Driving lesson brief M5. Turn in the road
Introduction
The purpose of the turn in the road manoeuvre is to turn the car to face the opposite direction by using the forward and reverse gears. At this stage in the programme you should have mastered all the component skills that make up this manoeuvre; the angle start, reversing to the left and reversing to the right. The key to this manoeuvre is fast steering and slow speed via good clutch control.
Lesson aims and objectives
By the end of this lesson you should be able to:
- explain when it would not be safe, legal or convenient to carry out this manoeuvre;
- turn full right lock briskly as you drive the car very slowly towards the far side kerb and then straighten the wheels rapidly just prior to reaching the kerb;
- turn full left lock briskly as you reverse the car very slowly towards the near side kerb and then straighten the wheels rapidly just prior to reaching the kerb;
- repeat the above steps as necessary before completing the final step of the manoeuvre;
- use clutch control to deal with any upward and then downward slope caused by the camber in the road;
- take all round observations before and during each step of the manoeuvre remembering to look over your left and then your right shoulder as you reverse;
- apply the handbrake between each step;
- deal correctly with all other road users;
- complete the exercise on wide and narrow roads with differing cambers and on roads with occasional traffic.
Subject brief
If you found yourself in a dead end road it might be the only manoeuvre that you could use to turn around safely.
The start of the turn is similar to an 'angle start'. As you move across to position B, you will be using clutch control to maintain a slow, safe speed and using your observational skills to keep looking for other vehicles around your car. Steer briskly to the right as you start to move, but before you reach the kerb at position B steer briskly to the left.
After you have stopped at position B, you will reverse to the left (after a slight uphill start). Move across to position C, but before you reach the kerb steer briskly to the right.
From this point move across to position D which is your normal driving position.
The additional learning points for this manoeuvre are:
1. Location
Choose a location that is quiet and where you have as much room as possible. Avoid locations where there are trees or posts or other obstructions near or on the kerb. Keep away from parked vehicles and ensure that you will be easily seen by approaching traffic. Once your vehicle is broadside across the road (i.e. in positions B or C in the earlier diagram) you are very vulnerable to approaching traffic from either direction.
2. Steering
Being able to change the lock of the steering wheel briskly just before you reach point B and point C is the key to completing the manoeuvre in as few movements as possible.
3. Handbrake and clutch control
The camber of the road may require you to apply the handbrake at point B and C to prevent the car from rolling forward and backwards. It will also require you to use your previously learnt clutch control and braking skills.
4. All round awareness
All round observations are particularly important to this manoeuvre as you need to be aware of traffic approaching from either side of your vehicle while watching for
pedestrians who might cross from the front or the rear. Therefore when you are moving forward you are continually looking from side to side while looking ahead. When reversing you continually move from looking over your left shoulder to your right shoulder as appropriate.
5. Dealing with other vehicles
The manoeuvre should not be started until the road is clear of traffic in both directions. Once you have completed the first leg, any traffic that is waiting can pass behind you if they want to. Similarly, before commencing the third leg you can allow any waiting traffic to pass in front of you if they want to. The same would apply if it took further movements forwards and backwards to complete the manoeuvre.
6. Number of movements needed
It may not always be possible to complete the manoeuvre in three legs or movements. Additional movements forward and backwards may be needed particularly if the road is very narrow. The procedure for these additional movements is basically the same.