Pulling up on the right, then reversing back

What the manoeuvre involves

Pulling up on the right is one of the possible test manoeuvres. The examiner asks you to pull up on the right-hand side of the road, reverse for around two car lengths keeping reasonably close to the kerb, and then move off and rejoin the normal flow of traffic. It is usually set on a quiet, straight stretch of road.

The reason it exists is that drivers do sometimes need to park facing oncoming traffic, and it tests whether you can do so, and recover from it, safely. The hard part is not the reversing; it is managing the fact that you are on the wrong side of the road, with traffic potentially coming straight at you.

Step by step

1. Check it is safe and legal to cross, good visibility, no oncoming traffic, and not opposite a junction or anywhere that would obstruct.
2. Mirror–Signal–Manoeuvre: check mirrors, signal right, and take a thorough observation, including over your right shoulder, before crossing.
3. Cross to the right when there is a clear, safe gap, and pull up close and parallel to the right kerb.
4. Secure the car (handbrake, neutral) and take stock.
5. Reverse back roughly two car lengths, keeping close to the kerb and reversing slowly, with continuous all-round observation, oncoming traffic now approaches from behind you on your offside.
6. To move off, take a full all-round observation including blind spots, signal if it helps, and pull across to the correct left-hand side when there is a safe gap, straightening up promptly.

Where the marks are lost

• Crossing without proper observation, or crossing where it is unsafe or obstructive (near a junction, on a bend, on a busy road).
• Weak observation while reversing, failing to keep checking for oncoming and approaching traffic.
• Reversing too far (well beyond two car lengths) or drifting away from the kerb.
• Pulling back across to the left without a full check, including the blind spot, and without giving way to traffic.

A disciplined Mirror–Signal–Manoeuvre routine and constant observation are the whole game here. This manoeuvre shares its core skill, judging gaps and traffic on a constrained road, with meeting traffic.

Practise it on a familiar road

Choosing a safe, sensible spot to pull up on the right is part of the test, and that judgement comes from knowing the kind of roads around your centre. DriveRoutes maps the practice routes around over 340 UK test centres and coaches each manoeuvre in plain English, so you arrive knowing the roads, not meeting them for the first time with an examiner beside you. Round out your manoeuvre skills with parallel parking.

Choosing where to cross safely

Part of the examiner's assessment is whether you read the road and pick a sensible location. A good spot has clear visibility in both directions, no junctions opposite you, no dropped kerbs or driveways that would block the space, and enough room for two car lengths of reversing without reaching a hazard. Avoid crests, bends, bus stops and pedestrian crossings, the examiner will not penalise a slow, deliberate approach to find the right spot, but they will notice if you cross into a dangerous or obstructive position.

The reverse: keeping close and checking constantly

Reversing on the right-hand side feels unfamiliar because the kerb you are tracking in your left mirror is now on your right. Switch your reference: use your offside (right-hand door) mirror to judge your distance from the kerb and keep a low, creeping speed so you can stop instantly if any traffic appears. Look behind you frequently through the rear window, traffic approaching from the right rear is the main hazard, and keep your right mirror in your peripheral vision throughout.

Questions learners ask

Is this manoeuvre on every test? No. The examiner chooses from the available set of manoeuvres and you will normally be asked to do just one. You cannot predict which one, so prepare them all.

What if traffic arrives while I am reversed in? Wait. Indicate right and wait for a safe gap before pulling back across, exactly as you would pulling out from any parked position. Do not rush across to get out of the way, that is more dangerous than waiting calmly.

How far do I reverse? About two car lengths is the standard. The examiner is not counting precisely, they want to see a deliberate, controlled reverse, not a token shuffle of a foot or two.