How To Forward Bay Park

Forward Bay Parking – follow these steps

 

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

 

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1. Identify your target bay, this could be on the left or right.  Then check your mirrors and signal to show your intention to other road users that you will be turning into a bay.  It is good to practice parking in bays on both the right and left.  For this example, we will be parking in a bay on the right as this is normally the easiest and safest side to park into.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
    

2. ​When parking into a bay on your right, keep your car as far to the left side of the road as you can.  You can get snug to any cars on the left as this will give you a wide arc when driving into the bay on your right.  A wide arc will make parking easier for you. 
   
   
    

3. Stop your car when you reach the point of turn reference point, this is when your shoulder is in line with the white line at the start of the bay before your target bay.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
    

4. Then check your mirrors, and over your right shoulder, and if it is safe start creeping forward.  Start turning the wheel as you creep towards your target bay until it reaches full lock.  You need to assess where the bay lines are as you move into the bay, as this will help you to make any adjustments.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
    

5. Creeping the car forward will give you time to undertake observations and checks.  As you turn into the bay you are waiting for the car to go parallel with the lines, when it does straighten up and move fully into the bay. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
    

6. 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.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
    

7. When you are ready to leave, you will need to reverse out of the bay.  Before moving backwards, you must complete your observation sweep from over your right shoulder all the way round to the back window covering all mirrors and windows as you go.  This sweep must be completed every two seconds.  Make sure that you do this each time before you move backwards.
   
    

8. 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 about one third out of the bay, then start turning the wheel to full lock to leave the bay. 
   
   You must stop 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.
   
   
    

9. Once you are out of the parking bay, undertake a quick left to right shoulder check then make your way out of the car park.
    

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The clip below will take you through a forward bay park​

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