Why People Can't Reverse | Explained!

This video, I look at the common problem of why people can struggle reversing.
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[@broadsword6650]

In the first clip Ashley says the cammer is giving the Mercedes driver lots of room, but by constantly creeping forward they are perhaps inadvertently pressuring the Marc, as well as reducing the room available for manoeuvring. If another road user is clearly struggling don't make things worse. Sit still (if safe to do so) and let them finish.

[@DoubleDe]

Yea exactly. Found the comment I was looking for hehe !

[@LordLampost]

Yep, it reminded me of those drivers who "punish" people using the wrong lane by chasing them backwards, maintaining a distance of inches from their nose. This clearly wasn't intentional on the dash-cammers part, but it didn't stop me thinking "hold back, hold back, give them space!".

[@user-xg6zy2oi9c]

If you can’t reverse a vehicle you shouldn’t be allowed to drive.

[@Jehty21]

​@@user-xg6zy2oi9cand it's not your job as another driver to enforce that.

[@user-xg6zy2oi9c]

@@Jehty21 I wasn’t enforcing it I’m stating my opinion, I would have given plenty of room. However your defence of the situation probably means you cannot reverse yourself.

[@thomaselliot2257]

The last clip is not just how good at driving in reverse the cammer is , but how good of a human being he is.

[@ibs5080]

I commented on that very last clip too.

[@hypergolic8468]

When you have days like that, driving is a really enjoyable (when everyone is nice and polite with each other).

[@ibs5080]

@@hypergolic8468 My thoughts exactly. Even with a bit of humourous banter to round things off, as opposed to folks getting stroppy for a situation that wasn't really of anyone's doing, just a narrow single track road.

[@markwilson7013]

There must have been a moment when he thought, 'this is my life now' 😅.

[@Sigrimader]

Legend

[@dirtywetdogboatsandsailing6805]

Reversing is one thing........reversing a trailer is a whole other level

[@PedroConejo1939]

Doubly so with those small ones you can't see until the trailer is well into its swing.

[@tpilot_error404]

Yep.i am a female heavy load semi and truck driver. I commute with a motorbike. With a car or semi without the trailer i find it difficult to switch to that type of reversing cuz i used to trailer reversing. Plus, due to me being small i have to adjust the mirror all the time and cant see the dash or reach everything i should.

[@Ryan-uh9le]

Use a camera. ​@@tpilot_error404

[@453421abcdefg12345]

And there is a different technique for 2 or 4 wheel trailers!

[@tpilot_error404]

@@453421abcdefg12345 yeah, scandinavians call that one type dolly.

[@daleskidmore1685]

Closing the space down on the car reversing puts an added pressure on the driver of that vehicle, like in the first clip,. The white van at the end kept station with you at a nice distance.

[@Asto508]

I agree, that was unnecessary pushy and likely made things much worse. What's even the point in going forward if the other car has to reverse way more back before you can proceed. It also prevents people behind you from closing down the space as well in case you actually need to reverse due to the car in front getting stuck completely.

[@wrightwoodwork]

These are also the people that close a gap in traffic to allow you to merge

[@daleskidmore1685]

@@Asto508 Exactly. It almost looked like the reverser was being punished for the mistake.

[@tacticalguy6473]

Pressure makes diamonds

[@MCLooyverse]

@@tacticalguy6473Pressure also makes explosions. It depends on the situation.

[@jarthurs]

Send everyone on a forklift course, I'm convinced my ability to reverse in a competent manner is because I drove a forklift as a teenager working in a warehouse. Once you've driven something with rear wheel steering it gives you an a different perspective to manoeuvring.

[@ArminGrewe]

While I've never driven a forklift that's what I always think of when reversing. Once you've grasped how real wheel steering works and realise that your car becomes rear wheel steered when reversing I think it's much easier.

[@Birkguitars]

I wascthinking the same thing. Rear wheel steering is a very different beast. It's more like pushing a shopping trolley. I thought Ashley might mention this aspect as it seems to be a major factor in people who have difficulties.

[@GodmanchesterGoblin]

Alternatively, play with Meccano or Lego to make steering vehicles (inluding articulated trucks) to understand how steering works in reverse as well as going forwards. That was me over 50 years ago.

[@ethelmini]

Forks are similar to boats - they steer about their centre (loaded)

[@Deepthought-42]

I live up a long single track lane with stone walls each side. It is frequently necessary to reverse into tpassing places. I have never had trouble reversing. In the last few years my cars have had parking sensors and a reversing/360 degree cameras. Reversing seems to have become more difficult with sensors screaming at me and me then looking in mirrors to see if they had “seen” something I had missed. I now have the audible sensors switched off, ignore the camera and look over my shoulder instead and reversing is simple. Less is more !

[@DBCooper2]

How some people pass their test staggers me. Even though the pass requirements for reversing are very limited, surely a good instructor should cover this in their lessons.

[@Fercough]

I suspect the goal is to teach to pass the test. If there's little focus on reversing in the test, there will be little focus on it during lessons.

[@neiloflongbeck5705]

Unfortunately for a number of people it wouldn't matter if they had a million lessons on reversing they will never get any better. Their brains fail to develop the needed spatial awareness skills needed to be good at reversing (forward they're fine).

[@wrightwoodwork]

The problem I think is people are taught how to pass a test instead of how to drive. If you can drive you can pass your test. Just because you pass your test doesn't mean you can drive

[@NineEyeRon]

I heard my name mentioned

[@MrHatman26]

I have passed my test and I can barely reverse to the point that needing to reverse scares me. It does not help that having dyspraxia makes it even harder. What was funny was that when I needed to do a reverse bay park on my test, I thought I had already failed and just thought "screw this, I have failed," and without thinking at all, I somehow managed to do it perfectly even though I had failed it twice in my lesson before the test. I still wonder why I am allowed to drive.

[@DrBlack1987]

I love reversing. I alway reverse into parking bays. I find that reversing into tight spaces is easier than going in forward with modern cars with long high bonnets

[@rufusgreenleaf2466]

It's easy to adjust positioning when your wheels turn from the back of your direction of travel. Like a forklift. I always reverse into bays unless i can come through the back of one.

[@ChrisM541]

" I find that reversing into tight spaces is easier than going in forward" Quite simply, once the space gets below a certain size, the only way to park in there is by reversing ;)

[@DCTriv]

@@rufusgreenleaf2466 Absolutely. When I first got my car my place of work had mandated everyone reverse park in the company car park. I'm glad for it.

[@rufusgreenleaf2466]

@@DCTriv Same, even though it wasn't in the policy. The manager at the time had OCD, so he asked if we all could reverse park. I have ever since, now i'd like to say i'm rather good at it.

[@robertocurrlos7470]

Your right I do find it easier to reverse in sometimes😊

[@smilerbob]

Before watching the video, the main reasons I have seen for people not being able to reverse is - They don’t practice it - They over exaggerate steering inputs - They don’t practice it - They get confused between left and right when looking backwards - They don’t practice it - They get nervous and stiffen up resulting in unwanted steering input as they alternate between looking in the mirrors - They don’t practice it I recommend drivers find a big, empty car park and (you’ve guessed it) practice reversing in a straight line. Then give small steering input to learn how the car reacts. As with all things, occasionally we need to go back a little bit to go forwards a lot

[@thomaselliot2257]

Was that YOUR clip at the end. He sounded like you.🙂

[@ibs5080]

@@thomaselliot2257 I'm in the fortunate position that nobody on this channel except Ash knows what my voice sound like. 😊

[@thomaselliot2257]

​@@ibs5080 I make it fortunate for others not to know what my 63 (soon to be 64) yr old face looks like.

[@smilerbob]

@@thomaselliot2257It can’t be as bad as my almost 43 year old grumpy face looks like 😁 In answer to your question, I had a quick scan to the end and that is not me. I will be watching the video in full once I have replaced the second shock and drop link on the almost 18 year old car

[@BlueJDev]

Imo, you forgot an important one, clutch control! Too many people reversing can't control the clutch and just keep revving up and down heavily. My mate used to pump the accelerator in and out like a mad man everytime he reversed, although he was actually good at reversing control apart from that.

[@CBGX]

People dont really know how to drive... It is scary. I was congratulated by my friends for reversing once. I was surprised, isn't it a part of standard driving? haha

[@billpugh58]

People? Actually most 'people' can drive and reverse perfectly well. don't think you are a superior being because you can🤣🤣

[@Teasuti]

Yeah, it kinda got me off guard once too when someone complimented my parallel parking into a 1 car length space without any shuffle and with an excessive momentum at that without any hesitation. Kids were watching me doing it from the car in front. I didn't know how to respond, I'm not used to compliments. XD

[@se-kmg355]

Your friend sounds like a person that applauds the pilots when the aircraft lands. 😂

[@goodyeoman4534]

It seems to be getting worse. On my commute home from Sheffield I lose count of the number of drivers who refuse to indicate, red-light jumpers, people changing lanes dangerously, driving into yellow box junctions or onto roundabouts even when they can see their exit is completely blocked. It's just weird.

[@goodyeoman4534]

@@billpugh58 They never said they were superior. But their driving certainly is if they can park when many people clearly can't.

[@andrewgilbertson5356]

I am not good at reversing in a car, mainly due to lack of practice. After a holiday in Devon my ability to go backwards had improved a lot. Local drivers went backwards almost as fast as forward!!

[@Jiayne1335]

me and my late partner,had plenty of practise reversing around Devon as the roads at times are to narrow.and the odd times we went to Cornwall we had loads more practise reversing.

[@ArminGrewe]

On the other hand I've seen plenty local drivers who were absolutely diabolical in reversing. Being local doesn't guarantee good reversing sklills

[@17Blower]

I'm from Devon and drive a van for a living, delivering to farms and remote houses so I have seen my fair share of bad reversing from locals as well as grockles.

[@andrewgilbertson5356]

My twin lives in Topoint ,me in Northampton, he’s a dab hand at reversing , even in a fairly large motor home. I’m OK on a fork lift😂@@17Blower

[@BBoySnakeDogG]

​@@17Bloweras a supermarket driver in Devon, grockle season is the worst! Definitely agree that the locals can be just as bad, thank god my van has a reversing camera.

[@TheBadVideoMaker]

10/10 for the driver in the last clip and full marks for the white van in not getting too close. Reversing some distance is quite common where I live and I have found that if the person you are reversing away from is keeping almost bumper to bumper, it slows the whole process down, especially if you do need to go forwards a little to straighten back up - something that you are more likely to have to do if you need to keep half an eye on an impatient driver in front of you.

[@grahambonner508]

When reversing and turning it's very important to keep an eye on the front wings as well.

[@adammcallister2260]

One thing at a time fella. Some people need to find R on the gearstick first 😂

[@BrapNeeflap]

Front wings? Are you piloting a plane?

[@hicky62]

I was an apprentice mechanic and had to reverse cars into my work bay several times a day, so thankfully, my reversing is pretty good. I was also taught to use my mirrors to gauge positioning. I work on a caravan site now, and some of the reversing I see is mind boggling.

[@antonycharnock2993]

I remember once having to reverse for a caravan on narrow road by Lake Bala in North Wales. If the caravan had gone the other shorter way to the main road it would have saved us both the stress because there was just nowhere for me to get out of the way.

[@kenbrown2808]

sometimes with caravans, the problem is not the driver, but the one giving directions. I've had to tell people on occasion, "show me the direction the back of the vehicle needs to go and leave me to decide how to do it. I learned reversing at a young age on a garden tractor with a wagon.

[@andyo1737]

@@kenbrown2808 Very much this when maneuvering a trailer. I've had non drivers make spinney hand gestures and I just think, dude you have no idea what this is like!

[@kenbrown2808]

@@andyo1737 also, BIG signals. I can't see a fingertip twitching from that far away.

[@matthewhardcastle9595]

same here as I did the same as uncle got me driving tractor with trailer as this is good skill to have and again I seen some drivers shouldn't have a licence ​@@kenbrown2808

[@funkyuk1]

Take it slow. If you’re in a situation where you need to reverse or manoeuvre into a space, it’s not uncommon to feel pressured and rush when there are other vehicles around “waiting” for you to complete. Patience and take it slow 👍🏼

[@Draigthedragon]

​@@Klaus_Nobbagreed. I'm a good, confident reverser but am aware that others aren't. The less confident they are, the further back I stay. I find the more patient I'm prepared to be, the less patient I end up needing to be. Watching the first clip I felt the driver could have made life easier by staying further back.

[@PedroConejo1939]

@@Klaus_Nobb I cannot emphasise this enough. While there are some people who aren't good at reversing, there are many who can reverse fine but don't cope well with feeling pressured. The same reasoning applies to those who habitually tailgate - some perfectly capable drivers don't respond well to it.

[@JeyeNooks]

@@Klaus_Nobb In my opinion give people space all the time. Even if they are trying to park forwards or turn a corner at traffic lights, getting right up into people window and mirrors is just asking for trouble. Dont even get me started on people that try taking roundabouts at the same time as lorries

[@Tom-2221]

One thing I’ve learnt growing up in a rural area with lots of narrow lanes is that it can very often be faster to reverse to deal with a passing situation than try to squeeze by in a gap that’s challengingly small.

[@MrAsan0]

It's funny you mentioned the "reverse around a corner" maneuver not being on the test anymore. I remember it was my least favorite one, so naturally, my instructor would get me to do it every lesson... I'm glad he did, because guess what maneuver I got on my test! Thanks to all the practice, it went really well and I'm grateful that I was made to do it so often. As you said its very good practise for those tricker longer reverses.

[@JonBowe]

I remember that the instructor opened the door when you had safely stopped and gauged how close you were to the kerb. In the military you are always taught to reverse in to a parking space, so you have the quickest way out if trouble comes your way.

[@blow0me]

That test aspect is a largely pointless manoeuvre though. It should be proper reversing around a course, various parking scenarios etc etc. Licenses are handed out like lucky bags these days, and enforcement of dangerous drivers is non existent, with the plod fixating only on speed, as they really don't care one bit about dangerous road users.

[@fburton8]

Love the good natured exchange at the end. Very British I think. :)

[@FAS1948]

Before I ever took a car on the road, I'd learned to reverse tractors and trailers on farms, and all the machinery in a quarry, often reversing big things into small spaces, so reversing a car without a trailer was easy. Perhaps everyone would benefit from the experience I had.

[@shiinondogewalker2809]

I didn't have access to any of that, but if we ignore the trailer part then I learned how to reverse as a kid on a bicycle

[@walterxplinge3867]

My first vehicle was a Morris Minor van (yes, I'm that old) and I taught myself to reverse with the use of the wing mirrors. A skill I still use to this day, usually on country roads with passing places. I'm driving a car with parking sensors, which help, but I still mainly use the mirrors

[@kenbrown2808]

I have driven more than a few things with no back window. the one thing that changes is things can hide behind you.

[@leplessis8179]

Oh, you youngsters! I go back as far as an A35 van! No need to reverse back then - there was nothing else on the roiad!

[@kenbrown2808]

@@leplessis8179 I got a chance to drive a 1940s Ford truck. the mirror (singular) is 3 inches in diameter.

[@wessexdruid7598]

The title reminded me of a fellow biker - who was stopped, at traffic lights, on a downward facing slope. A woman came up behind him and drove into him - then claimed to her insurance company that he'd reversed into her (uphill). For those who have never ridden a motorcycle - very, VERY few big, heavy bikes have a reverse gear. His certainly didn't - but the insurance company still agreed with her...

[@TheSlowDude]

As a kid I learned to drive on a narrow driveway on the country side, 1km long ...I would drive it the whole way up and reverse the whole way down 😂

[@revealingreflections9338]

Hi Ashley. I used to drive coaches. Part of my heavy vehicle test included stopping on one road, reversing into one on the right, and stopping an appropriate distance from the kerb. When I've taught family or friends to drive I've taken them to a shopping centre car park with trees every three bays and got them to drive a reverse figure of eight around the trees. Brilliant for control which can be useful in all other situations. Being used to driving vehicles with no rear window I use both wing mirrors, and I encourage everyone to reverse into driveways so they can drive out forwards and cause fewer problems for other road users.

[@Bin-The-L-Plates]

Nice video, and it’s great you covered one of my pet hates as an ADI……… which way to steer when reversing. So many teach the crazy notion of ‘you steer the opposite way that the front goes’, and it’s like a laxative to the brain for so many. Just steer the same way you want the back of the car to go, it’s no different to driving forward.

[@Asto508]

Also, if you have trouble reversing and don't want or can't have dedicated training sessions, just always park in reverse and resist the tendency to park forward for convenience. Even if it's only reversing for short distances, it slowly builds up your feeling how to steer properly. I also found that some people have trouble in conceptually understanding why reversing in a car is so different and I always recommend them to take one of those trolleys you can usually find on hardware stores (at least in my country) that have free rotating wheels only on one side and fixed wheels on the other end. Steering those (with fixed in front) is basically the same as reversing a car and you see lots of people who have trouble with those too because oversteering is very easy and they don't think about controlling the fixed front instead of the free end.

[@TheRip72]

Parking forward is horrible when it comes to reversing out. Reversing in is much easier. The wheels which steer are at the right end, you do not have to edge out as far in order to see the traffic & when reversing in, you can see your rear wings in your mirrors. You can only ever approximate where your front wings are, you can never actually see them from the driving seat.

[@sillybait1329]

​@@TheRip72I always reverse into a gap unless it's diagonal parking, if you hit someone reversing out you are 99.9% at fault plus it's so much easier to see, most people expect you to stop and just reverse straight out regardless of other road users, if they actually hir someone or get driven into it will cost them a lot of money and points on their licence

[@TheRip72]

@@sillybait1329 Diagonal parking is horrible because you have to back out into your B post blind spot, which are typically larger than they used to be on older cars though. Sometimes it cannot be helped though. Driving in to a space is something I do if I know I am going to load/unload shopping or luggage.

[@ScotlandwithFraser]

​@@TheRip72Reversing out of a parking space is so much more difficult than reversing in. Genuinely staggering so many people don't seem to realise this!

[@frafraplanner9277]

@@TheRip72 The B pillar blind spot is the thing I hate the most about diagonal parking too

[@robg521]

I had a colleague once who was absolutely useless at his job [he was the bosses son], but he was brilliant at revering, he once reversed a small lorry with a trailer along a road in a park for about a 800 yards. Sounds easy enough until you hear that it was a twisting meandering road only 6inches wider that the weeks on his lorry and he did it one go with coming off of the road.

[@Asto508]

It's because controlling a vehicle is about getting the feel for it which uses completely different brain regions than all the "higher" functions and not different to doing sport, for instance. At least he is good for something then.

[@josslucas1545]

Living in rural north west Wales most locals can reverse just as well as they can drive forwards. I often find myself in situations where I have to reverse up to quatter of a mile for a tourist who would only need to go back 20 yards but just can't do it. It baffles me that they would choose to drive down a single track lane knowing full well they have no reversing ability. To be honest if I had a second gear in reverse i'd definitely use it. Love seeing the looks on their faces when I've just zoomed back 300 yards around a couple of corners after watching them failing to go back 5 feet.

[@johnrussell5245]

Here in Devon it's the same. I think my record reverse down a single track lane is around half a mile. I've even had to reverse with a trailer on the back. You know it's up to you when the other driver just sits there with a glazed look on their face.

[@derv1980]

@@johnrussell5245 thats about my record too in a 3.5ton luton, down a snowy lane barely wider than the van. came face to face with 8 cars who told me the road was blocked with snow.

[@sherrylawrencelewis2544]

My dad was a motorhead and his love of all things vehicles filtered down to all of us. He taught us all to drive very early. He is Kenyan and grow up on three hundred and fifty acres of farm land. We were taught to drive and use tractors to harvesters, to listen to engines, feel their movements and try and work out their ailments. We had to practise all manner of driving skills including reversing as we have family that live in mountainous regions with treacherous roads. We drove through safaris, across neighbouring countries in minibuses and small lorries. Driving in the UK after that is less stressful as there is less risk of driving off a cliff into a ravine. 😊😊😊

[@moltenriches]

A Motorhead is an amphetamine addict lol

[@TiberiusWallace]

Even when someone has mess up and maybe even did something illegal and have to reverse or some other maneuver to get out of it it helps nobody to apply pressure so the make more mistakes, even if it makes you feel better about yourself.

[@RichardBeds]

According to the Highway Code you shouldn’t reverse for longer than is necessary. Many years ago I drove up a single track road in Wales which I thought might be a short cut. After about a mile or so, it ended up as a track which wasn’t wide enough for a car. As there wasn’t anywhere to turn around, I had to reverse all the way back down the road, and emerge onto a blind T junction. Fortunately the road wasn’t too busy, and with my windows open I could listen out for traffic.

[@SimonBlandford]

I had exactly the same experience on a forrest-covered hill in the Wye Valley. The only difference was that I was lost and had managed to give myself food poisoning with some bean-sprout experiment I ate before I left home. When I finally reversed all the way back up the road, with a steep drop on one side of the narrow track, and reach my destination I exploded at both ends. Sick as a dog but relieved I managed to hold it all in while driving.

[@highdownmartin]

@@SimonBlandfordnice! Bet twisting round was a bit fraught!

[@drewwyatt1274]

The question is how long can you reverse. I live in a quiet cul-de-sac off a quiet cul-de-sac. When I get home I can either turn right, stop, then reverse back 3 car lengths to park, or turn left and drive to the end of the road and turn round. I do the reverse park. I was told off by a PCSO who saw me. He told me that my reversing wasn't necessary as I had another option, and so was illegal. I was told I would get a ticket next time he spotted me doing it.

[@highdownmartin]

@@drewwyatt1274 what a tosspot

[@123MondayTuesday]

Hello from Vancouver! I'm just waking up at the moment but will come back and watch later. I've always been a great reverser, every Sunday I go to the local superstore carpark with my cones and refine my skills. Never know when they will come in handy!

[@philipoakley5498]

My daughters still have 'fond memories of a local Lidl car park doing shuffle forward and back, moving one space to the left and right on the reversing step. Lots of space after closing time and almost nothing to hit. A great confidence booster! Definitely necessary of the Scottish single track roads.

[@stug45]

I drive down single track lanes regularly. However, due to the poor standard of driving, I tend to drive backwards instead of forcing others to. It saves both time and hassle for both of us

[@PedroConejo1939]

If you live near me, we've never met - far too many SUV drivers round here who can't reverse 5 metres but will insist I reverse 50. Mostly tourists, I suspect. Do they not have to reverse in that there London they've got nowadays?

[@timrathbone]

I don't think people can get far in either direction in London these days 😂

[@PedroConejo1939]

@@timrathbone Fair. 😄

[@svr5423]

They are very common here in Switzerland as well.

[@invisiblewizard2538]

That Kona @1:40 has a really good clear reversing camera, with superimposed direction graphics. I had one - it made reversing an absolute doddle.

[@jarthurs]

It does make things easier, but you have to keep a good eye on what the camera doesn't see. As an EV driver I'd also forgotten how whiny gearboxes are in reverse after that last clip!

[@philipsmith9688]

The merc and Audi clips were something truly amazing, how nobody were bumped into is anybody’s guess and a well done to the last guy not once but twice!

[@GGMattt]

I used to have an issue with reversing for only a short time, now it's become far easier than I expected it to be. I thought I was going to have problems with it for a LONG time but I'm glad I don't struggle with it anymore 😄

[@highdownmartin]

When I was 19 I had an hour in a field being tutored in reversing a short army trailer attached to a LWB series Landrover. Stood me in good stead for reversing my own similar rig forty years later and anything solo is a breeze. It never ceases to amaze me etc etc etc

[@rogerwatson7205]

Thanks Ashley I do find your videos helpful even after 40 years plus of driving. The most challenging roads I drive on are the single track Devon lanes. They really test your observation and reversing skills. The key thing is don’t panic and take it slow so you get it right.

[@ollysworkshop]

There's lots of Devon comments here! I grew up in south Devon and the first thing my mum taught me to do (when I started driving) was to reverse. On some trips you spend almost as much time going backwards as you do forward. It's not uncommon to have to reverse for half a mile in some instances. There should be much more focus on it during lessons, it's like riding a bike, once you can do it, you don't really forget, so just make sure everyone can do it! I live in Gloucestershire now and you sometimes hear people complaining about the 'narrow' country lanes, it usually turns out that they are ones with white lines down the middle!😂

[@17Blower]

I've lived in south Devon all my life and deliver to remote houses and farms so I know exactly what you mean. My van is limited to 5mph when reversing so its painful if I have to go a long way back.@@ollysworkshop

[@hebijirik]

I have a weird tip to improve reversing skills: learn to drive a forklift. I have met a few other people who got the same impression that after learning a forklift for a very short time reversing a car became much easier for them. It might not work the same for everyone but I think it helps to build the mental model for when the fixed axle goes first and the steering axle has to conntrol where the fixed one points. Basically a reversing car becomes to your brain just and awkward forklift where your seat is facing the wrong way rather than car that is behaving weirdly. I bet you could get the same result if you try to reverse a car for a few hours but it seems to me that if you get and opportunity to try out a forklift the learning somehow goes a lot faster. Maybe because you are just learning a new vehicle and not trying to unlearn what you subconciously excpect the car to do.

[@highloughsdrifter1629]

I'd second that. Forklift really helps with reversing and generally judging how a vehicle will move in a tight space. Take the course if you get a chance. It's good for getting a job too...

[@kenbrown2808]

I think it's more that driving a forklift involves driving backwards about as much as driving forwards. although having more experience with the geometry of turning with rear steering can't hurt.

[@derv1980]

i agree with this, i did my driving test and my forklift test in the same week! when i did my driving test there were 3 reversing manouvers (reverse a corner, parallel park and 3 point turn) you were supposed to do 2 of the 3. my examiner told me a wrong turn down a dead end so ended up doing all 3.

[@mikewade777]

If you're going to practise with a forklift make sure its not a warehouse without proper rack protection... It took days to clean up😐

[@svr5423]

Just driving an RC car (in reverse) as a kid helps as well.

[@Grim_Beard]

Thanks for mentioning that motorcycles (with very few exceptions) don't have a reverse gear, as a lot of drivers don't seem to know that. I don't mind walking the 'bike back a little way to let a car past, but don't expect me to move far - or uphill!

[@Bikeops2021]

I didn't know the corner reverse was not part of the test! The guy in the closing clip is a saint! 😇

[@SQ96_]

Ashley, I passed my driving test 3 years ago, and admittedly really struggle with reversing , didn’t do much of it during my lessons , and haven’t used it much during my driving life yet. This has helped, thank you.

[@wrightwoodwork]

It's really just practice good clutch control so you can go really slow like crawling speed and not rush the steering

[@goodyeoman4534]

It's harder now due to the busier roads, aggressive drivers and limited space. So don't beat yourself up about it.

[@Hitperson]

something i learnt years ago when i did a skidpan session was "you will end up going where you are looking" and too many people don't realise that this also applies to regular driving as well and managing a skid. a couple of months ago i had an issue with another motorist when descending a steep single track lane, they refused to reverse around the clear bend they were at and allow flow insisting that i should back up the hill to the blind t-junction with a vehicle parked across the end which was not safe to do at night, the other motorist was very mirror focused and tried to bury their own car in a nearby hedge in an attempt to provide space to clear but this was done on the inside of the apex so it was still impossible to pass.

[@user-ue6iv2rd1n]

To some extent but I've been looking at the road as the car rotates and spits me into the scenery lol.

[@thomaselliot2257]

I find when reversing I sometimes have to move forward a little to make slight adjustments when continuing to move back into a space. I drive a Hyundai 120 like the one featured in the video.

[@user-cw9qn1nb2n]

Reversing a vehicle is one of the few times when two wrongs really do make a right. So, wrong direction (to normal) and wrong view (picture reversed) in rear-view mirror. What this means is, when looking in the door mirror, and seeing in which direction the rear is moving, if the rear is moving to the right and you wish for it to go left, steer to the left. You use the same steering input as if driving forwards. For cars, with 3 mirrors, there is hardly ever a requirement to turn your body to be able to look out of the back. It can mostly be done very safely using the mirrors only.

[@ibs5080]

Keeping up with your videos Ash, as well as being educational and entertaining, makes me feel still connected to the UK whilst I'm out here on the west coast of Canada. It actually means a great deal to me, especially as I'm recovering from feeling rather under the weather. Hopefully your videos will "reverse" the poorly feeling for me! Stay safe everyone. 🇬🇧🇨🇦

[@kenbrown2808]

hopefully just jet lag.

[@ibs5080]

@@kenbrown2808 Unfortunately more than just jet lag but hopefully I'm on the mend. How are you and yours?

[@kenbrown2808]

@ibs5080 unfortu ately, the wife is waiting for me to get home from drill and take her to get her foot x-rayed.

[@ibs5080]

@@kenbrown2808 I do hope everything works out OK in the long run for her.

[@Davey007]

Well done with your students 👏 . It refreshing to see an instructor teaching how to drive and not how to pass 🙏

[@vetworker]

I took my test in 1991 and reversing around a corner was part of the test and i mastered it perfectly. Living in the middle of nowhere with single track roads everywhere has certainly improved my reversing even more but I regularly meet drivers who cannot reverse. I met a lady who only had to reverse 10ft and she simply couldn’t do it without driving into the hedge, in the end I gave up and reversed almost half a mile to let her get past.

[@v8mooowder354]

Only the week before last, I was driving down one of our local back roads, (in a mk1 CRV with all terrain tyres) on a hill, with a lot of ice. I came around a bend to find a Mini driver stuck. Realising he didn't have traction to get up the hill he tried to reverse back down but end up wedged in a bank. I assumed because of the ice. Lucky for him I had a tow strap with me and pulled him back level on to the road. I then sat and watched as he reversed back to a field entrance about 30m away, he was all over the road and had to pull forward again several times. The reason he first got stuck was firstly he ignored the road closed sign at the bottom of the hill, and secondly because he was terrible at reversing. I see it all the time on this piece of road, old, young, male, female, it makes no difference, so many of the just can't reverse.

[@koppadasao]

People should learn to row before learning to drive a car. When you row, you look in the opposite direction of where you are going. Good training for when you're going to reverse a car

[@suznet]

My reversing is pretty good, I had a lot of practice going up & down my parents drive, about 80ft on an incline & obviously single track, some people really struggled with it, my first car was a MKii Jag, so no power steering either.

[@Asto508]

Lack of or weak power steering actually helps here.

[@linedwell]

Not sure why the first cammer kept moving forward? if they were terrified, why didn't they wait where they were. If their first thought was 'content for Ashley' that makes them pretty poor themselves.

[@kiradotee]

It's an absolute clever thumbnail Ashley hahaha 🤣🤣🤣🤣 I think it's understated how clever it is.

[@makotohanazawa6560]

i was an articulated lorry driver and i never thought reversing a rigid chassis vehicle would be difficult by any means. now i know how hard it is for some people

[@jamesdavideastwood6956]

The profile pictures on the weird bots commenting early are, ehm, relevant to reversing.

[@josyms7849]

Intro clip. Cammer doesn't help by continually moving forward and reducing the Mercs space to manoeuvre forward

[@johnflavin1602]

?

[@josyms7849]

@@johnflavin1602 corrected my post

[@phantom62]

I remember having to reverse around corners during driving lessons back in 1981. Often there would be traffic suddenly appearing, so I had to move out their way, but it was good practice for reversing the car :)

[@mantasr]

I'm better in reverse than forward when parking - you have finer cornering control and great views from the mirrors.

[@homeoftheineptgamer318]

On my driving test I had to reverse into the parking bay at the test center. However, the bay itself was different to all the other bays I'd practiced on before (for one I had to do the test at a different county because they were all booked up for nearly a year). To get into the bay you had to drive past it, and there was a hedge which took up the remaining area. If you were used to counting spaces in a car park then this would perhaps has thrown you off, the parking bay was also on fairly steep incline meaning you had to have good control over your clutch as you began to reverse essentially up hill, if making sure you were correctly aligned was a problem then this added an extra level of difficulty and I could see this catching a lot of people out on their driving test, particularly as the test centre local to me was a standard car park. Fortunately I slotted straight in, a little slow on the hand brake so rolled forwards a touch but the examiner didn't say anything and I passed. One of the most useful add-ons I installed for helping with reversing were a couple of stick on blind spot mirrors. They are very good at helping you line up with bay markings and also assist checking blindspots when maneuvering.

[@smiffy925]

What grinds my gears are the drivers who get so close to your front as you are reversing, and try to push you to reverse faster than you want to. Stupid, impatient or both?

[@frogsplorer]

I am going to gripe on this too. Forces you to split your attention between front and back. Also doesn’t allow space to pull forward to straighten up if necessary. Also if you are reversing a long way you need to get the speed up but you also need to slow quickly if you start getting off course and it doesn’t help an idiot stuck on your front bumper. I nearly got out my car once to remonstrate with someone who did this and I really regret not doing it

[@davidty2006]

Hmm should give atleast a big enough gap so reversing vehicle is able to shunt forward.

[@markvarley4557]

I failed my first test on reversing around a corner, I was almost finished when a car came into the junction from the left cutting the corner, I saw him coming and he was on a line to go nowhere near us and we were still moving away from him, but the examiner felt the need to jump on the brake which made it an instant fail, I still think that was an over-reaction but I couldn't do anything about it, I passed with no problem when I next tested though, 30 years later and I don't think I've reversed into a junction since! I used to live in Cornwall though so long reverses were a daily requirement there, much like the last clip.

[@Richard_Barnes]

That first Merc driver was absolutely shocking 🤦🏻‍♂🤷🏻‍♂I do like my reversing sensors though 👍🏻That last bloke's gonna be doing that all day. Rumour has it he's still stuck on that road and can't get moving 😆

[@theinacircleoftheancientpu492]

Hearing the good whine when you have the confidence that you know you are in control and can give it some speed is pretty satisfying.

[@mig1017]

I can't commend you enough. Watching the way you handle situations on the road has really helped me. But most of all it's your calm approach I'm trying to adopt most. It's working! 😉👍

[@RumbleDelta]

Reversing around the corner used to be the absolute bane of my learner experience, but I’m glad it was done because I’ve been in enough situations where its needed and I would’ve been doomed otherwise.

[@stephenbanyar1874]

A couple weeks ago, a friend of mine told me that he was impressed with how I was able to reverse bay park my little '06 Suzuki Swift in a John Lewis multistorey... without parking sensors, with three passengers and a manual gearbox. I thanked him and explained how the interior and side mirrors made it easy. I hope his theory test goes well.

[@DefaultMale_]

Very nice Ashley, nice to see more people have picked up your content over the years

[@nsoper19]

great video. some people (usually women) just don't have the spacial awareness to reverse properly. sometimes they've been driving for years and still can't get it right.

[@hippophile]

It takes practice, and I agree driving tests don't require enough. I recommend practicing with a toy car that has steerable front wheels!

[@smilerbob]

Nice video and this is something everyone should practice as much as possible One extra piece of advice for those that need to reverse along country lanes (and ties in with one of your other videos Ashley) is to not only remember where the passing points are but also to remember what the road was like since that passing point. Not all bumps and holes are easily visible through the mirrors or rear window 👍

[@theironshiek]

When I first passed my test I always made a point to reverse into spaces when parking. Helped loads

[@jeffcarr392]

I was taught (ahem *30*) years ago to reverse in a large square, it helped get used to the controls working opposite, but with the straight sides too, I was forced into the trick of feeling normal as I was going straight, then back to a corner, then straight. Did this a few times and it really helped. I taught my wife this too, now she has no problem reversing, and isn't scared of reversing into parking spaces, which many people avoid.

[@chilleddriving1455]

This shows why dedicated learner tracks/areas are needed for things like practicing reversing, hill starts, skidding etc. Should be the first thing to do before being let out in the wild.

[@emromw]

I would've loved to be your student! Clear, well timed instructions that make it really easy for the student to follow and learn from.

[@owensspace]

My gf was bad at reversing so she’d avoid it, which just stopped her from improving. I told her to back in places and she’s gotten SO MUCH BETTER

[@carlchapman4053]

Reversing well, just like everything else takes experience and practice. This is why when someone says to me "I have 30 years experience as a driver...", I answer "No, you have 1 year of experience, that you have repeated over and over for three decades and in all of that time you have never learned anything new or better" If anyone disbelieves, this just ask yourself how long ago did you learn to read and write? 10 years ago 25, 50? You have used the alphabet EVERY SINGLE DAY from then until now so do it in reverse.. Say the alphabet right now backwards, Z, Y, X, W, ........ If you can't do it immediately, without fault, then you do NOT have decades of experience with the alphabet, you have 1 year of experience that you keep repeating and have never bothered to learn or improve.

[@spicytuna62]

I grew up on a farm driving a manual Chevy pickup. I was hitching trailers alone and reversing with them at 12 years old. Reversing with trailers is a skill I've lost my touch with since I haven't had to reverse with a trailer in over a decade, but I was pretty well a pro at reversing by the time I took my driving exam. In fact, everything was easy. I think that's probably the best part of having grown up a farm kid.

[@MinkieWinkle]

That last clip was golden. Very well done

[@MePeterNicholls]

After one year of passing my test with minimal driving, I had a job with a Bedford mini van type thing. Great big side mirrors. I learned almost immediately to reverse using just my side mirrors - obviously being a van! And to this day I still only reverse using mirrors and now (last year) a camera too. But always- the mirrors. (My test was reverse around a corner)

[@richardharvey1732]

Hi Ashley, yet another very interesting video!. After all these years the biggest problem I have now is the way the rear view mirrors on each vehicle differ slightly in terms of depth of field and distance perception. Apart fro that I now can hardly remember when I too turned the steering wheel the wrong way and sent the vehicle in the wrong direction. This does still happen sometimes when reversing with a trailer because the back of the trailer wants to go the same way as the steering not the opposite, when this happens I almost always have to drive forwards again until the whole thing is straightened up again this is even more dramatic when reversing four wheel trailers, with them the margin for error is much smaller!. In the end the only thing that works is a great deal of practise and experience, in my opinion novice drivers do not get enough to ensure a basic level of competence, this must also include much more thorough testing. The underlying point for me is that much of the 'bad' driving that I witness is the product of lack of confidence and experience, for can be acquired by most new drivers but they do need the support and confirmation of success which you seem to be very good at!, correction of error goes only so far!. Cheers, Richard

[@NATObait]

The Golden Rule when someone is reversing for you ( even if it was their mistake ) is NOT to croud them like the very first clip. That only stresses many drivers, whose ability is unknown to you , and can delay progress or cause an accident. So sorry a qualified driving instructor forgot to mention this in his otherwise good naration. Be patient!

[@peebee143]

I worked at a British Leyland franchise back in my teens. That gave me every opportunity I needed to practice manoeuvring in tight spaces and getting a good feel for the size of a vehicle i was driving. I can reverse as well as I can drive in a forward direction whether I am using the mirrors or looking back over my shoulders.

[@jfergs.3302]

Not sure about that first clip. 'cammer's terrified, giving them space!' Up until you said that, the cammer was steadily creeping forward, encroaching on the poor (and I'm assuming), nervous reverser. That just seemed to be adding additional, and uneccessary pressure on the poor blighter. I'd have just sat and waited till the reverser had cleared the road.

[@AUaudits]

I learned to reverse coach & artic around kerb, into road on right

[@woody230uk]

I've only been driving for nearly 2 years and when reversing I use my wing mirrors to judge the distance between me and other cars and the curb by using my cars door handle of the passenger doors as a reference, I've found it make it easy for me to reverse round corners and paralle park.

[@mcdon2401]

My dad always said people should be as capable driving backwards as you are driving forwards. Sadly, many people out there struggle with the latter, and dont even think about the former until it's too late.

[@contessa.adella]

Ironic timing. Just coming home along one of our single track rural lanes….I was almost out, when suddenly this SUV towing a horse box appears ahead and enters the lane. A bit annoying because had he looked ahead and saw me, he could have stopped at the wide bit, but no! He pressed on….so I did the only thing I could and reversed up a quarter mile….so thanks, mate!

[@yorkshirebiker]

Indeed, only big bikes such as the Honda Goldwing, etc can reverse. I'm not sure they are designed to reverse any kind of distance though - it's more to aid parking, etc. For all other bikes it's time to get off and push 😆 And it is actually part of the bike test 👍

[@mraidymaddful]

The second clip you showed of the truck coming up the hill is just outside of the village where I live. The first problem of that road is that HGV's aren't supposed to use it and secondly there are more problems caused by the Range Rover sect that refuse to give way and also drive 3 feet from the walls on either side. There are a lot of 'REALLY' bad drivers on the roads today, I quite often say to my wife as we're driving along that it amazes me how some people manage to get out of their own driveways without causing a major accident (coff-BMW drivers)................

[@kennethjessop6073]

I was taught to use primarily the near side mirror looking down the road to maintain lane position and check for near side threats. Then scan 360 for the remaining time.

[@nigelcox1451]

The last clip reminded me of a similar situation, but when training with a supermarket delivery van. There was a long section of single track lane, ditches and hedges, barely wider than the van. No passing places, mostly straight, but a tight, blind s-bend about halfway along. At the bend, we met a parcel delivery van, even longer than us. Although the nearest passing place was behind him, it was around the bends. Reversing around blind bends is not safe, even with rear view, so back we went, about half a mile, all on the mirrors of course. Luckily, didn't meet anyone on the second attempt.

[@ianhill4585]

I must admit when i was 18 and a newly qualified driver , I for fun used to reverse for waaaay longer than the highway code allows, sometimes down the whole long road and around corners. Highly illegal , but a helluva way to learn, and not be scared to reverse. I must state these were quiet not oft travelled roads on housing estates, in the early 80's, maybe when there was less vehicles on the road.

[@SouthWest-jj8yu]

Have to agree Ashley did my test back in the 70’s and had to reverse round a corner and during the reverse had to keep the same distance from the kerb. I’ve since undertaken several advanced driving/riding courses and often despair at the poor quality of some other driver’s skills. Reversing seems to be a challenge to many but other issues are signalling, road position and particularly observation.

[@PennysPitstop]

The magic words for me is "if you move slowly and make and it goes wrong, it will go wrong slowly". As a professional bus driver we are taught that if we aren't 100% confident slow the hell down to give yourself more time.

[@neiltill]

I can remember when I learnt to drive 30 odd years ago doing loads of reverse round a corner exercise and reverse park behind a parked car, It stood me In good sted for my driving up to now I've not had to many problems. I've done the reverse park exercise when I learnt to drive buses and we have to reverse off stand at the interchange but I see some other bus drivers even struggle with that simple manoeuvre.

[@CraigNiel]

Legend has it that the last guy is still there to this day, encountering motorists every time he wishes to proceed and having to reverse back. He's currently on 5678 marks out of 10!

[@gofres]

As part of working at an RAF cadet base and handling gliders on the ground, we had to reverse a landy with a tiny trailer, barely visible in the mirrors through a cone slalom course. It was tricky but good fun!

[@iallso1]

On an advanced driver training course last year, we tried reversing just using the camera, just using the mirrors, and turning and looking out, and even with the technology it was best when looking out at the surroundings.

[@devlinrawlings3322]

best thing my dad ever did for me was take me to a car park with staggered trees and said slalom them, built confidence so quick and taught me how to handle reversing

[@dilwyn1]

Great vid Ashley .. As a resident of North Wales, with single track roads being the norm, reversing up hill, down hill, around corners, sometimes for half a mile, is not a problem. One thing though I would like to add. If it is dark, night time, and you can't reverse, please turn of your head lights as the person who can and will get out of your way can't see as your lights blind them.

[@chrislewis8714]

Spent the last 15 years on Cornish back lanes. Got my practice in for sure.

[@whysoserious3791]

Can definitely tell you've done your HGV licence 👌 more of that series please 😁 The reverse round a corner is a good manoeuvre for learning...maybe an off-road reverse similar to the large vehicle reverse at half the size could help and give people a better understanding.