Use of Reverse Gear In Parking a Car

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18366, 7 April 1934, Page 9

Use of Reverse Gear In Parking a Car

MANY motorists -who arc in other V respects very skilled drivers iind themselves in trouble when it is necessary to manoeuvre the car in a conlined parking space or guide it through a narrow entranco set at an unfavorable angle. The reason for such embarrassment is generally that the driver has not studied the art oi: reversing, and has not a clear idea of the respective movements of tho front and back wheels when tho steering is turned. When tho car is travelling forward and the front wheels aro turned, the back wheels do not follow immediately in their track. For example, if a car is steered very close to the kerb at a corner, although the front wheels might have a safe clearance, tho back ones will often foul the kerb. When attempting to juggle a car into a small parking space, and parallel to tho kerb, it is mostly futile to attempt to place it accurately without reversing, and unless thorc is a considerable margin of space the back of the vehiclo will project into the roadway even when a front wheel is hard np against the kerb. Tie Best Procedure. The best procedure is to over-run the parking space, taking care to keep a reasonable distance from the line of stationary cars, and then to reverse u into position. By that means, the JV- process will be simplified, but earo and judgment are still called for. The angle at which the car is. driven astern should be such that when the steering is locked hard over and the vehicle, ao it were, pivots on its back wheels, the back wheel nearest tho kerb will not jam against it before the corresponding front wheel is in place. As soon as possible, the steering should be

turned abruptly so as to swing the front of the car. towards the roadside, and, although it is, of course, necessary to glance behind, attention should not be concentrated upon the back wheels, but rather upon the swiftly swingingfront of the car, which, if good judgment is not exercised, might strike the .vehicle next ahead.

As far as possible, the steering should not be forced when the vehicle is stationary, but the wheels should be turned quickly, as otherwise valuable distance will be lost. Where the practice is to park at a right angle or diagonally to the kerb it is equally inadvisable to attempt to drive into a narrow vacant place unless the roadway is so wide and traffic so light that a very broad sweep can be taken. In other circumstances, the proper method is to drive a little beyond the area, and then reverse in a similar manner to that adopted when parking parallel to the roadside. In all cases, should tho motorist realise that he has made miscalculation, and that it is impossible to complete the movement without “backing and filling,” the best course is to drive forward again -and begin tho manoeuvre anew.

Narrow Gateways. Narrow gateways with difficult approaches often mislead the unwary driver who attempts to swing his car sharply. He may succeed in clearing tho entrance with the front wheels, but will find that one or other of the back wheels will hit upon the side of the entrance, and, so to speak, leave him “hung up” in an awkward predicament. It is better to make “two bites”; the first movement being a fairly wide turn, which results in one front wheel Doing placed a foot or two to the side of the gateway, but leaves the back wheels in the correct position. All that need then be done is to reverse for a short distance on the opposite loek, and then drive forward again, when it will bo found that there is ample clearance on both sides-