How To Bay Park
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Bay Parking: How To Reverse Into A Parking Bay
Reversing into a marked parking bay is carried out at the test centre car park either at the start or end of the driving test. You can choose whether to reverse into a bay on the left or right depending on how busy the car park is, its layout and your personal preference.
The aim of the bay park manoeuvre is for you to show the examiner that you can reverse the car smoothly and accurately into a restricted space. You will be expected to demonstrate proper use of the controls and take appropriate observations whilst doing so. The car must end up completely within the marked bay.
On this page you will find step by step instructions and video tutorials to help you learn how to do a perfect bay park!
The content of this page is copyright of CDT (author) February 2012. Please DO NOT copy or reproduce elsewhere either in print or online.
The advice given on this page has been written by fully qualified Driving Standards Agency Approved Driving Instructors (DSA ADIs) and is intended only for UK drivers and those taking the UK Practical Driving Test.
Please be aware that road traffic legislation and what is considered good driving practice varies throughout the world!
How To Reverse Into A Parking Space!
Knowing a quick, easy and accurate way to reverse into a parking space will help you pass your driving test and make parking your car much easier when you've passed!
Bay Parking Tips
Step by step instructions and help on how to reverse into a parking space
Can You Take Your Seatbelt Off When Reversing On Your Driving Test?
Yes, you can take your seatbelt off when carrying out any of the reversing manoeuvres on your driving test - but it's not advisable!
It's very easy to forget to put it back on afterwards - which won't impress the examiner at all!
Reversing Into A Parking Bay On Your Driving Test
Bay parking on your driving test
If you are asked to bay park at the beginning of your test, the examiner will say something along the lines of;
"Drive forward a short distance either to the left or to the right, so that your wheels are straight, then reverse into a convenient parking bay. Try and position your car between the white lines."
If the manoeuvre is being done at the end of the test, the examiner's request will be along the lines of;
"I should like you to reverse park in the car park. Drive forward into the car park, then reverse into a convenient parking bay. Finish within one of the bays."
Many driving test centre car parks are small and very busy, and while it is useful to practice your bay parking in the place where you will be doing it for your test, you must not get in the way of people actually taking their driving tests - for this reason, you should learn how to bay park in a suitable public car park which allows learner drivers to practice there and stay away from test centre car parks while driving tests are in progress.
Some driving test centres don't have car parks or have car parks that are unsuitable and if that is the case for the test centre you will be using, you won't be asked to do the bay parking manoeuvre.
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How Straight Does The Car Have To Be?
It doesn't matter if the car isn't perfectly straight within the marked parking bay, as long as it's not touching or crossing any of the white lines!
How To Bay Park - Step-By-Step
Step by step summary of bay parking!
You may find it helpful to use this list as a memory jogger (aide memoire) - you can print it out if you need to using the "Printable Version" link underneath the instructions!
For those who prefer instructions given visually, there are some bay parking tutorial videos further down the page - some with an audio commentary for those who like to listen to what they need to do!
Instructions
HOW TO REVERSE INTO A PARKING BAY;
1. Start about one car's width from the parking bay that you wish to reverse park into and one car length past it
2. Line up your reference point (more about reference points below!)
3. Select reverse gear
4. Full observation - all round the car
5. Slowly start to move the car backwards while turning the steering wheel quickly to full left lock (if you're reversing into a bay on the left) or full right lock (if you're reversing into a bay on your right)
6. Keep looking all around as you go back
7. As the car comes to around a 45 degree angle to the bay, look in the left door mirror (left hand bays) or right door mirror (right hand bays). You will see the side of the car and the white line. Decide if the car will fully enter into the bay. If you think it will, leave your steering on full lock. If not, turn the wheel approx half a turn in the opposite direction
8. When the back wheel enters the bay by passing inside the white line, ensure that full left lock (left hand bays) or right lock (right hand bays) is applied
9. When the side of the car and the line look straight in the mirror, keep the car moving slowly and straighten the wheel
10. Look at least once over both shoulders as you come back into the bay and stop once you are fully in the bay - be very careful at this point not to lose your concentration and go too far back and hit the kerb!
11. Handbrake on and gear lever into neutral.
What Happens If I Make A Mistake?
You only get one attempt - if you get it wrong you can't have another go, so take it slowly and carefully!
If you think you're not going to end up between the lines, you can shunt forwards and reverse again - but this must be done BEFORE you actually enter the bay
Reference Points For Bay Parking
Reference points are often used on reversing manoeuvres to help learner drivers
For bay parking, some driving instructors teach their students to line up parts of the car with line markings on bays, others may use stickers attached to the doors or windows etc.
Reference points will be different for every vehicle, so don't take it as read that you should "line up with the left door mirror" just because that's what your friend did when they learnt to drive!
Your driving instructor will let you know which reference points they want you to use on their car.
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Reversing Into A Parking Space Is Useful!
Getting into the habit of reversing into a parking space can save you a lot of time and hassle!
It's much easier to park your car in daylight and later simply drive out forwards than to have worry about reversing in the dark, or manoeuvering on a chilly morning with a cold engine when your windows keep misting or icing up!
Bay Parking Video Tutorials
Video instructions on how to reverse into a parking bay
The following videos will give you visual instructions to help you learn how to do the bay parking manoeuvre.
All the videos are presented in a different format - one is animated and two are "real-life" driving lessons presented by a fully qualified DSA Approved Driving Instructor.
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Video Tutorial 2 - How To Do A Bay Park To The Left
Reversing into a parking bay on the left
Video Tutorial 3 - How To Do A Bay Park To The Right
Reversing into a parking bay to the right
Bay Parking Do's & Don't's!
Keep your speed SLOW
Good observations & consideration to other road users/pedestrians
Use mirrors properly to check position relative to the bay
Make any positional or steering corrections BEFORE you enter the bay
Don't touch or go over the white lines of the bay
Common Mistakes When Reversing Into A Parking Bay
Mistakes that could result in driving test faults when doing the bay parking manoeuvre during your driving test
No blind spot checks
Relying too much or entirely on the mirrors
Ineffective observation
Looking but not reacting to other vehicles or pedestrians
Waiting too long for other users in the car park
*source - retired driving examiner David Joberns (used with permission)
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Did You Find This Page Useful?
Did you find the advice given about how to bay park helpful?
Further Help
If you need more help, here's a few links to some highly recommended books and software that will not only help you to pass your driving test, but will teach you good, safe driving practice - for life!
Recommended PC Software: "Driving Test Success"
The Driving Test Success range of learner driver software from Focus Multimedia
Driving Test Success All Tests 2012 Edition (PC)
by Focus Multimedia Ltd
"The best and most comprehensive learner driver product on the market." - Approved Driving Instructor News
* THEORY TEST - all the OFFICIAL DSA revision questions, explanations and practise questions
* HAZARD PERCEPTION TEST - practice hazard perception video clips
* PRACTICAL TEST - 50+ video tutorials
* MOCK DRIVING TEST - watch a mock driving test from inside the car
* ROAD SIGNS TEST- test yourself on road signs
* The Highway Code
* Learn anywhere on your iPod, mobile phone or portable music player
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Recommended DVD: "Driving Test Success" (no computer required)
DVDi - interactive DVD, no PC required - all you need is a TV and DVD player
Driving Test Success All Tests DVD 2012 Edition (Interactive DVD)
by Focus Multimedia Ltd
For those who don't have access to a computer, this interactive DVD is invaluable. It will run on a DVD player or DVD compatible games console and enables those without a PC to get useful visual help and practice for both the Theory and Practical tests.
DVD 1 - THEORY TEST
DVD 2 - HAZARD PERCEPTION TEST
DVD 3 - PRACTICAL TEST
Gain the confidence and knowledge you need to pass your Driving Test using this fully comprehensive DVD.
Includes more than 50 video driving lessons and tutorials for all the manoeuvres required on your driving test.
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Recommended Book: "Driving, The Essential Skills"
The Official DSA Guide to Driving - The Essential Skills
The Official DSA Guide to Driving: the essential skills (Paperback)
by the Driving Standards Agency
This book has been written by the Driving Standards Agency - the people who set the driving test!
This book explains clearly and precisely all the skills you need to show the examiner during your driving test and how to achieve them.
If you drive to the standard outlined in this book, not only should you pass your driving test, but you will be a safe and considerate driver after you pass.
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How To Pass Your Driving Test
Links to more information pages to help you pass your driving test!
More Information About The UK Theory Test
Theory and Hazard Perception Test
Traffic Signs Quiz
Preparing For Your Driving Test
Learning To Drive A Car
How To Find A Driving Instructor
How To Beat Driving Test Nerves
How To Pass Your Driving Test
Driving Test Manoeuvres
How To Reverse Around a Corner
How To Do A Turn In The Road (3 Point Turn)
How To Parallel Park
How To Do An Emergency Stop
What Happens During The Practical Driving Test
Practical Driving Test (Cars)
Study Aids For Learner Drivers
Recommended Books For Learner Drivers
Best DVDs For Learner Drivers
Gift Ideas For Learner Drivers
Foreign Language Translations For The UK Driving Theory Test
Theory Test In Punjabi
Theory Test In Urdu
Theory Test In Polish
Bay Park Talkback!
Comments or questions about bay parking? Ask here!
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Reply
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sushilkin Oct 18, 2011 @ 8:18 am | delete
- Informative lens, Thanks for sharing.
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Momsbusy247 Feb 9, 2011 @ 3:33 pm | delete
- I think this is great information and presented in an easy to understand manner. Nicely done.
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Spook
Nov 6, 2009 @ 2:15 pm | delete
- I couldn't agree with you more about reversing into a bay park. Saves so many hassles. In my experience it's the best way to align your space. I'm sick of not being able to get into a parking bay because someone has turned in forwards and in doing so has taken up two parking spaces and thus you can't get in.
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How To Do Bay Parking - Index
How to bay park
- How To Reverse Into A Parking Space!
- Can You Take Your Seatbelt Off When Reversing On Your Driving Test?
- Reversing Into A Parking Bay On Your Driving Test
- How Straight Does The Car Have To Be?
- How To Bay Park - Step-By-Step
- What Happens If I Make A Mistake?
- Reference Points For Bay Parking
- Reversing Into A Parking Space Is Useful!
- Bay Parking Video Tutorials
- Video Tutorial 1 - How To Bay Park
- Video Tutorial 2 - How To Do A Bay Park To The Left
- Video Tutorial 3 - How To Do A Bay Park To The Right
- Bay Parking Do's & Don't's!
- Common Mistakes When Reversing Into A Parking Bay
- Did You Find This Page Useful?
- Further Help
- Recommended PC Software: "Driving Test Success"
- Recommended DVD: "Driving Test Success" (no computer required)
- Recommended Book: "Driving, The Essential Skills"
- How To Pass Your Driving Test
- Bay Park Talkback!
- Driving Test News
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by CDT
Explore related pages
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