Passing my driving test- Part 1

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....