What does it mean when a car fails to enter the garage while reversing?
3 Answers
Failing to enter the garage while reversing means that the vehicle's body does not completely enter within the garage lines during the reversing process, resulting in point deductions in Subject 2 of the driving test. Additional information: Reversing into a garage is an assessment point in the driver's test. It involves maneuvering the vehicle correctly into the garage from both sides while in motion. Key points for reversing into a garage: 1. After getting into the car, the driver should first adjust the seat and rearview mirrors, fasten the seatbelt, then shift the car into reverse gear, release the parking brake lever, and start reversing at idle speed while observing the garage through the right rear window. 2. When the black edge of the right rear window aligns with the right edge line of the garage, turn the steering wheel steadily to the right until it reaches the limit position. 3. After the car enters the garage, the driver should look back at the left rearview mirror and immediately straighten the steering wheel when the entire left edge line of the garage becomes visible. 4. When the left door handle is seen level with the garage's bottom line in the left rearview mirror, stop the car immediately.
When I first learned to drive, I encountered the problem of failing to reverse into the parking space. Simply put, I wanted to back the car into the parking spot, but after several attempts, the car still wasn't fully within the lines. The most typical scenario was when the rear of the car was supposed to be close to the back wall, but there was still a big gap. Either the front of the car was sticking out, blocking the passage, or the entire car was slanted, crossing into the neighboring parking space lines. This situation often occurs with driving school students or novice drivers, mainly due to incorrect steering wheel timing or poor spatial awareness. My instructor taught me a trick: when reversing, don't just rely on the rearview mirror—turn your head to look out the rear window. This gives a clearer view of the relationship between the car and the parking space. Additionally, the reversing speed must be slower than walking pace to allow time for adjustments. If the parking space is too small, it's better to find a more spacious spot and try again.
The meaning of 'not reversing into the parking space properly' is simply that the car hasn't been parked in the correct position within the parking spot. For example, during parallel parking, the front of the car is still sticking out into the road, or in a perpendicular parking space, the rear of the car is still half a meter away from the back line. I've seen many trainees fail their driving tests because of this at the driving test center. The key is speed control—slowing down and being steady makes it much easier to adjust. Also, it's important to check the size of the parking space beforehand; some small spaces simply can't fit an SUV. The rearview mirror angle must also be adjusted correctly, as an incorrect angle can make the distance appear misleading. I remember one time in a mall parking lot, my rearview mirror wasn't adjusted properly, and while reversing, I thought the space was wide enough—only to hear a 'bang' as I scraped the pillar next to me. So now, before reversing, I always make sure the parking space is large enough.
