Forward bay park

What the examiner marks

Control, observation and accuracy. Control is the clutch, the steering and the kerb. Observation is what you looked at before you moved and while you were moving, not just the mirror. Accuracy is where the car finished. Pulling forward and having another go is not a fault; touching something is.

The hard part is the way out

Driving in is a single turn. Reversing out is done between two parked cars with nothing behind you visible until the nose clears them, so the examiner is watching for a pause at the point where you can finally see, and for a look over both shoulders before the car keeps moving. Coming out and stopping to look again is good driving, not hesitation.

Getting in square

The turn starts about two bay lines before your bay. With a 3.56 m full-lock circle and a 2.4 m bay, that lands the car in the middle. Turn later and the outside front corner swings at the neighbouring line. In Guided mode the correct line is drawn on the ground ahead of you, so you can see where the turn has to start.

How you practise it here

Watch drives it for you with the commentary running, so you see the whole thing once before you touch anything. Guided puts the reference points on screen and stops you the moment you drift. Test says nothing and marks you in the words the examiner uses. Three clean Test runs in a row counts as learned, and it comes back two days, a week and three weeks later so it is still there on the day.

Step by step

These are the words the simulator says to you, in order, the same commentary you would get from the passenger seat.

1. 1Walking pace down the aisle, and keep to the far side: you need the width to swing in.
2. 2Stop when the line two before your bay is level with your rear wheel.
3. 3Full lock to the left, about one and a half turns, then creep forward.
4. 4Halfway round. Watch your nearside mirror: the car on your left is the tight one.
5. 5Square with the bay. Straighten the wheel and drive in slowly.
6. 6Wheels straight. Stop with the whole car inside the lines.
7. 7That's the bay. Stop here and tap Finished. On test you'd reverse out from here.

Common questions