How To Reverse Bay Park

Reverse Bay Parking – follow these steps

You may be asked to carry out a Reverse bay park during your driving test. On arrival at the car park the examiner will ask you to select a bay and park by reversing into a bay. The car must end up inside the lines of the selected bay.

Identify your target bay, this could be on the left or right. We will practise parking in bays on both sides, but for this example we will be parking in a bay on the right as this is normally the easiest side to park into as you will have better line of sight when stopping at your reference point.
When reverse bay parking on the right, you will need to move the car over to the right side of the road. Before moving into position, check your mirrors and signal to show your intention to other road users or pedestrians. When getting into position, make sure that you keep a gap between your car and the parking bays or parked cars on the right. The gap should be large enough to open your car door fully and be able to walk around it. Always line up three bays away from the target bay.

You will need to stop the car at the reverse bay reference point. This is when the car reaches the end of the third bay away from your target bay. The point of turn is the marker on the top of the driver’s door. The easiest way to find the point of turn reference point is to sit normally and start creeping forward then stop the car when the white line of bay three is in line with the tape inside of the driver’s door.
As you move into position your signal may have turned off, if not turn it off. Then put the car into reverse as this will let all other road users know your intentions. Then rotate the wheel to full lock to the right. This must be done before you move.

Before moving backwards, you must complete your observation sweep from over your right shoulder all the way round to the back window looking in all mirrors and windows as you go. This sweep must be completed every two seconds until you complete the manoeuvre. If you stop, you must make sure that you redo the observation sweep before you restart.
Make sure you complete your right shoulder to back window sweep to check it is safe before reversing and repeat every two seconds until you stop moving. Creep the car backwards until your car is parallel with the white lines of your target bay.

It is best to look at any bays. curbs, walls or cars directly in front of you when judging if you are parallel. Do not trust the little round mirrors on the car as they are convex and as a result the white lines may not be appear as they are.

You must stop the car if a pedestrian or another car approaches you. Make sure you complete your right shoulder to back window sweep to check it is safe before continuing.
Once you are parallel straighten up the wheels, and before you reverse back into the bay make sure you complete your right shoulder to back window sweep to check it is safe before starting.

Stop the car once it is fully inside the bay lines. You can check that you are inside the lines by comparing your car with other cars. You can also look into the little round mirrors to see how far your back wheels are from the end of the bay.
Put a signal on when you are ready to leave as it will show other road users or pedestrians of your intention. Before moving out, complete your observation sweep from left to right shoulders looking in all windows and mirrors as you sweep.

Creep the car forwards until your car is about one third out of the bay, then start turning the wheel to leave the bay.

You must stop if a pedestrian or another car approaches you. Make sure you complete your left to right shoulder sweep before continuing.

The clip below will take you through a reverse bay park