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[newburydrivingschool]

I have been a driving instructor now for about 6 years working mostly in the Newbury, Berkshire area.
I'm always looking to improve the way I teach and one thing that I would like to know is....
Does anyone have simple ways to teach manoeuvres?
Especially the left reverse?
Everyone has their own methods. Some better than others.
I find that the left reverse causes the most problems.
Maybe it's just a tough manoeuvre anyway.
Any help would be well received
Thanks

[Ray Finkle]

My car has very wide columns at the rear making it very difficult to see the kerb, so I get them to angle the mirror down, they then just have to make sure the rear wheel follows the kerb. Some instructors may say using the mirror is wrong but I've not had a problem with it in the last 3 years.

[musosmiffy]

I have always used the left mirror technique without problems. However, on it there is a blind spot mirror so no adjustment is required (obviously the image is smaller but they do get used to it).

The problem is making sure they do not stare into it. Every car length, check the road in front of the vehicle, then as a treat, check your left door mirror and then back over your shoulder. I encourage them to do this as often as they like, even every metre if they wish. The idea is to get them looking consistently around which makes them safer and provides an overall better understanding of their reversing environment, thereby making the manouevre inherently easier. As they progress, they naturally seem to look to the rear most of the time and are less reliant on the mirror.

I did a training vid some years ago - was going to do a suite of them but that took me forever to do and after I did it, realised that the graphic I had made up was a crossroads!! The plan was to use that graphic for other vids - hey ho! Left Hand Reverse. Read some of the comments, they are hillarious!

[newburydrivingschool]

Thanks guys.
Glad you said that cos that's what I teach....almost exactly.
I watched the video.....yeah apart from the cross roads gaff it's very good.
It's reassuring when alot of the philosophy I use is reiterated by other instructors.
I tell pupils that the key to all manoeuvres is to keep them really slow.
Many times when I inherit a pupil from another instructor and the pupil tells me that they are useless at manoeuvres I can guarentee that their speed is way too fast. I let them demonstrate a manoeuvre and ...Yep.... They're too fast.
When I demonstrate how it should be done they are amazed at how slow they should be going and it makes a big difference.
Favouite expression... "Half your Speed, Double your Thinking Time"

[ijmoore]

Hello,

When I teach the left reverse, I usually start by talking about why you need to do it? It is not necessary 9/10 to do this manoevre if you have planned your route well, it is far safer to drive around the block. Having said that this technique can be used on a narrow road where you may struggle to turn in the road if you are lost, or going the wrong way.

Then I would talk about safe and legal places to do it, the obvious - where you wouldn't park, you wouldn't do it, AND you should only reverse into the MINOR road because it is safer as there is less traffic. Start 10m from the junction, and finish 10m from the junction.

Then there are three key factors to this manoevre, most of which are talked about here already.

CONTROL
OBSERVATION
ACCURACY

Control refers to Steering, Clutch, Accelerator, Gears, Brake and Handbrake.
Slow is key and careful clutch control at a VERY SLOW SPEED (I recommend pausing every metre whilst travelling around the bendy bit!)
BUT Steering is where most people come unstuck here, once the slow speed has been mastered.

COUNT how much steering you are using, personally I use half a turn at a time. Steering can be confusing for some students so ask your instructor if you are not sure. Turning quickly when necessary and keeping the car slow is the key!

Observation goes without saying. Remember to look into the road you want to reverse into first, to check it's clear. Then to move away do 7 point checks to move off (left shoulder, left mirror, in front, main mirror, right mirror, right shoulder AND BACK WINDOW TURNED TO LOOK) before moving every time. I continue this process back an forth whilst manoevring. I would also wind the window down so I can here AND see! STOP if ANY THING COMES NEAR YOU - remember to keep looking at the main road once you have entrered the minor road.

Also a look whislt the car swings out is necessary (Point of Turn check) this is when you start steering and the front of your car moves more into the major road.

Keep observation in the blindspot mirror (very handy) and rear window looking for the kerb too!

Accuracy I have found this can be difficult. If you haven't got a blindspot mirror on the left mirror I would get one, it makes life easier; else you could turn the mirror down BUT it is not great because you cannot see as well behind, AND you MUST remember to set it back up before setting off forward again!

The 2 key areas I would line up are

1 The kerb with the centre of the rear window at ANY POINT you would like to reverse in a straight line (start and finish of this manoevre)

2 Imagine a railway line, look in the blindspot mirror and the distances between kerb and back wheel. This should be like a railway line, BUT if it moves you need to react QUICKLY. STOP then steer (usually half a turn) and move another metre, and pause again. Keeping 1-2ft (1/3 - 2/3m) from the kerb all the way around and close to the kerb is hard, so practice it slowly, and count your steering so you can remember where its facing.

Hope this helps?

[andyw]

Hi Guys

I'm a newby here, but for what its worth, I get my pupils to look at the corner and decide whether its a wide, sweeping corner or a sharp almost 90 degree corner.

For the sharp ones I get them to steer later but more of it and for the wide ones earlier and less of it.

As a general rule in my car (Citroen C3) on a wide sweeping corner as soon as the pupil can see any bit of the kerb in the back near side quarter light window they need to steer 3/4 of a turn to the left, maintain this until they are parallel with the "new" kerb then straighten up (3/4 turn right).

On the sharp corner wait until they can see the new kerb in the far corner of the rear near side door window and then steer full lock left. Maintain lock until parallel with new kerb, then straighten up.

In either case I get them to continue back until they can see about 2 and a half hazard lines (centre lines) out of the front windscreen.

I also use a blind spot mirror on the left door mirror, I find this is useful to the pupil and to me as I can also see the kerb during the manoeuvre, it is also useful during the general driving as I can also see the road to my left side.

Hope that helps

Regards