Slope

Stop on the incline, hold with the handbrake, and move off without rolling back.

Lanes 8–51Free preview

What it is

A two-lane slope running between 8 and 51, just below the ramp lanes on the left of the circuit. Testers usually send you there by number: "go to 51 for the slope". You drive up, stop at the white stop marker on the incline, secure the car, then move off over the top and down the other side.

Where it is

Slope · Lanes 8–51

100%

The highlighted area is where this station is. Zoom in to read the station numbers.Map: BBDC Practical Handbook, p. 208

Step by step

1
Only 2 cars on the slope at once. Wait at the turn, not right behind a car on the slope, until the car ahead has cleared the top and is heading down. Don't start up while another car is moving off.
2
Turn into the correct lane, and don't cut across the chevrons as you turn in. Going into the wrong slope lane, against the flow, is an IF.
3
Drive up with a little more throttle than on the flat. Straighten the wheel before the white stop marker and stop just before it.
4
Keeping your foot on the brake, pull the handbrake all the way up.
5
Signal right, then check the rear-view mirror, the right mirror and your right blind spot. Turn your head so the tester sees it.
6
Press the accelerator a little, then release the handbrake fully. If it's not all the way down it beeps, and that costs points. Move off and cancel the signal.
7
Over the top, keep your foot over the brake on the way down and stop fully at the stop line at the bottom.
8
Check both ways and follow the tester's direction. Turn out slightly later than feels natural: there's more room than it looks, and it keeps you off the chevrons.

Sighting points

Starting points from learners who passed. Your car, height and seat position shift them, so practise the corrections, not just the marks.

Stop at the white stop marker on the incline, with the wheel already straight.
Turning out at the bottom, there's more room before the cross lane than it looks. Turn a little later and you'll miss the chevrons.

Mistakes & corrections

Rolling back less than 1 m costs 2 points (up to 3 times); 1 m or more is an IF, and so is failing to move off after 5 attempts. So stop a roll-back at once rather than trying to drive out of it.

The car rolls back as you release the handbrake.
Why
Not enough throttle.
Fix
Pull the handbrake straight back up. Add a little more throttle, then release it again, gradually.
The car doesn't move when you release the handbrake.
Why
Not enough throttle to pull the car up the slope.
Fix
Keep the handbrake partly up, add a little more throttle, and release slowly. Each failed try counts towards the 5.
The car surges over the top.
Why
Too much throttle, held too long.
Fix
Move your foot to the brake as soon as you're over the top, and stop at the line at the bottom.

What the tester marks

This station's part of the assessment checklist, with the same item numbers. Tick it as you practise.

Points beside the box Free Immediate FailureTap to tick.

Slope / gradient

(a) Less than 1 metre(b) 1 metre or more

12.Roll backwards
2
13.Unable to move off after 5 attempts

Moving

23.Fail to release handbrakeNot releasing it fully when you move off, or forgetting to pull it up
2

Junction

55.Fail to stop at stop-lineThe stop line at the bottom of the slope

Safety check

58.Fail to check blind spotBefore moving off from the slope
4

0 demerit points0 immediate failuresPass

Tips

There's no prize for holding the car on the foot brake. Pull the handbrake all the way up, every time.
One learner was marked for driving onto the slope while another car was still moving off. When in doubt, wait.
The slope area gets packed at busy times. If cars are queuing at the bottom, stay put until the tester or a gap lets you out.

Common mistakes

Forgetting the handbrake, or not releasing it fully (2 points each).
Cutting across the chevrons turning in or out.
Turning into the wrong slope lane (IF).
A lazy blind-spot check before moving off: the tester has to see your head turn.