How to Forward Bay Park
This is one of the newer manoeuvres recently introduced into the driving test. With the most significant difference, being is that it’s likely to be performed in public areas, such as hotel or supermarket car parks. Therefore observations is a massive factor in whether you pass or fail, as they’ll often be other cars and pedestrians in the vicinity. This can include, children, running past your car, runaway shopping trolley, or other cars parking themselves. All of which are hazards which should be noticed and taken into account whilst conducting forward parking. If you are asked to perform this, it will likely be in a quiet area of the car park. Nevertheless, all around observations are vital as the situation around you can change very rapidly.
How to Forward Bay Park – Accuracy
- In order to successfully perform the exercise, you must park behind another car, but reasonably close to the kerb. You must also refrain from mounting or touching the kerb.
How to Forward Bay Park – Control
- The car must be kept under a low speed, ideally at crawling pace. In a manual car, this is achieved by the use of clutch control. Keeping the speed slow also gives you more time to make the necessary observations.
How to Forward Bay Park – Observations
- This is the most highly marked section, as the examiner is not expecting perfect parking. They will, however, expect safe driving and 360° observations before moving in order to be certain the area around your vehicle is free from obstacles. Observation during and after the manoeuvres is also essential.
What the examiner will ask of you:
The examiner will ask you to drive forward into a bay (either on the right side or left) and then reverse out. The exact bay to park into is the candidate’s discretion. There are, however, certain rules to this manoeuvre. Firstly, you cannot drive through the first parking bay and park in the bay in front of it. Secondly, for the reversing section, you are not allowed to reverse into any bays behind you. However, you are permitted to make corrections. E.g. if you enter a bay and feel you’re over one of the lines, you may reverse back and try again. However, this will be marked as a minor fault.
How to Forward Bay Park – Chose Your Bay
Before beginning, choose a bay which is clear of cars on either side, as this will make observations easier. It will also give you leeway if you are over the lines. Furthermore, it’s advisable to not choose the first or last bay. This is because if you go over the white lines, you can simply correct the fault. However, in first and last Bays, the lines are replaced by the kerb. Unfortunately, if you mount the kerb, this will be an immediate fail.
Throughout the process, keep the car incredibly slow. This will allow you to maintain your accuracy, whilst performing observations simultaneously so you can react to hazards.
How to Forward Bay Park – Positioning
The larger your turning circle, the easier this will be. Therefore, you should use up as much of the road as you can. For example, if you intend to park in a bay on the right, start by moving further to the left-hand side of the road. However, you should avoid driving over the bay lines on the left side or getting too close to parked cars. It’s vital that you show your intentions to other road users by signalling to the right.
How to Forward Bay Park – Reference Point
Continue until you reach your first reference point. This is where the first line of the bay you’re intending to drive into appears under your right door mirror. Now take a look at your interior and right wing mirror and steer right full lock. As you enter the bay, straighten your wheels when the dashboard is in line with the horizon or a something like a hedge or a fence. The final reference point is where to stop the vehicle. Which can be identified when the kerb or line in front of the car falls just under your wing mirrors. Once you’ve reached this point, stop the car, apply the handbrake and select neutral.
Reversing out of the Bay
After successfully parking, you’ll have to reverse out of the bay so you are ready to continue with the test. Be wary of any one-way systems which are in place, as you’ll need to face the car in the right direction. Select the reverse gear and perform 360° observations and begin reversing at crawling speed. It’s essential that you’re prepared to stop the car quickly if another vehicle approaches you. They may wait or accelerate past you, so wait until you’re sure of their actions. If they stop, you may continue on.
As you begin to turn, the front of your car will swing out. Therefore it’s important to not only observe the rear of the car, but also the front. Once you reach the point of the turn, steer your wheel to the left or right. The direction depends on where you wish to be facing at the end. Once you’re confident that the front of the car is clear, proceed to full lock the steering wheel. Continue to reverse a sufficient distance in full lock, until you feel like there’s enough distance for you to drive off. Stop the car and select first gear, perform observations and begin to move off.
Overall, this manoeuvre is definitely one of many learner struggles with. It’s important for you to practice in public car parks in order to gain an understanding of the problems associated with other vehicles entering or leaving, and pedestrians passing your car. As this is exactly the situation you may have to deal with during your driving test.
