Manoeuvres: Step 6 - Bay Parking
This page covers both reversing and driving into parking bays.
Reversing in: Although this is a straightforward manoeuvre in a busy car park when reversing into a space between two cars, it might take a little time to master the accuracy required to centre your car into a bay with no cars alongside to act as reference points. It's possible that you could be asked park in this situation on your test.
The most common issues with bay park reversing on part two relate to observation.
Driving in: You could be asked to drive into a parking bay and then reverse out again during your test. Again for most experienced drivers observation is a critical factor.
Remember that... Whilst initially designed for learners, everything shown in the Watch, Learn, Drive video series is 100% applicable to ADI Part-Two. When Students fail Part-Two when manoeuvring it is because they haven't done the manoeuvres to the standards shown in Watch, Learn, Drive. The driver in the videos is a fully qualified ADI.
Study bay parking at DriverActive and then watch the videos below both before and after practising.
During Part-Two your examiner will stipulate the parking method when you are being asked to park for one of the bay-park manoeuvres - it is possible that a specific bay park manoeuvre might not be included in the test. However, at the end of the test you might be asked to 'park in the car park' or to 'find a suitable place to park' without it being specifically classed as one of the set manoeuvres.
In the second instance above you will need to decide whether to drive in or reverse in. Even when this is not stipulated as a specific test manoeuvre, the examiner will still be watching you. Always remember that the test is not over until the car is parked and the engine switched off.
Remember that this is easier when parking between two cars, make sure that you can do it equally well in an empty car park.
Observation before driving in is extremely important, perhaps even more especially if approaching from the left and 'swinging out' to line up with the bay. When reversing out, remember that car parks often have pedestrian activity and cars moving at an unsafe speed.
A survey by RAC insurance in 2016 revealed that two-thirds of drivers had experienced vehicle damage in a car park.
If you have not yet studied the DriverActive information about car parks please do so before watching the remaining videos.
During ADI Part-Two you might be asked to do one of the bay-park manoeuvres. The rules/procedure for parking in Part-Two are the same as in the L test.
Regardless of your current skill level, we recommend that you start your practise in a quiet car park.
Spend between 20 and 40 minutes practising bay parking over the next week, or as long as necessary to gain consistently accurate results. Practise both reversing and driving into bays in an empty car park as well as between cars - it's possible that the test centre car park will be empty on the day of your test.
When you are easily able to meet the accuracy targets move on to a busier car park so that you are 'forced' to keep a good look out for other people in the car park - a busy supermarket car park with other drivers 'putting you under pressure' would be ideal.
Make sure that whenever you use a car park from now on you make a deliberate effort to meet all the safety targets. Pay special attention to observation - whether or not the car park is busy. The only way to be 100% sure that it is safe is to check all around, often.
Next: Reversing to the left