How to drive your car in reverse archived

damn it, he better give me my money back!

But all bets are off if you are driving on Gravity Hill.

http://www.gravityhill.com/

That was you?

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Oh, wait, I don't live on Mountain Ave.

Maybe the driver didn't hear your dinky bike bell over the roar of the electric engine?

Posted By: Tom ReingoldTurn your head so you are looking out the car's rear window.Using your rear mirror is not a safe substitute, nor is it legal.

Tom, I actually was marked down a point in 1987 when taking my driver's liscense test for doing just what you said here.

Posted By: scottgreenstone

Posted By: Tom ReingoldTurn your head so you are looking out the car's rear window.Using your rear mirror is not a safe substitute, nor is it legal.

Tom, I actually was marked down a point in 1987 when taking my driver's liscense test for doing just what you said here.

Which you remember, which means you probably turn your head properly when backing up. So that's actually a happy story. Better to learn it in the test than on the road, the hard way.

Posted By: wedjetMaybe the driver didn't hear your dinky bike bell over the roar of the electric engine?

That's OK. I don't expect everyone to hear my little dinky bell all the time. But I do expect (ha) drivers to turn their heads when backing up. It's really not too much to ask.

Here's a question for those who dare to respond: do you turn your head when you back up?

i turn my head and self as far as i can, sometiems being in a little car its hard to see whats slightly above you.

also using the clutch brake and gas so i need all my awareness working when i back up

If you were coming down the hill, wouldn't it have been more effective to look out the side windows (in the back if possible)? Looking out the rear window would be good for a stationary object. From your description, he was not even doing that.

I think you might be giving this driver too much credit. I bet he did turn but either didn't see you or didn't care. There are a lot of dumbasses around here.

Tom is absolutely right, but I also think that if you see a car reversing that is already in motion, you are taking a gamble by going behind them, even if you have the right of way.

Several times in the Target/WF parking lot I've checked behind my car (mirror and physically turning around) and started to back up, only to see someone try to push their cart around my car as it's moving. Thankfully, I am very slow and cautious when reversing and have time to stop, but people who take the risk are incredibly stupid. Last time, someone pushed her cart with two kids in it directly in the path of my reversing car. Car is moving, reverse lights are on, it's just not worth taking the chance!

no I was marked down because I turned my head.

My car has one of those back-up cameras, but I don't really trust it, so I use all the mirrors, the camera and turn my head (but with the headrests that are attached to the back seats, they themselves block some of my field of vision when turning my head). I usually come out really slowly and always stop before the sidewalk because we have hedges on our front lawn that could block my view of a dog on a long leash, or a small child running ahead of a parent.

Whenever I can, I turn the car around in the driveway and come out front-first. I really hate backing out.

I walk/run in the mornings around 7amish, and a lot of people are heading out of their driveways for work. The majority are not paying attention to anything other than oncoming cars, and some aren't even checking for that. I am very careful, and try my best to pay attention, but have had some near misses anyway. And, it's not just people backing out. Sometimes it is people coming out of parking lots or entering traffic from a side street, not looking at all, or just looking one way, at oncoming traffic. I nearly got hit recently by a couple of ladies pulling out of the Parkwood Diner. They came barreling out onto the sidewalk at Springfield Avenue. It is hard to see, since it is a narrow driveway, but they were moving fast, rather than at a cautious pace. I saw them in time to stop, but I immediately shouted to get their attention, and they hit their breaks (would have been too late) while turning my way, looking very startled. They hadn't even thought to look both ways.

Oh man. This discussion looks like it is heading to blame someone.

When I am out and about in the world I have no expectations.

I watch out for myself and take precautions.

ps. I'm with you Tom. I do a full turn around with my right arm over the seat when I am backing out. And back out very sloooowly ready to break at any given moment. I can stop on a dime. In my book the DMV is wrong. I do look in the rear views mirror and side mirrors before I start in reverse. When that is all clear I put my right arm over the passenger seat and turn around to back up. Someone else not doing that, well the onus is on me. Just sayin'

I have to agree that it is best to just expect the worst, whether it be the behaviors of drivers or pedestrians (or cyclists, Tom :wink.

I tell my Daughter, who is learning to drive, assume no one is paying attention when they are driving or walk/running. If you assume that, you SHOULD be extra vigilant and hopefully you will see them before they see you. Of course I usually see them first as I am the safety driver. but hopefully it will instill a good habit of looking by turning as opposed to just mirrors.

I do expect the worst, and I knowingly took a risk that I would not advise others to do, i.e. pass behind his car when it was heading deeper into the street. I gave myself an exit path in case he moved close to me. There was no oncoming traffic, and I was ready to dart to the left edge of the roadway.

The reason looking in your mirror or a video screen is not sufficient is that it has no peripheral vision. When you face your nose towards the rear window, you will see stuff through the side window. This is the ONLY way to see through the side windows in the back of the car. There is NO OTHER WAY to see through those windows!

scottgreenstone, your examiner is an idiot. But a lot of proclaimed authorities on motor vehicle law are ignorant of it. I had a defensive driving course instructor tell us all that we don't have to stop for pedestrians in crosswalks. Grrrrr.

I saw the driver's head on Mountain Ave. He was looking forwards and driving backwards. I have a habit of looking at drivers' faces as well as at the vehicles. It's one of the many things I do to protect myself while cycling. I've never been hit by a car while cycling, and I've never hit a car while driving a car.

I did once hit a car from behind while on my bike. I literally had a bee in my bonnet, and I panicked and removed the helmet while still in motion. I didn't look where I was going and rammed into a minivan which was parked at the side of the road. I'm lucky I didn't hard, as I wasn't going very fast. I didn't get hurt, nor did I damage the car. I was at my destination, which was a luncheonette. I told the owner what had just happened, and she said, "You hit my gold minivan?!" But it all ended with good will. :wink: :rolling:

Posted By: Tom ReingoldUsing your rear mirror is not a safe substitute, nor is it legal.

Two questions, Your reference for this statement is? and what if ya don't have a rear window, eg a non windowed van?

From the NJ drivers manual:

Before driving in reverse, a motorist must be sure that the path is clear. This can be done by using the mirrors and turning to check. He/she must be very careful because the view to the rear is limited. In reverse, turning the wheel to the right will direct the vehicle to the right. Steering to the left will direct the vehicle to the left. If a motorist does not turn the wheel while in reverse, the vehicle will move straight backward.
To drive in reverse, a motorist’s head and body should be turned to the right until he/she can see clearly through the back window of the vehicle without the use of mirrors. The motorist’s right hand and arm should be placed over the back of the front passenger seat; the left hand should grasp the top of the steering wheel. This is the position a motorist should be in to reverse in a straight line, with sight seeing correction made as needed. A vehicle should be driven slowly in reverse – typically, walking speed (2 to 4 mph). The motorist should not turn forward until the vehicle is totally stopped.
If a motorist must turn the wheel while reversing other than in a straight line (e.g. parallel parking), two hands must be on the wheel to steer, while a motorist’s head and body is turned to look out the rear window. Palming the wheel with one hand while turning in reverse is dangerous and can result in failing the road test. A motorist should always remember that the front of the vehicle will swing in the opposite direction of a turn. A vehicle should be driven slowly in reverse.
A motorist must be able to drive in reverse in order to pass the road portion of the driving test. He/she will be asked to back the vehicle about 100 feet in a straight line, slowly and smoothly.

If you don't have a rear window, take a zillion times more care. Move extremely slowly, and use your ears to hear for any damage or injury you may be causing. A backup beeper would be well placed here.

Tom - It may be semantics, but the NJ Drivers Manual isn't law.

That said, I do think it's prudent to do as it says in this case.

Carry on.

Backing into the driveway is sometimes a good option - come out headfirst. Used to live in a condo with a parking garage and you were required to back-in, so I'm used to it now.

You have to be in the habit of not leaving stuff in your driveway though.

I always turn my head and often when pulling out of my driveway give a little honk too. I know that probably annoys the neighbors but they'd be more annoyed if I ran them over.

Posted By: Tom ReingoldI knowingly took a risk that I would not advise others to do

So whydya take this risk?

ETA, I know why I might have, but I am wondering why you did.

I took the risk because I felt I minimized it for myself, since I have good bike handling skills and reflex. I was ready with my voice as a backup and was confident it would stop the driver. The street was otherwise quiet. I was right about that.

I learned in a driver training class that UPS truck drivers are not allowed to back up. If they get caught backing up, they can be fired. Early in the company's history, a truck backed over and killed a toddler. Ever since then, drivers are required to park in such a way that they can always exit moving forward (which is why you often see the trucks in the middle of the street). UPS pays a fortune in parking tickets because of this, but it's just a cost of doing business for them. It isn't held against the drivers.

And don't back up the wrong way on Dunell to catch your train because of flooding on Valley! Its illegal, and you might piss off the wrong guy.

I kinda understand that it wasn't a great risk for your safety, but I guess I am wondering whether you thought you could teach the driver better driving-in-reverse practices.

kareno, I guess so. I guess I like putting people into close calls so they're shocked into noticing what they're doing. I don't know if that's good or bad strategy.

Thanks for making me look at my action more deeply.