How to do manoeuvres
(or for those who can’t spell searching for this - manoovers, manouvres, manouevres, manouevers, manoueveres, man’s - and the list could go on!)
Performing any manoeuvre in a car involves only 2 things:
Control - keeping the car under complete control at all times, ensuring it does not go anywhere other than exactly where it needs to go.
Observations - being absolutely certain that your actions don’t inconvenience any other road user in any way other than what is necessary to perform the manoeuvre.
To ensure that you are performing manoeuvres to the professional standard expected of you, follow these guidelines at all times.
Use:
SCALP - find a Safe, Convenient And Legal Place to perform any manoeuvre.
All Round Observations - at all times, especially when paused before starting. Bear in mind that manoeuvres can take time to complete - always ask yourself if anything in the environment around the car could have changed - this can be especially important at certain times of day like school drop off and kick out, and in certain places like car parks, where pedestrians will often take priority (whether they officially have it or not!).
The Rear Window - don’t rely on the mirrors to see what is happening behind you as you reverse - by the time they appear in your mirror, they are in danger. By looking out of the back window while reversing you have much wider peripheral vision, and will be alerted to movement heading towards the back of your car.
The Handbrake - any movement of the car in a direction which you don’t intend is a loss of control. Yes, this does mean the 4 inches that you roll towards the kerb while finding the bite point in reverse during the Turn in the Road!
Your Judgement - this is the hard bit! Use any information you can. I have often heard people say ‘don’t use the mirrors on manoeuvres - you will fail your test’, and yes, relying on mirrors alone during a manoeuvre will mean that you may not spot potential hazards before they develop, but why not use them to judge your accuracy - this is common sense - there is no way you can judge the distance between your car and a hazard like the kerb by looking out of the windows alone. A glance in a mirror will give you more information to work with.
Regular Pauses - judging accuracy, being aware of all possible hazards as they develop, and controlling the car in a very professional manner all take concentration, and it is often best to pause for a second or so to allow your brain to keep ahead of what you are doing. There is no problem at all with pausing during a manoeuvre - driving professionally is not a case of pretending that you are having an interview for the mini-performance team! A pause allows for all round observations, and a moment to assess any changes in the environment around the car, and to make decisions based on what you see.
All content © Tim Manwaring