Reverse around corner - Automatic

redout

When reversing around corner in automatic and if the examiner says 'thats ok' and nothing else, what is the correct procedure after applying the handbrake? Should it be left in R while awaiting further instruction or moved to either N or perhaps A? This happened to a friend earlier today.

Car in question is an Opel Corsa which does not have a P R N D, instead it has A N R only.

So A = D and there is no P.

When the examiner told him to carry on and turn to the left he released the handbrake, forgot he had left it in R and proceeded to reverse! He received a grade 2 for that. His instructor advised that he should have put it in N which makes sense from a manual perspective though I always believed that N wasnt really used on an automatic. Leaving it in R would probably just confuse traffic coming from behind.

Alanstrainor

Handbrake and neutral would be my thinking. As you said, you'd only be confusing other drivers by leaving the car in reverse. Leave it in Neutral until you get instruction to move off again imo.

But in general, the car should be left in drive. Stopped at a junction for a period of time, just pop on the handbrake and leave the car in Drive (or what ever the equivalent is in your car).

ADIDriving

Handbrake and Neutral or Park while stopped waiting for instructions. He is lucky not to have got a grade three for that, I know people who failed because of that.

Alanstrainor

ADIDriving wrote: »

Handbrake and Neutral or Park while stopped waiting for instructions. He is lucky not to have got a grade three for that, I know people who failed because of that.

Can I ask why you suggest putting the car in park when stopped at a junction or similar? The only time I would shift into park is when parking the car and taking the keys out of the ignition. Would never pop the car into park otherwise.

**Timbuk2**

My instructor used to tell me that when you pull over (e.g. before and/or after a reverse around the corner manouvre), you need to 'secure the car', which meant handbrake, neutral, foot off the clutch. Then when the instructor asks you to move off, you are moving off from a parked position.

I imagine the equivalent for an automatic car is neutral with the handbrake on, I didn't think park was ever used unless actually parked and you are getting out of the car though.

ADIDriving

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Can I ask why you suggest putting the car in park when stopped at a junction or similar? The only time I would shift into park is when parking the car and taking the keys out of the ignition. Would never pop the car into park otherwise.

I was replying to Redout, who was asking about reversing around a corner in the driving test. In reality once you have reversed around the corner you would drive off again. But for the test you are asked to park, reverse..........and when the examiner has told you to stop you are parked until they tell you to move off.