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Parallel parking on a bend?

On my driving test today I was asked to parallel park on a blind bend where many vehicles are parked alongside the left curb which makes it even more difficult to see anyone coming. I started the manoeuvre so I was swung out to the right and I was unsure whether the oncoming vehicle was going to stop, my leg was shaking because I was worried about the other car moving and I knew I had steered at the wrong point, and I couldn’t control the clutch properly so I messed it up big time, I corrected it so it wasn’t the reason I failed but I obviously got a fault for it. Anyway the point is, because I couldn’t find anything on the internet, can you actually do a parallel park on a blind bend on your driving test or at any time? I felt like it was unfair to ask me to do it in such an inconvenient place where there are plenty of straight roads instead?

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Reply 1
Maybe they were testing to see if you would protest and move on to a better spot.
Reply 2
If there were many vehicles parked there that ought to tell you something: namely that they all managed to park there without causing an incident. So there's no reason you shouldn't be able to do the same thing, right?

If visbility is limited then you just need to make observations more often, and if something comes into view make a judgement call on what to do. Normally you'll need to stop if a vehicle wants to pass you. You may have to drive off if you're obstructing the road and it's no longer safe to park, or you might be able to continue to park if the other cars give you enough room to do so and keep their distance.

It sounds to me like you probably need more practice on doing reverse manouvres and making sound judement calls.
it does sound as if the examiner were putting you in danger.
Sometimes examiners will pick tough places to park to test you out.
You aren't gonna like this but they've done you a favour. I had the easiest parallel park in my exam (you could fit a boering 737 in that space both in height and width) and I only got a minor for being wide, but it was impossible for me to be obstructive.

As a result, I now struggle to park in spaces that aren't particularly tight, but require some experience. And when I do get in them I'm like [-----] that far from the curb lmao.
Reply 6
Original post by Dez
If there were many vehicles parked there that ought to tell you something: namely that they all managed to park there without causing an incident. So there's no reason you shouldn't be able to do the same thing, right?

If visbility is limited then you just need to make observations more often, and if something comes into view make a judgement call on what to do. Normally you'll need to stop if a vehicle wants to pass you. You may have to drive off if you're obstructing the road and it's no longer safe to park, or you might be able to continue to park if the other cars give you enough room to do so and keep their distance.

It sounds to me like you probably need more practice on doing reverse manouvres and making sound judement calls.


Thanks for your detailed reply. The actual reason I failed was because I was at a roundabout and someone was indicating left to come off, so I went but they actually went across me at the very last minute so the examiner had to brake. I think I was just unlucky but yes I realise I do need to practice manoevures more. My general driving is basically perfect according to my instructor so I'm sure I'll pass next time.
Reply 7
Original post by trinity-m
Thanks for your detailed reply. The actual reason I failed was because I was at a roundabout and someone was indicating left to come off, so I went but they actually went across me at the very last minute so the examiner had to brake. I think I was just unlucky but yes I realise I do need to practice manoevures more. My general driving is basically perfect according to my instructor so I'm sure I'll pass next time.


Confidence is key, and confidence can only exist if you have faith in your ability. Keep practising and you'll have nothing to fret over, once you reach a point where you're confident you can do anything the examiner asks you to do, you won't have any need to feel nervous. :smile:
Original post by trinity-m
. I think I was just unlucky


On the contrary, you were lucky that the examiner saved you from a potentially injury-causing accident.
Reply 9
Original post by Good bloke
On the contrary, you were lucky that the examiner saved you from a potentially injury-causing accident.


Well that's their job is it not? It was a situation out of my control where the examiner had to intervene in order to prevent an accident, its not like they were forced to because I'm a terrible driver.
Original post by trinity-m
Thanks for your detailed reply. The actual reason I failed was because I was at a roundabout and someone was indicating left to come off, so I went but they actually went across me at the very last minute


Schoolboy error, until they've turned in don't go. Even I do this when I'm driving somewhere I'm not used to, I'll indicate left mis-reading my gps only to find out it's actually the following exit. You're only looking at hesitation minors if you miss several gaps.
Reply 11
Original post by nevershear
Schoolboy error, until they've turned in don't go. Even I do this when I'm driving somewhere I'm not used to, I'll indicate left mis-reading my gps only to find out it's actually the following exit. You're only looking at hesitation minors if you miss several gaps.


Thanks for the advice. I let the nerves get the better of me after I messed up the manoeuvre. Nothing I can’t correct in a couple of lessons.
Original post by trinity-m
Well that's their job is it not? It was a situation out of my control where the examiner had to intervene in order to prevent an accident, its not like they were forced to because I'm a terrible driver.


No. This near-accident was a matter of judgement rather than control. You had caused the problem (by going onto the roundabout at the wrong time) and were in control. You could have braked just as easily as the examiner. Unfortunately, your judgement having failed you when you joined the roundabout, let you down again when you failed to brake to prevent the imminent accident. The examiner had to instead, which demonstrates that the situation was capable of being controlled properly by someone with good judgement.
Reply 13
Original post by trinity-m
Well that's their job is it not? It was a situation out of my control where the examiner had to intervene in order to prevent an accident, its not like they were forced to because I'm a terrible driver.


But when you'd passed they won't be there, so it shows you're not ready yet. So actually it's good luck that this situation happened when the examiner was there to step in
the safest thing is to assume that all other drivers are complete morons who have no insurance and did not pass their test.
Original post by the bear
the safest thing is to assume that all other drivers are complete morons who have no insurance and did not pass their test.


PRSOM. Preach brother.
Original post by trinity-m
On my driving test today I was asked to parallel park on a blind bend where many vehicles are parked alongside the left curb which makes it even more difficult to see anyone coming. I started the manoeuvre so I was swung out to the right and I was unsure whether the oncoming vehicle was going to stop, my leg was shaking because I was worried about the other car moving and I knew I had steered at the wrong point, and I couldn’t control the clutch properly so I messed it up big time, I corrected it so it wasn’t the reason I failed but I obviously got a fault for it. Anyway the point is, because I couldn’t find anything on the internet, can you actually do a parallel park on a blind bend on your driving test or at any time? I felt like it was unfair to ask me to do it in such an inconvenient place where there are plenty of straight roads instead?


You should've said that where he/she wanted you to parallel park wasn't safe, and moved onto a different area. You're the driver, you're in control of the car; not the examiner. I'm sure the examiner wouldn't have minded if you said that, if anything they would've praised you.

But I guess when you're nervous, you don't really think straight (in my experience anyways). Learn to try and control the nerves to a minimum.

Original post by trinity-m
Well that's their job is it not?


Their job is to make sure you're up to the standards necessary to drive. Their job is not to save you from having an accident.

It was a situation out of my control where the examiner had to intervene in order to prevent an accident, its not like they were forced to because I'm a terrible driver.


It was a situation in your control, you were behind the steering wheel. But we all make mistakes which is fine, but recognise your mistakes, and learn from them.

Good luck with your next test :smile:
I think it is a little unfair that the tests are not standardised to the same level of difficulty. My first test I failed but was so much easier than my second test. I was so nervous and focusing on the Satnav/ observations that I sped for 3mph over 30. She told me to slow down. ☹️ It was the first 5 minutes in and I knew I already failed. The second test was SO MUCH HARDER and unfair. He saw that I was during well and wasn’t getting tricked by asking me to go into no entries and I ignored him and carried on going forward because going that way would have been very dangerous. I didn’t speed and followed the satnav. He took me on a botched junction with double give ways. I did them perfectly then he asked me to do a reverse parallel park on a 30mph road at 8:30am in the morning next to a school. The yellow signs were not on yet and a lot of cars were trying to get passed. It was awful. I had to stop traffic to the a reverse parallel park, what lunatic would do a reverse parallel park on a road like that? Also he tried to get me to park ‘before the red car’ I saw that it was a junction with yellow lines and then I said that I couldn’t legally park there (He lied and said he said ‘after the red car’ I bit hard on my lip in annoyance and let it slip then I tried to re enter the road and park after it and it was a bend he failed me because I ‘wasn’t straight enough’ I felt like crying because the red car was half on the road and half on the Kerb. I am a learner and have been driving for months! (8-9) I don’t have a car to practice in so I use my instructors. If I didn’t speed 3mph on my test I would have passed first time. It’s starting to get to me because I know I am a safe driver. The manoeuvres he asked me to do were dangerous but if I say I won’t do them he would say that a competent driver would have been able to do it. So I did what he asked. My question is this, is it fair that my first test was so easy (emergency stop and forward park) and this one was so nasty (park straight on a bend and do a reverse parallel park on a 30mph busy road?)
Original post by Lizzie Study123
I think it is a little unfair that the tests are not standardised to the same level of difficulty. My first test I failed but was so much easier than my second test. I was so nervous and focusing on the Satnav/ observations that I sped for 3mph over 30. She told me to slow down. ☹️ It was the first 5 minutes in and I knew I already failed. The second test was SO MUCH HARDER and unfair. He saw that I was during well and wasn’t getting tricked by asking me to go into no entries and I ignored him and carried on going forward because going that way would have been very dangerous. I didn’t speed and followed the satnav. He took me on a botched junction with double give ways. I did them perfectly then he asked me to do a reverse parallel park on a 30mph road at 8:30am in the morning next to a school. The yellow signs were not on yet and a lot of cars were trying to get passed. It was awful. I had to stop traffic to the a reverse parallel park, what lunatic would do a reverse parallel park on a road like that? Also he tried to get me to park ‘before the red car’ I saw that it was a junction with yellow lines and then I said that I couldn’t legally park there (He lied and said he said ‘after the red car’ I bit hard on my lip in annoyance and let it slip then I tried to re enter the road and park after it and it was a bend he failed me because I ‘wasn’t straight enough’ I felt like crying because the red car was half on the road and half on the Kerb. I am a learner and have been driving for months! (8-9) I don’t have a car to practice in so I use my instructors. If I didn’t speed 3mph on my test I would have passed first time. It’s starting to get to me because I know I am a safe driver. The manoeuvres he asked me to do were dangerous but if I say I won’t do them he would say that a competent driver would have been able to do it. So I did what he asked. My question is this, is it fair that my first test was so easy (emergency stop and forward park) and this one was so nasty (park straight on a bend and do a reverse parallel park on a 30mph busy road?)

how could they standardise the test? the whole point is you need to be able to cope with all normal road conditions, which those were... my first solo drive after passing I had to emergency brake to avoid being tboned after a driver sped through a red light on the road I was joining (trees make it blind) at 50+, that's not fair and no one should need to but if you can't handle those situations alone you can't be on the road
I think all the tests should be recorded and reviewed to see if it was conducted fairly and equally across all learners. We are paying £62 per test. (That's 7-8 hours on minimum wage.) My first test was so much easier and I would have passed if I never sped when going down the hill and focusing on the satnav. I was nervous but I understand that speeding is NEVER acceptable. ((I agree that I wasn't as ready as I was on my second test.)) My driving instructor was in the car on both occasions. She agreed with me that it was a nasty second test. (She doesn't want to get involved too much because she has lots of students taking tests there with that guy and he never passes anyone. It's wrong!)Nobody in their right mind would do that in real life and I DON'T CARE WHAT ANYONE SAYS. I even scraped the kerb on my first test and it never got marked down as a minor or anything!!!! The second test I drove very safe and never cot caught out by his obvious ticks even turning right at that horrible staggered junction I did perfectly. I don't want to sound petty but a reverse parallel park on that road was crazy, you had to have been there. A normal person would have just pulled in not purposely stop traffic at a busy time with aggressive parents wanting to get to school or work. He even wanted me to do it within one car length!!!!! Watch any parallel park tutorial on the .gov website it says within two. I have been driving for months and lots of hours (Sometimes 16-24h/week). I spent almost all my savings. I have been having lessons since February. Who parks perfectly straight on a bend that is on a 40 road without going on the kerb??? The car he told me to park 'behind/in front' ((Up for debate)) wasn't even on the road fully and that is a FULL license holder. ((I suspect it's his car, sorry I'm so angry he did that on purpose it wasn't an ADI introduction test and that is what my driving instructor said it was similar to and it's not fair I never asked to take an ADI test I am applying for a standard and typical license)Also, I would like to note that he removed all my instructors dash cams etc... My first examiner didn't!!!! He probably didn't want to be seen treating someone like that. If I wasn't ready I understand that but putting me in a dangerous situation to further 'test' me I think is unfair to other candidates that do reverse parallel park on a 20 road and pull in in safe roads. I'm going to a different test centre. I have a feeling it's a scam. If I pass the first-time I will further investigate this with a solicitor because that was very heinous indeed.
(edited 4 years ago)

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