Let's learn to reverse a manual car without going into reverse.

Anyone who has had their hand on a set of wheels either surely fears or avoids a clean reverse into a tight parking spot but it's an essential skill for anyone behind the wheel. Even more difficulty levels are introduced when comparing automatic and manual reversing. Where a shift to ‘R' and stepping on the pedal doesn't quite do the job with manual. Carsguide becomes your backseat driver as you go through a lesson on manual reversing.

Driving Seat Positioning

Reversing needs your eyes working the clock which requires you to move around into several uncomfortable positions to find that viewing angle.In order to do that your seat should be adjusted, enabling you to move around with ease to view the side mirrors, the rear view mirrors and blind spots over the shoulder. Once you've checked your position now is the time to get your viewpoint in check, check the rearview mirrors first for any oncoming obstacles on the driver side and passenger side and check the rearview mirror and camera to estimate the space behind and finally a blindspot check before you get into action.

Clutch-brake-gas or clutch-gas-brake

After getting your view in the clear look over your left shoulder to look at the blindspot and clutch in and put it to reverse. Slowly ease up on the clutch as you give a bit of gas as soon as the clutch starts to bite.To control the speed of the moment press the clutch in and brake when necessary. Repeat this process depending on the amount of space you have available.

Your blind spots are your biggest enemy as it is covering your vision with structural parts of the car whether it be interior or exterior.

Objects in the mirror are closer than they appear

Your side mirrors are great assets in expanding your field of vision, helpful when driving both forward and backwards. As the shape of the mirror is curved into a convex shape this means that the objects present in the mirror are closer than they appear in real time and make sure you are used to these adjustments when you reverse into a tight parking spot.

Practice and perfect your reverse

As your vehicle is slowly approaching backwards you need to learn to come to a stop before that wall. When you're ready to come to a stop step on the clutch and ease off the accelerator and slowly step on the brake, using the leftover momentum and controlling the remaining length of travel with your brake.Then, handbrake in and put the car in neutral.

Find a spot that's a challenge and try reversing in and out of that tight spot until you're comfortable with the process and that's how you reverse with a manual car. Some consider it difficult but it comes down to a matter of practice in any case. Keep your practice going as we provide you with more backseat driving advice