What to Do When You Don't Know Which Way to Turn the Steering Wheel While Reversing?
3 Answers
When reversing, if the rear of the car needs to go left, turn the steering wheel to the left; if the rear needs to go right, turn the steering wheel to the right. To straighten the car body, if the rear is leaning left, turn the steering wheel to the right; if the rear is leaning right, turn the steering wheel to the left. After the car body is corrected, straighten the steering wheel and reverse slowly.
When I first got my driver's license, I was completely confused about reversing! At the beginning, I couldn't figure out which way to turn the steering wheel to make the rear of the car move. Later, I discovered a trick: if you want the rear of the car to move left, turn the steering wheel to the right; if you want it to move right, turn the steering wheel to the left. Why? Because the steering wheel controls the direction of the front wheels, and when reversing, the front wheels turn in the opposite direction, causing the rear of the car to follow. I practiced slowly using this rule: first, find an empty parking lot, put the car in reverse, and move the steering wheel bit by bit to observe how the car responds. If I got confused, I would stop, get out to check the position, and try again. Remember not to rush, keep the speed under 5 km/h, and use the rearview mirrors to check for obstacles. After repeating this a few times, I got the hang of it. Any beginner can learn—the key is patience, practice, and safety first.
As someone who has been driving for over a decade, I'd like to share some practical tips. It's perfectly normal to struggle with steering wheel accuracy when reversing, mainly because we haven't developed the reflex in our minds. The key thing to remember is: turning the steering wheel left makes the front of the car go left, but when reversing, the rear of the car actually moves right; turning the steering wheel right makes the front go right, and the rear moves left. I suggest that before each reverse maneuver, you quickly visualize in your mind which steering action corresponds to your target direction, then proceed slowly. Have someone guide you or record your reversing process with a phone to review mistakes afterward. When practicing in parking lots, draw a line on the ground as a reference. Also, maintain good visibility by rolling down windows to listen for potential scrapes. Don't think it's troublesome - dedicate half an hour specifically to practicing this maneuver, and you'll master it in no time.
