I'm very happy because I passed my driving test yesterday!

I actually own a car which I bought before I got my licence (long story)and a friend drove it to mine.

Normally I would have been out and about as soon as I passed my test, but my car is parked in a very tight parking space at the front of my building, the only way to get out is to reverse round the corner into the road, and I live on a one way street.

Apart from the fact that it's going to be a tricky one to corner, I'm a bit confusd about what I'm allowed to do, in terms of reversing into a one way street and am hoping someone can advise me.

Here's a picture of the current situation:



Very bad drawing I know. The car has got F and B on it showing front and back. boxes marked 1 and 2 are parking spaces and arrow shows dirction of one way street.

Red and blue arrows show two possible ways of reversing out as far as I understand it. In both of them the first lot of arrows is me reversing, then next lot is going forward.

Blue arrow option looks much safer to me (though it does depend on that parking space being empty) as I'm out of way of traffic, but it will involve reversing into the box number 1 - but, will that count as reversing down a one way street and therefor be an offence?

Red arrow would mean reversing across the street rather than down it, so techinically might not be an offence in the same way, but will hold up traffic a lot more and I would be less comfortable doing it!

Unfortunatly there isn't room for me to reverse round the side of the house and then go out forwards, there are some steps down to cellar to the side of the bay window that would make it too dangerous.

Also, I know that if you can you are supposed to reverse into a driveway and then drive forward out of it. But the only way I could do that would be to drive forward into parking space 2 and then reverse round corner into my drive and shimmy round into space - but again, would that mean breaking the law by reversing from space number 2?

I was supposed to have a driving lesson very soon after my test as I knew that even if I passd I would still want more advice, but it had to be postponed till next week and I really want to get going - I think I'll be fine once I'm out on the road, just need to get thre!

Any advice, clarification would be very gratefully received.

If it's fairly quiet and you aren't getting in anybody's way I'd just do it.
It looks pretty much impossible to reverse into that space!

I can't actually see any red or blue arrows, I'm afraid. I agree with sbhoa that you will have to reverse up the street a bit. I'd call that a manoeuvre rather than reversing up a one-way street, though I probably wouldn't try it with a traffic warden/policeman watching!

Is there anyone who can watch you out into the road and tell you whether anything is coming? If parking space 1 is full, it's going to be difficult to see properly.

I can see the red and blue arrows, though they're faint....
whatever you do, you're going to need a few swings, I reckon: cars don't bend in the middle as you know. The easier option is the red arrow, in terms of giving you enough space, but if it were me, I'd be doing that when the street were quiet... and quite possibly not parking it there again! Given that we're allowed to reverse along a two lane carriage way, on the "wrong" side of the street in order to park, I don't see why anyone would object to your using that parking space in order to get yourself in the space backwards, but that looks very tight to be having to do on a regular basis, I must say. (and I'm quite good at parking, my folks tell me).

Thanks both - the red and blue arrows are fainter and I think if you look at the screen from a certain angle they dissapear...but they are thre I promise.

Unfortunately there's nobody to guide me out, the street is always fairly busy and there are parking meters on it so traffic wardens there quite often! So I think I need to establish if one of the manouevres is more legal than the other before I head out.

PS just seen anacrusis's reply, unfortunately since there are meters on the road I can't park it anywhere else.

Congratulations on passing your test!

I would still try and find a way of reversing in next time if at all possible - it may take some swinging around and shunting backwards and forwards. Whatever it takes, the traffic will have to wait if you just go for it.

Agree with posts above. I'd definitely try to find a friend or a neighbour or someone who can guide you out and watch for traffic. You have to be able to get in/out so I don't see it being an issue legally. If alternatives are not possible, I would definitely look at reversing in - might take some toing and froing to achieve, but it'll get easier with practice..

I thought this thread was going to be about golf ! (New Driver)

I don't see any legal objection to a reversing manoeuvre on a one-way street as long as it is done safely.

If I recall correctly, one is not supposed to reverse onto a road which is more major than the road that you are on, (in other words you don't reverse onto a main road from a side road), but you have no other options.

Whichever way you do it you will need to reverse on the one-way road. On balance, and based on your diagram, I would say that it would be better to drive in and then reverse out. If you reverse in you will need to perform a reverse U Turn against traffic, and will then need to perform another U Turn when you drive out. Even if your car has the steering lock of a London Taxi, (very few front wheel drive cars do), this would require some skill! Otherwise you will effectively need to perform a Three Point Turn in, and out.

SB

I'd just reverse out and put your hazard lights on (assuming the car has them, though just about everything built after about 1972 does). In all honesty, I'm struggling to see the issue - the police are not going to pull you up about this issue.

I too would be driving into the space and reversing out. Though not sure where it mentions in the original post that the OP has a front wheel drive car?

Thanks all - PixiePorsche the issue was really which out of red and blue options causes less disruption to traffic, and could one of them be deemed an unnecessary amount of reversing and therefore land me in trouble. From replies I guess not, but I think I need to get used to the red one anyway since the parking spaces outside won't always be empty.

I too think I will have to continue driving in/reversing out becuase apart from number of turns needed, the steps down to basement (i.e. ground disappearing!) are more visible that way and therefore less dangerous.

If it's quiet enough today am going to give it a go... otherwise may have to wait till lesson next week.

I would assume it would be easier to reverse out. I remember when I went on holiday to Madeira we had a very tight parking space (but big enough to fit a car and a motorbike). On the first day, we decided to reverse in as it would be easier for us to get stuff out of the boot with the steps going up to the apartment just behind. However, we then had a car parked in the horizontal parking space right in front of us, and the road to get out was very narrow. We found driving out forwards was a struggle because always remember that the rear wheels will always take a shortcut, and a single manoeuvre would have seen the car brush the brick wall! Plus this meant that driving forwards into the horizontal parking space opposite wasn't an option because there was a car parked there. So it took us about four manoeuvres (approximately) to drive out, even in a Corsa! So next day, we decided to drive into the space, and then reverse out, which, if you park the car correctly in the first place, is so much easier!

So, in summary, I'd said reversing out is probably easier. But make sure you remember to put your hazard lights on so other traffic is aware of your intentions. And take your time! If you do it slow enough, someone should have the decency to hold back and give way.

Car Expert

I can't see there is any difference in reversing out onto a one way street or any other street. You are reversing out into the path of oncoming traffic, so be careful.

Regarding hazard lights:

Lighting Requirements 116
Hazard warning lights. These may be used when your vehicle is stationary, to warn that it is temporarily obstructing traffic. Never use them as an excuse for dangerous or illegal parking. You MUST NOT use hazard warning lights while driving or being towed unless you are on a motorway or unrestricted dual carriageway and you need to warn drivers behind you of a hazard or obstruction ahead. Only use them for long enough to ensure that your warning has been observed.

So I would argue you don't use them to warn oncoming vehicles you are reversing.

Yes I was wondering that about the hazard lights too.

I'm not sure they would help anyway as the issue is whether people can see me at all or not i.e. as I emerge, espcially if there are parked cars so just have to do it very slowly until I can see them and vice versa. Once thye can see me it will be evident that I'm reversing across the street as I'll be at a ninety degree angle to them, so anyone with sense will hang back and give me room hopefully, but I don't think hazards would make any difference.

I read somewhere else that hazard lights are overused and have become short hand for 'I'm going to do something I know I shouldn't so I'll put hazards on and then it will be ok.' Not saying that's what you lot were suggsting, but amusing to think how driving has a language all of its own!

I think my only hope of trying it out safely is to get up at 5.30am as 7pm onwards the road is always fairly busy and I'd want to leave lots of time for several goes and getting in/out plus actual driving. Unfortunately I'm not a morning person at all so we'll see if that happens!

How pleasing to receive car advice from Car Expert.

Whilst putting hazard lights on may not be technically correct as far as the highway code goes, I personally don't see it as a problem. You *are* going to get into situations were you do things that perhaps you should not, anyone who says that they abide by the highway code / speed limits or whatever all the time is lying.

Why thank you

Car Expert

Yes I was tickled by that too!

I knew I'd come in useful at some point

Car Expert

Don't forget your reverse lights should be on if the Corsa has them. Motorists to the rear should see them. Proceed slowly.

I'm sure the OP didn't say she had a Corsa - that was me

Although I used to have a Corsa... not anymore...

Car Expert

Why not hot-foot it over to the next Traffic Warden you see passing, plaster on a big smile and appeal for their help in getting out of this space?
I've always found them to be very helpful when I've got into some spot or other. I'm sure s/he would be happy to oblige and perhaps stop the traffic for you as you manouevre out.

I had to do a multi-point turn to get out of a tight space in a car park recently and had no option but to gently inch into a moveable barrier rather than bash the motor that had parked too close. Another person guiding me out would have been a great help.

Would some sort of 24th Century hovercar help you get in and out of this very awkward parking space?

Whilst I agree that reversing out might be the easier manoeuvre to execute on the purely technical level of where the wheels are which move when steering - I was thinking of the fact that in general the driver sits in the front of the vehicle to drive it - reversing out involves performing this move blind as far as what is happening with oncoming traffic, especially if the two marked parking spaces happen to be occupied. People in a hurry in rush hour are generally not that keen to concede way to someone doing something slow and deliberate needing two or three swings to complete, and the other problem is that you're going to risk a bit of a cricked neck twisting round to see things, even if you have a superb set of mirrors: cars have blind spots, cyclists don't take up that much room and are easily missed, and motorbikes, whilst taking up a bit more space, have the disadvantage that they also go faster than do bikes and are less visible than full cars are. Besides that, there is a stupid number of swanky and unnecessary four wheel drive monsters around now, which further obscure vision ....

What percentage of cars on our roads today has rear wheel drive? And how many of those are owned by new drivers?

My assumption may well be wrong, in which case I apologise, (indeed, my own car has rear wheel drive), but by far the majority of cars today have front wheel drive as the drive train is self contained and therefore much cheaper to build. Front wheel drive has many benefits, but good steering lock is not one of them!

Taking Car Expert's point; it might not feel like it, but cars are always more manoeuvrable when reversing than when driving forward; which is why fork lift trucks have rear wheel steering.

SB