How To Do Hill Starts in Reverse - Learning to Drive a Manual Car

These driving test tips will hopefully mean that doing a hill start in a manual car (stick shift) and reversing doesn't have to be frightening.

How to do a hill start in reverse:
Make sure that you're in reverse gear. Give the car more gas/revs than you normally would on a flat road. Getting the biting point with the clutch is vital for a good hill start. You know when you have the biting point as the back of the car will raise slightly, the front of the car will dip down and the engine sound will change. Once it's safe all around, release the handbrake and give it a little more gas as the car starts to move. Hold onto the biting point as you don't want to move too fast or stall.

Hope this video helps you with hill starts in reverse.

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It's recommended that you take professional driving lessons from a fully qualified driving instructor. This video is NOT an alternative to driving lessons and is only a rough guide. This video was filmed in the UK. Laws and rules in your country may vary. Videos aren't a substitute for real life driving experience in a safe environment. While World Driving aims to provide accurate and up to date information we cannot guarantee at any time that all the information is up to date and accurate. World Driving cannot accept liability for misleading or inaccurate information or omissions in information given to us by external information providers. This includes, but is not by way of limitation: Any implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose any errors, omissions, or inaccuracies in the information. Any decision made or action taken or not taken in reliance upon the information.

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[antares]

Thank you for being a life-saver. Parked my car at a decline in my uni and I was panicking because I couldn't reverse properly and my car was dipping towards the car in front. Took a deep breath, searched youtube and watched the vid, and I was out there in less than 1 min.

[outtlaw]

I did this and I took my dad's gate off 😿😿... not even joking

[peoplearestrange]

this video literally saved me from a full blown panic attack/a lot of trouble

[janetsbrick]

I'm an American who drives in an unusual style...I actually use the handbrake.

Most here don't - I learnt to drive from an old Brit and I grew up a short distance from San Francisco. I'm convinced it's the safest way to launch in any direction After taking driving lessons in the UK and driving everywhere from Lyme Regis to Orkney this summer, I left very impressed with the caliber of drivers on the road - and came back with a copy of Roadcraft. :)

[TheMythsmith]

Really helpful. I tried to reverse up a hill today to park closer to a curb and I kept stalling the car. Must have done it about 5 times as I didn't know what I was doing wrong as I've always used the clutch to reverse without gas. Now I've realised gas is needed on hills to help it along the way, otherwise it will surely stall.

[qwertyytrewq]

Wouldn't want to hit that lovely S4... reversing uphill is a skill I forgot I needed to master.

[danielbotero]

You can’t imagine how frightening it was to do this. You saved me!!!

[kangshi]

remember to keep the handbrake up or youll just move forward in this process. release the handbrake while holding the clutch point and giving gas up to 2k revs and then it will move without having to worry about moving forward

[MegaRhys]

These videos are helping loads, thank you Chris and keep up the good work!!:)

[Chillo]

I remember parking behind a car on a hill and practiced reversing backwards since I only just got my license that day. My car rolled forward a bit and I managed to stop just before I hit the car in front of me. I couldn't figure out why I was rolling forward (and I was definitely in reverse). Luckily when I returned to my car the car in front was gone so I didn't have to worry rolling in to him when trying to reverse :).

I figured it was that I wasn't giving enough rev on the start, as it clearly states on this video!! Thanks a lot :) :)

[jasonpetertodd]

Thank you so much! This video saved my life!!!

[singsing]

Driving steep city hills my whole life. Easiest way to backup with a clutch...is USE THE HAND BRAKE !!! As you let out clutch give it gas and let-out Hand Brake as needed.
Another way when at a hill and waiting for light, and theres a dimwitted on my arse, I keep my foot on clutch and gas....its called "riding the clutch" .... usually gas forward and roll back a few times, and the driver behind gets the hint....dosent get to

[DrGuyAitchison]

Chris - you're a legend. Thanks for doing these vids.

[ladyivy]

lucky you for having a car with a handbrake.. i have none only the parking gear. it takes more work to get it in R its been 11 years since i last drove stick shift.... sucks learning this all over again.

[robbrien]

With my dad's old manual Toyota Corolla wagon facing downwards on his extremely short, downsloped driveway, (facing very close to a closed garage door for added anxiety) I managed to smoothly start backing the car out at the same time as releasing the handbrake. Tried that with my sister's newer manual Mazda Protege in the same driveway and no go. Had to have the motor revving and feel the pull of the car before releasing the hand brake, then a surge in reverse to get it out of the driveway. Seemed more rough and less seamless than with the older Toyota. Also not liking the Mazda's toy shift and plus the push-down reverse position at the top left near first gear. Blah.

[thisisAmy.G]

Could you do a video on hill driving, like in an area where it's quite hilly - what would you do?

[RothBeyondTheGrave]

A friend left his heavily neglected Dodge Dart (Alfa Giulietta) at my house to look over. Being American born, I've had all but 4 opportunities to drive manual in my 25 yrs of driving. (Yes, they ARE that rare here.) I do EXACTLY what you spelled out in this video & it will ALWAYS roll forward before any Reverse movement & makes me question if it's even in Reverse.
I think a lot of this has to do with the already sad 1.4 multiair turbo currently not making full power. It needs minimum 3, 800rpm to even think of going up the minor "hill" it's parked on.

[rentoyjem_]

Hi. According to the video, there's a link in the description on how to adjust mirrors and all, but can't really find it. If you could help me, that would be fantastic. Thanks a million

[THEJSB]

do reversing up hill for like car park at shopping centre and driving forward up hill in automatic car i really need to figure this out specially when sitting in traffic!!

[dbata]

Thats what I also do on a hill. But isnt it bad for the clutch? I was told its better to go in reverse without a gas but then the car just stall.