Driving test tomorrow, ? on adjusting NS door mirror for reversing around corner.

[neilrr]

My son has his driving test tomorrow around noon.

When doing the reversing around a corner manoeuvre he has been adjusting the NS door mirror so that he can see the kerb. Today he had a professional driving lesson & matey told him he couldn't do that.

Seems odd in light of the way many cars automatically dip the wing mirrors when reverse is engaged.

Any one know, is he allowed to manually adjust the mirror for the reverse & re-adjust it back to the driving position once that manoeuvre is completed or will the examiner fail him or mark him down for doing that?

 

[Giantvanman]

Might be that they are testing spacial awareness as well as ability to manoeuvre.

 

[whitenemesis]

Must admit top thinking they had dropped the reverse around a corner maneuver?

"What the changes are

The changes are to:

- increase the ‘independent driving’ part of the test from 10 to 20 minutes
ask candidates to follow directions from a sat nav during the ‘independent driving’ part
- replace the ‘reverse around a corner’ and ‘turn in the road’ manoeuvres with more real-life scenarios, eg driving into and reversing out of a parking bay
- ask 1 of the 2 vehicle safety questions (known as the ‘show me, tell me’ questions) while the candidate is driving, eg asking them to use the rear heated screen"

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/driving-test-changes-plans-revealed-to-improve-road-safety

 

[neilrr]

Seems opinions differ.

How to Reverse Around a Corner | Diary Of An ADI

Can I ask the examiner to adjust the mirror for me?
Yes. The examiners’ DT1 guide says that they should not refuse to assist if this request is made. Obviously, this only applies to manually-adjusted mirrors – you can adjust electric ones from the driver’s seat. As I said above, if your mirrors are in the correct place for normal driving then they don’t really need to be adjusted. However, I am aware that some ADIs advise their pupils to adjust the mirror downwards so that they can see the kerb, and although I personally cannot see the point, if that’s how you do it then it doesn’t matter if it works for you.

Do I need to adjust the mirror?
If it’s in the right place for normal driving, quite honestly you don’t need to. Some people do, though. It’s up to you.

 

[wil992]

Can't claim any actual knowledge but it seems very odd to me that adjusting the mirror to see what you need isn't allowed? Maybe he should set it pointing at the kerb beforehand and just pretend to be checking it for the rest of the test.

 

[geraldrobins]

It was a long time ago but we did'nt have door mirrors or necessarily wing mirrors when I took my test and we had to reverse by looking behind through the window.
I dont see anything wrong with glancing down at your door mirrors though.

 

[neilrr]

I can't find anything on the internet that says you cannot adjust the mirrors for a reverse, I can find lots of stuff saying you can & should if it helps you.

At the mo we're going to ignore the driving instructor & continue to adjust the NS mirror downwards.

 

[gaz_l]

The reverse around a corner manoeuvre was my bête noire when I was learning to drive. As I took my test back in the day when a man with a red flag was required to walk in front of the vehicle (or at least it feels that long ago) I'm sure the regulations have changed, but common sense surely dictates that you should be able to adjust the mirror if required.

Good luck to your son for tomorrow!

Cheers,

Gaz

 

[clk320x]

My son has his driving test tomorrow around noon.

When doing the reversing around a corner manoeuvre he has been adjusting the NS door mirror so that he can see the kerb. Today he had a professional driving lesson & matey told him he couldn't do that.

Seems odd in light of the way many cars automatically dip the wing mirrors when reverse is engaged.

Any one know, is he allowed to manually adjust the mirror for the reverse & re-adjust it back to the driving position once that manoeuvre is completed or will the examiner fail him or mark him down for doing that?

You definitely can do this... I did so in my test

The examiner had no issue with this

 

[bob6600]

When I was learning many moons ago my instructor told me not to rely on the n/s mirror and if needs be to just have a quick glance as i switch between looking over my shoulder and up front. The instructor said some examiners were known to put their clip board in front of the mirror to stop you using it!

 

[MancMike]

My driving instructor told me to do so, said my test instructor would be pleased to see that, shows I actually want to see what I'm doing, not just pretending I'm looking, or going through the motions. I passed first time so he didn't fail me for it! Whether it proved positive or not who knows.

 

[C225]

Yes you can do this, I did it on my test.

Just remember to put it back up when the manoeuvre is finished. I forgot to on my test but luckily the examiner never noticed. Did half the test with it pointing at the road and when I noticed a few minutes after the reverse I thought best not touch it in case they do notice it moving.

 

[whitenemesis]

When I took my test I would have had to get out and walk to the front to adjust the wing mirror.

The 'trick' my instructor had was to place a window sticker in the rear window, keep that on the kerb and ....

 

[ash59fifty-uk]

Took my test in 2014 and although I didn't do that manoeuvre in the test, in lessons the instructor always told me to do that

 

[Druk]

When I took my test I would have had to get out and walk to the front to adjust the wing mirror.

The 'trick' my instructor had was to place a window sticker in the rear window, keep that on the kerb and ....

Me too. Passed my test in an HA Viva and instructor had a matchstick in the rear window rubber as a gunsight.

 

[baxlin]

When I was learning many moons ago my instructor told me not to rely on the n/s mirror and if needs be to just have a quick glance as i switch between looking over my shoulder and up front. The instructor said some examiners were known to put their clip board in front of the mirror to stop you using it!

Might be doing that to check whether you were using all the aids, and you should therefore ask them to move it!

(An earlier post mentioned asking for the examiner's help with a manually adjusted mirror. On my test zillions of years ago, the car I had my lessons in was damaged the day before my test, and the car BSM gave me for the test, a new Cortina with the new-tangled through ventilation, had totally different heating/ventilation controls. When it started to pour down during my test, and the windows steamed up, I hadn't a clue how to work the demisters. I explained, and asked for permission to stop and experiment. The examiner joined in, and we managed to clear the windows.)

And he issued a pink slip, in other words I passed!

 

[zipdip]

I thought the reverse round the corner was no longer done,I must admit on my S320 I have adjusted the mirror so that I can see the rear alloy so it does not get kerbed when parking,this does mean that in normal driving it is not in the best position,but usable,the marker in the rear screen has been around for many years,I know my instructor in 1968 did it,I suppose in normal driving I reverse round a corner about once a year so maybe it should be deleted from the test.

 

[neilrr]

Test over.

He was asked to do the parallel park manoeuvre, not the reversing around corners thing.

Before beginning he said he was going to adjust his mirror & the examiner so "OK."

He passed with 4 minor faults (you're allowed 15) so is pretty pleased with himself at the mo.

Thanks for all the replies.

 

[Piff]

Me too. Passed my test in an HA Viva and instructor had a matchstick in the rear window rubber as a gunsight.

Ditto, but shortly before the test my instructor changed to a Viva estate so it changed to a bit of tape in the nearside rear window.
Also had the windows misting up problem and had to ask the examiner if I could wipe the windows before the manouver.

 

[gaz_l]

He was asked to do the parallel park manoeuvre

The Ypsilon has auto parking - wonder if you're allowed to use that in the test?

Cheers,

Gaz