Driving Lessons - Turn In The Road

The Turn in the Road is probably more commonly known as the Three Point Turn.

The name was changed for test purposes many years ago as it gives the impression you have to complete the manoeuvre within the usual 3 turns. You can however, if on a road too narrow, complete the manoeuvre in 5 turns and this is totally acceptable - as long as it would not have been possible in 3.

With this manoeuvre you need to keep the car rolling at a Creeping speed using clutch control. The clutch will not at any point come all the way up as you will then be moving to fast. Its all about being slow and safe with plenty of mirror and safety checks. Examiners are not looking for this to be completed quickly.

First off you will need to prepare the car as always, using slightly less gas. Complete your 6 point safety checks and as long as theres no one coming, release the handbrake. As soon as you start moving, steer full lock to the right. As you get closer to the kerb you need to be looking out your drivers door window to better judge how close you are to the kerb. YOu want to get as close as you can without touching it. Once happy with your position, stop, and pull the handbrake up. Use the handbrake so to ensure you dont roll towards to kerb.

Next select reverse, and steer the wheel to the left to straighten the wheels. Prepare the car again. 6 point check. And again as long as there is no one coming, release the handbrake. Again as soon as the handbrake is down, steer full lock to the left. Try and keep the car moving slowly as you do this and steer quickly, ensuring you get the best possible turn. Once full lock, have a look out the rear window (actually turning your head to look out the back. Using the rear view mirror here doesnt count). The examiners will look out for you looking out the back, even though you wont be able to see much, to make sure you are not reversing towards something you shouldnt.

After a quick look out the back window, now turn your head to have a look over your right shoulder, to have the best view of the approaching kerb. Once once you feel you are as close as you can get without risking hitting it, clutch down, stop, and handbrake up.

Select 1st gear again and steer the wheel to the right to straighten the wheels up. Prepare the car, complete all your 6 safety checks once more, and if its clear, handbrake down, steer to the right as much as is required to get you into the correct road position to drive off.

And thats the Turn in the Road! When you do your 6 safety checks, if at any point there is a car coming then you must always wait until its clear what their intentions are. Because you are in a learner car, most people will drive past you even if you are mid manoeuvre. If the oncoming car stops, then continue the manoeuvre whilst they wait. You are not allowed to wave anyone past during the test as this would result in a serious fault, and therefore a fail. This is because someone else, ie a pedestrian, might see this wave as a signal to them and they might cross the road putting themselves in danger.

Also dry steering, ie steering when the car is not moving, used to be a fault but isnt anymore. It was once said that it would damage tyres, but tyres are so well made these days it would have no effect. And, especially if you are on a narrow road where a 3 point turn may only just be possible, and little dry steer as detailed above could be the difference between making it, or not.

So follow the instructions above and you cant go wrong!

JV