Slope

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

Lanes 18 / 19 to 24Free preview

What it is

A two-lane slope in the top-left of the circuit, running between 18 / 19 and 24, with one lane each way. You drive up, stop on the incline, secure the car, then move off over the top and down the other side. There's a stop line after the downslope.

Where it is

Slope · Lanes 18 / 19 to 24

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The highlighted area is where this station is. Zoom in to read the station numbers.

Step by step

1
Only one car on the downslope at a time. Wait at the bottom until the car ahead has cleared the top. Don't start up while another car is moving off.
2
Turn into the correct lane: the slope runs both ways, so the lane on your left is yours. Change lanes at the top, never on the slope or the bend.
3
Drive up with a little more throttle than on the flat, straighten the wheel, and stop before the second line on the incline.
4
Keeping your foot on the brake, pull the handbrake up firmly. Stay in D, take your feet off the pedals and wait for the tester's instruction.
5
Signal right, then check the rear-view mirror, the right mirror and your blind spots. Turn your head so the tester sees it.
6
Press the accelerator and release the handbrake at the same time, fully. 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 after the downslope.
8
Check both ways and follow the tester's direction. Give way to motorcycles crossing from the other courses.

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 before the second line on the incline, with the car already straight.
Or: "midway, before the yellow line, with the car straightened".

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

Forward driving

33.Change lane at bendChanging lanes on the slope or the bend instead of at the top
6

Junction

55.Fail to stop at stop-lineThe stop line after the downslope

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 up, every time.
If you're unsure which lane is which, stop at the bottom and look: going up the wrong lane, against the flow, is an IF.

Common mistakes

Forgetting the handbrake, or not releasing it fully (2 points each).
Changing lanes on the slope itself.
Rolling past the stop line at the bottom (IF).
A lazy blind-spot check before moving off: the tester has to see your head turn.