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Okay, now that you have watched the video, you have a better idea of what is required on the part 2 test regarding the parallel park. Out of all the manoeuvres you will be asked to perform for your part 2 test of driving ability, this is usually the one you will be most used to in daily driving. Most drivers can perform it, but I doubt they can do so to the required ADI Part 2 standard...with control, accuracy and effective observations throughout.
Remember, it is not just about passing the driving ability test, but you will also need to be able to teach this manoeuvre and others to your pupils. So, you must know how to carry it out to a high standard. Many methods are used to perform all the manoeuvres.
You would get twenty different answers if you asked twenty driving instructors what method they prefer! Sometimes, you will have clients come to you from other instructors or even full licence holders who may be seeking help, particularly on parking. If your pupil already has a method they have learnt that yields limited success, then you would need to assess it and correct areas of weakness. Trying to give the client a new method can confuse and frustrate them. Helen and I will look at how you carry the manoeuvre out and offer help and advice, if needed, to bring it up to the required standard.
However, you will need a method to teach your learners. The method I use in the above video is explained below, and I am more than happy for you to adopt it. Remember, all manoeuvres on the test will start from a parked position, as the examiner will ask you or your pupil to pull up on the left. Examiners are often quite precise about where they require the candidate to stop.
Method
- Pull up alongside the target vehicle (parallel and no more than 1 metre away), stopping when your door mirror is approximately in line with the front end of the target vehicle. Remember to use MSM!
- Prepare the car in reverse gear and take effective observations from the right blind spot, right door mirror, road ahead, centre mirror, left mirror, and left blind spot. Then, look directly out the rear window over the left shoulder.
- If safe, reverse slowly back till the rear of your car is in line or just past the rear of the target vehicle (usually visible in the rear nearside quarter light)
- Before steering briskly left, check over the right shoulder, the right door mirror and the road ahead as the front of the vehicle was about to swing out.
- Looking directly over your left shoulder, watch the edge of the curb travel across your parcel shelf until it reaches the bottom offside corner of the rear window.
- At this point, the wheels are straightened and travel back towards the curb until the nearside rear wheel is approximately a drain's width away from the curb. (mainly observing out the back window in the direction of travel)
- On reaching this point, steer briskly right full lock to bring the front of the car into the kerb (Be prepared for the car to speed up at this point due to the camber in the road. Dip the clutch if you need to use brake control)
- As the front of your vehicle becomes parallel with the back of the target vehicle, briskly straighten the wheels and stop.
- Secure the car, and the manoeuvre is complete.
When teaching manoeuvres, please remember that you cannot expect the pupil to get it right every time; when it goes wrong, teach your pupils how to correct it without making them return to the start. For me, more skill is involved in remedying the manoeuvre than getting it right every time.
Making your pupils go back to the start every time just makes them think they cannot do it. Teaching them how to adjust or correct it will give them confidence and remove the fear of failure.
