Must a car have a reverse gear?

[KneesUp]

As I was riding home today an approaching car suddenly pulled across a left turning I was about to take and stopped right in my path. As it happens I was going quite slowly (uphill), so I just stopped and gave him an 'exasperated' look. He responded with an equally exasperated look.

I said, 'I want to go down there,' pointing down the turning.

He tried to engage reverse and there was a horrible grating grinding of gears. He said, 'I don't have reverse.'

I said, 'FOR FECKS SAKE! That's not even legal,' and hopped onto the pavement to get round him. My parting shot was, 'Fecking motorists.'

Who was right? (OK, I might have been a bit angry and unreasonable but that's not what I mean.)

Was it a Corsa by any chance?

 

[Boris Bajic]

There was a (probably apocryphal) story of a Bond Bug owner who drove into his garage up against the back wall, and then remembered he didn't have reverse so had to sit in the car for hours until someone came home and rescued him.

Geek alert: It wouldn't have been a Bond Bug. Bugs looked like a slice of processed cheese and the entire roof section lifted for access. Parking against a wall would have presented no problems.

Parking upside-down would be an issue.

To see what I mean, turn your screen upside-down and look at the image. Look out for cables and stuff if it's a desktop PC.

 

[Cycleops]

Up until 1963 only people with a full car licence could have a reverse gear on a 3-wheeler. Motor cyclist licence holders with no car licence had to have the reverse gear blanked off if it was fitted. The change of law in 1963 means that anyone can now have a reverse gear on a 3-wheeler.

Must admit I don't remember that.

many people are unaware of the changes to the licence groups introduced this year. Passing a motorcycle test no longer gives automatic rights to drive a three wheeler.
"There is still a belief that if you pass a motorcycle test that you can drive a 3-wheeler like a Reliant Robin, this is no longer the case. For those who took a motorcycle test and gained Group A on their license before February 2001, this gave them the full Group B1 entitlement. However, passing your motorcycle test after February 2001 does not give you full Group B1 entitlement. For those who passed a car test (Group B), although the driving license may not be explicitly marked with Group B1, it is included because Group B is the main category and also covers the sub-category B1".

This of course has implications for firms like Morgan and other tricycle makers.

Do you work for the DVLA by any chance? Just as an aside I always remember when taking my motorbike test back then and the examiner conducted my emergency stop by jumping out from behind a parked car!

 

[chriss2.0]

As I was riding home today an approaching car suddenly pulled across a left turning I was about to take and stopped right in my path. As it happens I was going quite slowly (uphill), so I just stopped and gave him an 'exasperated' look. He responded with an equally exasperated look.

I said, 'I want to go down there,' pointing down the turning.

He tried to engage reverse and there was a horrible grating grinding of gears. He said, 'I don't have reverse.'

I said, 'FOR FECKS SAKE! That's not even legal,' and hopped onto the pavement to get round him. My parting shot was, 'Fecking motorists.'

Who was right? (OK, I might have been a bit angry and unreasonable but that's not what I mean.)

ok, first off, you are correct, although it is not a legal requirement to have a reverse in a car, however this must be by DESIGN, if a car was built with a reverse gear the it must be operational,
if not, the car is not fit to pass an MOT,
then It legally should not be on the road.
simply because the insurance would be instantly void.(car would be effectively
uninsured)
and upon a random police inspection the car would be toed.(policeman would also possibly fine you)

had trouble with this in the past (ironically it was a robin reliant)

 

[chriss2.0]

i do it on most of my posts, i find black boring

 

[slowmotion]

I picked up a tiny rental car in Pisa six years ago. I was a bit nervous about driving amongst Italians, given their reputation. Half an hour later, I attempted to reverse for the first time.......the gearbox was knackered. It all got a bit hooty and shouty and interesting, but ultimately good-humoured.

 

[swansonj]

Geek alert: It wouldn't have been a Bond Bug. Bugs looked like a slice of processed cheese and the entire roof section lifted for access. Parking against a wall would have presented no problems.

Parking upside-down would be an issue.

To see what I mean, turn your screen upside-down and look at the image. Look out for cables and stuff if it's a desktop PC.

Boris my friend, I think you are mistaken. I tested your assertion by turning my screen upside down as you suggest. Because I didn't want to get the cables tangled, as you point out, I did it on my iPad. I found that the car stayed the right way up, and, no matter how many times or which way I turned it upside down, there would have been no problem in opening to roof door, as it always remained on top.

 

[sidevalve]

Most of the above is a bit off the point for the OP. As to whether a 3 wheeler can have or can't have a reverse is irrelevant. I still don't believe a reverse gear is a requirement. So I don't think the guy in the car was actually in the wrong [a bit dim maybe but not breaking any laws].

 

[uclown2002]

I refuse to read the green text;most off-putting

 

[compo]

Geek alert: It wouldn't have been a Bond Bug. Bugs looked like a slice of processed cheese and the entire roof section lifted for access. Parking against a wall would have presented no problems.

I had a Bond Bug. I eventually swapped it for a Messerschmitt car which had far less street appeal (??) but was much more fun. I sold it for £25. I see now they go for thousands. Wish I still had it.

 

[chriss2.0]

I refuse to read the green text;most off-putting

fair enough, how about blue?

 

[chriss2.0]

It's a bit thoughtless though, as it's very difficult to read. Do you write with a green crayon too?

i apologize, for me green is easier to read, i find black on a white surface hard (dyslexic) i have to use a green piece of plastic to read

 

[Tanis8472]

Well, the OP did introduce the three-wheeler thing! Leaving aside the horrible green text, I think chriss2.0 is right and the car would be judged unroadworthy - a lot of people don't realise that even a bald tyre can invalidate their insurance.

No it doesnt
The third party portion of the insurance is liability for the driver, not the vehicle.
If, however, you are found to have caused the accident due to bad maintenance etc, the ins might try to recover some of their costs from you.

Thats the whole point of third party ins. Its to indemnify you, not the vehicle

 

[srw]

Thanks for that really helpful contribution - so don't worry folks, just stick with third party policies and there's no need to keep our cars roadworthy .

From the private motor wording of a reputable insurance company:
"You must do all you reasonably can to... keep it in a good an roadworthy condition." I doubt other insurers' wordings are significantly different.

I'd like to hear the arguments that would mean that a car with a failed reverse gear is roadworthy.

 

[classic33]

Why are cars fitted with reversing lights?