My Life: Driving Test

Showing posts with label Driving Test. Show all posts

After a good 3 years, on a one fine day, Xiong told me that CDC will be closed after their lease has expired in Ubi. And the question came: When are you going to re-take your driving license?

After news has confirmed of their closure, I once again , moved my fat ass to re-register with CDC to activate my account. As my final theory has already expired (only valid for 2 years before your practical test), I had to re-take my final theory. Luckily, I passed with one attempt.

One night, Xiong was scrolling through a list of private instructor and he showed me a few with higher passing rate. I decided on one and I contacted him the following day. Immediately the next day, we made an appointment on the following week.

He was an elderly instructor with age about 60+ and he has more than 20 years of teaching experience. He is a very nice instructor and he never scolded me. His formulas were good and easy to remember. Most importantly, he owns a new Toyota Vios and it was very easy to drive. I had about 12 lessons with him before I took my test as I didn't want to spend a full amount on my whole driving. 12 lessons are considered a lot since I had lost touch with driving for 3 years.

From what I know, CDC doesn't have any test date on weekends and now, all we have to wait was only a month before our practical test. In the past, we have to wait 2-3 months before we can book our test.

On the day, I booked a warm up test with my instructor at 1pm and my test was at 2.50pm. My instructor re-run with me on the tips and pointers to look out for in the circuit. My warm up lesson ended at 2.30pm and I went to the ladies. Supposedly I had a 20 minutes rest but the queue was so long that I waited about 10 minutes. After I had finished my business, I heard my instructr shouting for my name from afar: Li Yun ar, your instructor is already here, he is sitting in the car waiting for you liao.

I was like: WTH!!!

I had no time for preparation or calm myself down. I ran to my instructors' car immediately as the tester was already waiting for me. I entered the driver's seat, put my bag at the passenger seat and he said: Once you are ready, you can move off.

I adjusted my seat, my rear mirror (act a bit), check my blind spot and move off. At the first station, he told me to go to parallel parking. I could vividly remember that i strike kerb the moment I parked in. And Bamb! I made the same mistake again. A 10 points is deducted. Unknowingly, I strike kerb on my 2nd attempt and I wasn't very happy about it. I left 10 points to fail the whole test.

My tester told me to do down to take a look at the wheel and I did. I knew that I would fail terribly again. So I just let go of my nervousness and continue my test.

For the rest of the stations, the crank course, the S-curve, vertical parking and slope, I think I did pretty alright as there isn't comment from the tester. I didn't have much hope in passing my test,so i just did my best anyway. I paid for it right?!

Soon, we drove out of the circuit. And bad enough, I had forgotten to wind my side mirror up. I only realised when I reached a junction at a red light, only then, i wind up my side mirror when I stopped at the traffic light. I guesses I'm going to fail anyway.

The cars at Ubi at 2,50pm was heavy. You can see lots of cars and cargo trucks on the road, travelling on the same lane as you. At one of the junction, the tester told me to make a U turn and I had hard time cutting the lane to the right. I found a chance when I saw a big cargo truck travelling at a slower speed. I immediately cut into the right lane and made a right turn.

Finally, we were back to the CDC. the tester told me to follow him to the 2nd floor and so i did. I knew I wouldn't make it. But surprisingly enough, the tester said a few words: ar check blind spot ar, check left and right etc.... and passed my test!

I got a 18 demerit points. Thanks to the kerb I strike at parallel parking. ZZZ

Passing my driving test - Part 2

by Elvina on 7:57 PM

After a good 3 years, on a one fine day, Xiong told me that CDC will be closed after their lease has expired in Ubi. And the question came: ...

Its going to a be a lengthy post without photos. But I believe it would be an interesting read to you if you are taking your Practical Test the next few days.

I had my first drive 3 years ago. When I was 23, I told myself that its time to get a driving license. Out there there are are so many getting their license and some even got it when they are 18. And more, Xiong was already driving and has his own car back then. So he said: Go get a driving license since I have a car now, you can drive when I work.

And so happily and excited, he brought me to UBI CDC to register an account with them at the office admin at level 1 and borrowed some basic theory book from his friend. When the day came, I went to take my Basic Theory Test and all was well. Every student has a set of different questions. You are given 10 papers and all you have to do was to pick one. Its a tap screen so just tap your answers on accordingly. Since each and every of us had different questions, there is no point copying your answers or what, its all on your own. And remember to booked the mock test before you go for the Basic Theory test. I passed and was pretty confident that its time to take my Final Theory test. So after that, I went back to UBI CDC during lunch hour to book my Final Theory. I stayed in Ubi and my workplace was just at Ubi Ave 3. I told myself: Man, I'm damned lucky that I leave near UBI CDC.

After booking my Final Theory test, I went to a bookstore to pick up the Final Theory book to study. Comparing to Basic theory, Final Theory content was much easier to read as not much memorising content. After a few weeks, I went to take my Final Theory test and I passed again. I was so excited and began looking for good driving instructor to teach me the skills of driving. Landed on one which my sis recommended. She said he was alright because he doesn't scold people. As my sis had taken her lesson before with him, I trusted her and booked my first lesson with him.

It turned out to be not bad as he made me drive the highway just behind Kakit Bukit.. I learnt manual and it was indeed fun to drive on the road like you are some cool teenager. It was a Nissan Sunny. After which, he taught me how to start the car on a slope, parking, parallel parking directional change, crank course and S-course. At some point of time, he would teach me tips and where to look at and how to turn. However, I realize he likes to use my lesson to go for toilet breaks and I didn't like that.

Like to turn the vehicle left or right, go slow and keep your vehicle in line with the middle line, make sure your turn along the white line in the middle road, So when to do vertical parking, make sure that you saw the side of the headline in the quarter glass behind before you turn, listen to the sound of engine before you move off on the slope. the sound of when to change gear when you hear the dragging of gears. I went in the circuit like 8 times for my first time and getting myself to familiar with those techniques.

Like the direction change: make sure your shoulder reaches about 3.5 of the kerb on the right before you make a full lock to the right. In crank course, make sure when your rear mirror is reaching the side of the kerb, turn and position your wheel back to original position. Or S -course, make sure your you turn when you almost can't see the kerb infront of you.

My test was on the Nov 2013 in the last morning at about 11+. Before that, I had a warm up drive at 9. Like all students taking their test, I was so nervous and scared. I'm afraid that I forgot my tips and turned the wrong way in the circuit. I'm afraid that my car rolled back on the slope, Im afraid that I forgot my judgement when I'm doing vertical parking, and the list go on... After my warm up, mt instructor told me to sit in a detention-like room and wait for my name to be called from the tester. And I tell you, everyone sitting in the room all had the nervous-shit like face and solemnly followed the tester to their instructor's car.

I waited a while and the tester came. He called out my name and I led him to the car. I was feeling shitty all over because Im afraid that i missed a safety step. And so the test began... I fasten my seat belt, adjust the mirror (act act), push the clutch and brake, change to gear 1 and pull down the handbrake. and release to half clutch, the car moved....It was moving slowly but its okay. You can maintain at half-clutch through out and maximum gear 2. And so my first stop was at the parallel parking. I slowly moved in and began my parking. To my horror, I strike the kerb and there goes my 10 points. In order to pass my driving, I had to get a demerit of below 20. So i left 10 points. And the tester told me to move to the slope, and to the rest of the station. After the circuit, I was told to drive along the airport road and ubi road 4. In the middle, I used the wrong ear to move off, I was at gear 2. At one time, my engine went dead. I knew I was dead already. We came back to the CDC and park the vehicle near the admin office. I followed the tester up to the 2nd floor and that's where he would announce if you passed or failed. And not surprisingly, I failed with a demerit point of 26. He failed me at failed to look at blind spots, strike kerb, using incorrect gear to move off , failed to slow down at pedestrian crossing. And t-da, that's it. I am a dangerous driver.

I left the CDC, feeling disappointed with myself and walked to work after that...

Shall continue on "Passing my driving test" part 2 later....