Driving Advice, Please

[barry1010]

My grandson is a good driver, keeps calm and is comfortable driving in all road conditions. He drives thousands of miles a year for his job.
He is hopeless at reversing, though - doesn't seem to have any idea where his car is in relation to his environment - distance from kerb, obstacles. He avoids the situation by parking in 'easy' drive in spaces and walking a bit further.
I don't know how he passed his test because of this. It frustrates him and his driving instructors (he had three) haven't been able to help much.

Is there any tips I can give him? I don't have to think about it, it seems automatic to me so I can't help.
Any idea why he struggles so much?

[ToraToraTora]

Just visualise what the wheels are doing and practice. Go to a large empty car park and practice reversing into spaces as if there are cars either side.

[gness]

Would an Advanced Driving Course help him at all, Barry? I did that after passing my test and found it invaluable.

[naomi24]

I’ve just had a bit of a Google and AA driving schools do courses to help drivers in specific areas of weakness. It might be worth him checking that out. I imagine other driving school offer similar.

[Canary42]

Tell him to go to B&Q* and select a flatbed trolley and practice wheeling it in both directions around obstacles. This should give him an insight to how different it is when the steering wheels are at the back (as when reversing a car).

*Other hardware stores are available

[davebro]

I think you need a reference point - I use my driver's door mirror to line up with the kerb or the white line of a parking bay. The rear view camera helps confirm there are no obstructions.

[pimplyteen]

Hope I remember this correctly its been a long time. But my instructor stuck a matchstick in the center of the front screen. And told me to keep that about 1 yard away from the kerb, same when reversing. It worked for me :0)

[gingejbee]

I can't/don't reverse using mirrors. When reversing into my garage or a parking space on the "other" side of the road, I always have my head out of the open window. For a parking space on "my side" of the road, I look through the rear/side windows - never the mirrors.

[ladybirder]

Davebro I had similar and was told to line up the driver's door handle which was a lot bigger then than they are now when I took my test.

[gingejbee]

^I've tried with the rear-view camera and "Park Pilot" facility...but never trust either of them!

[Old_Geezer]

Practice, practice, practice.

Use the wing mirrors.

Stop about a foot away from the car he is to park behind, reverse with full lock until at 45° turn full lock h other way to slot in. Keep an eye out that he is not about to hit the car or anything else as he goes.

Another option is to aim the rear of his car to line up with the one behind. Don't go so far as to hit it. If they're parked well, he should end up similarly parked.

[Canary42]

It's like steering a boat with a rudder - you're no longer in charge of (i.e. steering) the leading end, so controlling the trailing end, so you have to line the leading end up in advance.

Try the trolley tip as suggested earlier and he will be able to "visualise what the wheels are doing" as TTT so rightly recommends, that really is the answer.

[barry1010]

We will try the trolley tip and if all else fails I will treat him to a driving course (sounds better than lessons) for Christmas.

Thanks for all the suggestions, folks.