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Practical test
Why it matters
Bay parking is marked on the same criteria as every manoeuvre: control and observation together. A car that ends up dead straight between the lines but moved without the driver checking around still loses marks on observation, whichever direction it went in.
What to look out for
The mirror is the trigger
Nothing happens until the right wing mirror is level with the bay marking. That is the moment to turn, not when the bay looks right through the windscreen.
Straighten as it comes straight
Unwind the steering progressively as the car lines up with the markings, rather than holding full lock and then snatching it straight.
Key steps
- 1 Stay in the left lane.
- 2 Signal right only if another road user or pedestrian would actually benefit from seeing it.
- 3 Move forward until your right wing mirror lines up with the bay marking, and stop the car once you have found it.
- 4 Apply full right lock, then check your observations before moving off.
- 5 Move into the bay, straightening up as you become straight.
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Common mistakes
Missing the reference point
If you do not end up in the bay, you turned before or after your right wing mirror lined up with the bay marking. Stop the car once you find it rather than trying to judge it on the move.
Not staying in the left lane
Drifting across the lane takes away the width you need to swing right, and the turn becomes sharp and late.
Checking mirrors instead of turning to look
Mirrors do not show everything close to the car. Turn and look before you move off, especially in a busy car park.
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Highway Code
This lesson is a revision aid, not a replacement for The Highway Code.
Rule 239
Use off-street parking areas, or bays marked out with white lines on the road as parking places, wherever possible.
Read on GOV.UKRule 202
Before reversing, look carefully: use all your mirrors, check the blind spot behind you, and check for pedestrians, cyclists or obstructions. A forward bay park means reversing back out, so this applies as you leave the bay.
Read on GOV.UK