you go too fast you will also be in danger of losing control of the steering. Have the clutch just just just at bite point. If the car moves slowly when you release the brake, leave the clutch pedal where it is. If you start slowing to a stop lift the pedal very slightly. Bear in mind that at these speeds it is the clutch which controls things. Pressing it down will slow the car, whilst raising it will speed it up. Remember - clutch pedal movement is in millimetres not centimetres!
Mechanical conflict - Driver attempts to slow the car down with the brake without pressing the clutch down first. You then have a situation where the engine is trying to force the car, forwards or backwards, against the brakes. The clue is the car vibrating and 'grunting' - be sensitive to what is happening to the car and listen to what it is trying to tell you. If you feel and hear it complaining in this way - press the clutch down.
If you need to slow the car down, don't use the brake in the first instance; press the clutch down a little. You will be travelling so slow that, unless you are moving down a slope, the car will respond to this and slow down almost immediately. If you are moving downhill, or into a dip, you may have to use the brake - but make sure the clutch is below bite point before doing so. Remember that at these speeds we are measuring clutch movement in millimetres and not centimetres!
Position - Driver stops too far from the kerb or hits it. As you reverse around the corner use a combination of the lens in the back window and the door mirrors. If you think that you are getting out of line you should correct it sooner rather than later. If you feel that you will hit the kerb and there is no way of avoiding it then go forwards, moving away from the kerb, adjust the angle then reverse back again. Don't forget the OBS!
Reverse Around Corner (sharp)
Key Points: Keep the speed down and OBS high. At turning point apply full left lock quickly. At straightening out point look briefly at the steering wheel to make sure that you don't overshoot the neutral position as you straighten up quickly. That is: spoke to bottom - then spoke to bottom again - now look backwards before adjusting steering.
NB I mention three observation points below but you must put in as many as necessary. Obviously the busier the location - the more observations will be required. See my comment, on the Manoeuvres Page, about the time it takes to carry out these manoeuvres.
1. OBS - then moving backwards slowly until kerb disappears out of view in the rear window
2. Watch kerb reappear in rear side window.
3. When the kerb is on the yellow marker continue backwards, using the door mirror to fine-tune until the tarmac starts widening between kerb and rear of car - you have now reached your turning point.
4. OBS - then rapidly apply full left lock so you pivot round the rear nearside wheel into the minor road.
6. As you go round glance into the door mirror to check that you are not going to hit the kerb. If you feel that you will, you should quickly steer right (quite a lot) to kick the back away from the kerb and then rapidly apply full left lock again.
7. Halfway around corner another OBS
8. As you enter the minor road the kerb will reappear in the rear window.
9. Wait until the kerb is about halfway across the wiper blade then straighten out. You will need to get the full lock off quickly and accurately. To do this look briefly at the steering wheel and you will notice that the spoke is pointing upwards. As you look at the wheel quickly bring the spoke to the bottom and then bring the spoke around to the bottom again ( i.e. 11/2 turns to the right). The car should be travelling slowly backwards as you do this.
10. Continue backwards, looking
mostly through the rear window until you have moved 2-3 car lengths into the
minor road or the examiner asks you to stop. Mistakes that are generally
made on this manoeuvres: Observation
-
Driver gets
so absorbed with the task that other road users are forgotten.
You must keep a good lookout and stop the car if there are any problems. Safety
- as in all driving - is the main issue. If you do wait for an
approaching vehicle makes sure that you are in the correct gear, hand on
handbrake and ready to go. If drivers do stop for you they will expect you to
get moving quite quickly. Steering at the turning point
- Driver doesn't turn the wheel quickly (full left lock)
enough and sweeps wide as the car goes around bend. It is vital that as
soon as the car starts moving
after carrying out the OBS at the turning point, that the steering wheel is
turned quickly to full left lock, otherwise you will sweep too wide. Speed
- Driver goes too fast. The speed should be kept
slow for safety reasons but if you go too fast you will also be in danger of
losing control of the steering. Have the clutch just just just
at bite point. If the car moves slowly
when you release the brake, leave the clutch pedal where it is. If you start
slowing to a stop lift the pedal very slightly. Bear in mind that at these
speeds it is the clutch, which controls things. Pressing it down will slow the
car, whilst raising it will speed it up. Remember - clutch pedal movement is in
millimetres not centimetres!
Mechanical conflict
- Driver attempts to slow the car down with the brake
without pressing the clutch down first. You then have a situation where
the engine is trying to force the car, forwards or backwards, against the
brakes. The clue is the car vibrating and 'grunting' - be sensitive to what is
happening to the car and listen to what it is trying to tell you. If you feel
and hear it complaining in this way - press the clutch down. If you need to slow the
car down, don't use the brake in the first instance; press the clutch down a
little. You will be travelling so slow that, unless you are moving down a slope,
the car will respond to this and slow down almost immediately. If you are moving
downhill you may have to use the brake - but make sure the clutch is below bite
point before doing so. Remember that at these speeds we are measuring clutch
movement in millimetres and not centimetres! Position - Driver stops too
far from the kerb or hits it. As you reverse around the corner have a glance into the
nearside door mirror to make sure that you are not getting onto the kerb with
the rear wheel. This manoeuvre relies on the turning point being judged
accurately. If you turn too early you may hit the kerb. If you think this will
happen then swing the wheel rapidly to the right - to kick the back out - and
then rapidly full left lock again. If you feel that you will hit the kerb
and there is no way of avoiding it then go forwards, moving away from the kerb,
adjust the angle then reverse back again. Don't forget the OBS! When you
straighten out in the minor road, don't forget to look at the steering wheel so
you don't overshoot the neutral position. After the manoeuvre, when moving
forwards and emerging left, move away from the kerb and be careful that the rear
wheel doesn't hit it as you turn left. Copyright Information
- January 2002.
The copyright of
this web site and the downloads found within (apart from third party material) belongs to its author, Paul Pearson
ADI - DorWey Driving School. Material may not be reproduced or used in any form or
by any means, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from the
author. The diagrams and information found on this page are for the exclusive
use of DorWey Driving School clients. If any driving instructor or driving
school wishes to use any of the material found on this page they must first
contact DorWey Driving School. If anyone finds that this material is being
used elsewhere please e-mail DorWey Driving School.
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