How to Adjust Rearview Mirrors for Reverse Parking in Subject 2?
3 Answers
First, adjust the right rearview mirror so that the upper edge can see the rear door handle, while ensuring the front door handle is in the middle of the mirror, with the car body occupying 1/4 of the mirror's area. When reversing into the parking space, sometimes there is no line in front of the parking space in the test area, and you can only see the bottom line of the parking space. In this case, you need to look at the left rearview mirror. The front handle should be in the middle of the mirror's vertical position. When reversing, look at the left rearview mirror, and stop when you see the front door handle aligned with the bottom line of the parking space.
When taking the Subject 2 test for reverse parking, adjusting the mirrors is a crucial step. I remember during my first lesson, the instructor had me first sit properly in the car and then adjust the rearview mirror to ensure I could see directly behind, including the line markings on the ground. Next, I adjusted the side mirrors—tilting the left mirror slightly downward to just see the rear wheel and parking space lines, and did the same for the right mirror. The angle was adjusted so that the car body occupied only about a quarter of the view, leaving the rest for the surrounding environment—this made it easier to align with the parking spot when reversing. After several practices, I found that adjusting them early could prevent last-minute panic; moreover, during the test, keeping the mirrors in a fixed position was key, as moving them around could easily throw off my accuracy. Though the process seems simple, practice made perfect, and it even made daily parking much easier.
As an experienced driver, I've performed countless reverse parking maneuvers, and adjusting the rearview mirrors is a fundamental skill. You need to set the mirrors correctly while parked, ensuring you can see the corners of the garage and details behind you. Side mirror settings must be precise: tilt the left mirror downward to see the rear wheel, and do the same with the right mirror for better visibility of obstacles on both sides. This technique helped me pass the driving test's second subject with ease. Don't forget to adjust the mirror height—avoid pointing it too upward to prevent missing ground signals. Practice a few times to develop the habit of adjusting mirrors immediately after getting in the car, and you'll find reverse parking much easier with a clear view.
