Online driving tutorials
Online Driving Tutorial - Forwards Bay Parking
Essentially, all the driving test manoeuvres are parking exercises. The forwards bay park is the easier of the two that take place in a car park. Students who over analyse the point of turn into the bay often struggle and make too much of it. Negotiating the car park itself, in my opinion, is the hardest bit.
Forwards bay parking
The examiner will take you to a suitable car park and stop you at the entrance. They'll ask you to perform this manoeuvre in one of two ways; bonnet first or reversing. The bay parking exercises are made easier if you know your reference points for your particular vehicle, which can vary from car to car.
If asked to go bonnet first they'll phrase it along the lines of "I'd like you to drive forward into a convenient parking bay finishing within the lines, either to the left or the right". Once in they'll ask you to reverse out and to leave the car park.
Planning for bay parking is crucial. Think which side you want to park on and then position yourself on the other side of the aisle of the car park. For example, if the bay you want is on your right, you'll want to stay to the left. Being far over like this gives you more space to get the car in.
Think of this exercise like you're turning into a narrow street. You'd want to check your mirrors before turning the wheel for road users behind you, look at the bay and make the turn sharp. Avoid touching the first line of the bay you're entering. Clipping the second line is OK as the car will come back in on itself.
A useful reference point here would be when the first line of the bay you want is inline with your door handle. I also get some students to imagine this green line connecting with their knees. Or some part of their leg depending on how close to the wheel they sit.
When the car is inline with the markings on the floor, you'll be around 1/2 way into the bay, this is when it's time to take the turn off and stop.
Apply the handbrake and put the car into neutral. Await further instructions on the manoeuvre.
You'll then be asked to leave the car park by the examiner.
Reversing makes it a manoeuvre
When ready, POM. Get the car into reverse, find some bite, make sure you observe thoroughly, release the handbrake and slowly come back.
If there are empty bays on either side of you, you can turn immediately in the opposite direction of which you have been asked to leave. If there is a car on either or both sides of you, come back straight until your door mirrors have cleared the ends of the vehicles, then turn. This is prevent the bonnet hitting those parked vehicles.
The turn wants to be quick and shape to rapidly change direction. Once the bonnet is pretty much facing the direction you wish to go in, quickly take the turn off so that your wheels are facing the correct direction.
Stop. Handbrake, prepare, observe your mirrors and around you before releasing the hand brake and leaving.
