How to see how far away the kerb is when reversing?

[JudyOha]

I probably could see very large/tall objects such as lamposts or a person behind my car via the back (rear) boot window but I'm not sure how I'd be able to see shorter/small things like the kerb if I'm reversing back or even something like a cat?

I've heard sometimes adjusting down side mirrors might help - does anyone do this? I'd presumed there'd be an easier or better way since I don't think everyone is adjusting their side mirrors down every time they are going to reverse... any ideas please? Thanks

Adjust your side mirrors. I do except if onto my drive etc

Side mirrors. My passenger mirror is set so that it dips down to show the kerb when I engage reverse gear, very handy.

You can buy blind spot mirrors - stick on circles that you position on the outer edge of your mirror About £5.

You need to use your mirrors. And assess the space before you start reversing - for example, while a cat or a person may move, a kerb most certainly won't move so you should have a good idea where it is before you start reversing. And then mirrors, mirrors, mirrors.

Do you mean when you are parallel parking, to see how close you are to the kerb ? Yes, adjust your mirrors down.

Or do you mean if you are reversing into a parking bay- say, in a car park ? In which case it is pretty rare that you cannot see a wall or a hedge or another car or a post or a fence. It doesn't happen often that you would be reversing up to a kerb with nothing else to see.

Thanks for the responses so far everyone !

I mainly mean when e.g. reversing out of a parking bay and there happens to be a kerb such as one surrounding an island behind where I'm reversing

Depends on your car. Minis have particularly crap rear windows and Beetles have crap visibility at the front imo. I just reverse miles away from the kerb - it’s not like I’m on a driving test, nobody is judging me. I don’t parallel park and I drive forwards into parking spaces. Managed for years without ever needing to do any precise reversing!

Left mirror angled slightly downwards, but not so much that it would restrict your view otherwise. It depends on the car.

Otherwise, review the area before you walk back to your car/are driving up to park. Make sure it's cleat of obstructions and reverse carefully. Sometimes I put the windows down and listen out as well

If you mean something like parking against an angled curb, then just have a good look as you're parking or when you get back to your car and plan your reverse. You don't have eyes in the back of your head, and your mirrors can't show everything, so you just need to be aware and plan accordingly

I'm fine reversing (but dreadful at parallel parking) but my car has other ideas. It tends to get a bit overexcited and starts manically beeping at me when I'm nowhere near an object.

Having driven bangers for years I have a shiny new (to me) car with a rear parking camera. Love it. It’s the future

Mirrors, as said above.

But you mostly shouldn’t be reversing in the way you describe. It’s against the rules to reverse from a minor road onto a major road - this would also apply from a parking spot. Far better and safer to get used to reversing into a space and then driving out. (Unless the space is at an angle to the curb)

For practice, find a quiet spot like an empty car park in an industrial estate on a weekend and try it lots using your mirrors. Going slowly and tipping the curb won’t damage your car and you’ll quickly learn how far is too far.

I assume you haven’t passed your test yet so also ask your instructor for guidance.

Ask your husband to reverse while you stand watching how close the curb gets. I have to admit I completely understand my husbands' frustration with women drivers, we both rage together sometimes ha

I can reverse perfectly well Adrienne. Please don't encourage your husband's blatant misogyny

Thank you everyone for your responses so far. I assume when you guys advise moving the mirror down, you primarily mean this would help if the kerb was to the right or left of the car right? I feel like it wouldn't help visibility to see the kerb directly behind my car?

@sycamore54321 I'm totally aware that you shouldn't reverse from a minor to a major road and that wasn't the example I was referring to. I more meant a parking lot where theres marked bays and if I've forward parked into one of the bays, I'll need to reverse out of it to get out of the bay (obviously would prefer to get as far back as possible to allow maximum space to steer out when going forward after reversing. The island I mean is one behind me as they've planted some trees and surrounding the mud for this, they've put kerbing and this would be directly behind the parking space. That's what I meant - sorry if I was unclear previously.

Additionally, say you're trying to get out of a tight parking spot as people have parallel parked both in front and behind you tightly and you're going back and forth while steering to try and get out - how can you gauge how far away the front bumper of the car behind you is? as again, you want to reverse back as far as possible to get more space in front but then not bump into the car behind either....

Thanks

Ask your husband to reverse while you stand watching how close the curb gets. I have to admit I completely understand my husbands' frustration with women drivers, we both rage together sometimes ha

Seriously ?

say you're trying to get out of a tight parking spot as people have parallel parked both in front and behind you tightly and you're going back and forth while steering to try and get out - how can you gauge how far away the front bumper of the car behind you is?

That really is a case of getting used to how long your car is. When you change cars, it is different. (Unless you have parking sensors I suppose - don't know, I've never had a car with them).

I assume when you guys advise moving the mirror down, you primarily mean this would help if the kerb was to the right or left of the car right? I feel like it wouldn't help visibility to see the kerb directly behind my car?

But I can't envisage a situation where you would be reversing, towards a kerb, that is narrower than the width of your car, without any other thing (hedge / wall / signpost / lamp post / etc) behind it. If there were every that scenario, then it wouldn't matter if you inched back until your wheels touched the kerb. Your boot would just be overhanging 'space' so it wouldn't be an issue.

Where - above - you've described reversing out of a parking space and there is a kerb around a tree, then surely you are turning your wheel (either left or right), so, therefore the kerb would appear in your wing mirror as you turn.

Hmm @BackforGood you do make some good logical points! I shall try and practice :)