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Monday, August 10, 2009
Driving D-day

The day before the verdict day, I was feeling all jittery and nervous. The night before, I even experienced a dream that I was having an usual lesson where I accidentally brushed across a car in the other lane. Thereafter, I had a hard time seeping back into the slumber land.

During the warm up session, I did one round of circuit and drove a couple of streets. Besides the directional change which the instructor suggested me to reduce the speed and the slanted vehicle in the vertical parking, all else was smooth. He gave me tips and granted me well wishes before dropping me off at the waiting point.

In the waiting room, there were 15 others. Young adults compromised majority of the space. There was this lady which took the saying that girls with don on short skirts tend to pass literally. She wears make up and had a sleeveless dress that clad her body. The hems of the dress end right up at the upper thighs. There I also spotted an acquaintance from my Tertiary school, she was coincidentally having the same test time slot as i was. We had small chats in an effort to distract our anxiety. Two ladies beside us eavesdrop our conversation and began to chip in.

Alas, I was called up for test. The first errand was to conquer the slope. I managed to pull the brakes neatly behind the stop line. I did the usual of pressing on to the accelerator and holding on the clutch biting point. My indication to move off was signalled. When all was ready, I realised I do not have the strength to release the handbrake. Just then the accelerometer starts to decrease. How? I thought. If i were to release handbrake now, the car bounds to roll back, granting me direct failure. My foot quickly switch to the brake. After a small apology, I restart the whole cycle, this time using both hands with all the might that I can muster.

Next we did a directional change follow by parallel parking, vertical parking (the one that need to position the car along the white line, crank course and s-course before exiting the circuit to do route 7 (one of the most congested routes).

During the course, I need to go through this road which was having construction after a traffic light junction on the left hand lane. The dilemma came when should one change lane before the traffic light (perhaps the tester might think I am road hogging) or after (which is have limited space). Thank goodness came prepared as the day before I already asked advice from my instructor and did a lane change before the junction. Lane changing has always been my achilles heels but thank goodness there wasn't any car behind.

Along the way, there was this vehicle that was heading left to a minor road. I slowed down and squeeze my vehicle on the left. The mistake came when I forget to down my gear after slowing down resulting in massive vibration of the car.

Next, as I was turning left, there was this man walking in the middle of the road. Upon noticing him, I manage to drove pass him. My tester was not happy with it and he think it is unsafe. He thought that I should make a wider turn as the pedestrian might not notice. He keep mumbling its unsafe and tap loudly on his computerised marking board. Thereafter, he direct me back to circuit without completing the whole course which include u-turn and lane change at the major road. There goes my license I thought.

On the way up, he continue saying its unsafe and I should hold the sterling wheel even the car was stationary (bad habit that I always have). "Next time don't like that ah" he say. Next time? Is it next time during practises or next time on the road I thought. He went to print some paper and talk to me, revising with me on what I should do in future. While doing this, I peer at the paper looking for any sign or hints of my results. Congratulation, i saw. My heart was obviously smiling then. After reprimanding, he turn the paper around and circle the PASSED. I was smiling ear to ear. I had 18 points in total, 2 more points to fail. I knew he was helping me pass by doing lesser course thus making less mistake.

I quickly rush down to the reporting room when coincidentally the safety video that I have to watch was airing at the moment. They direct me quickly to the room while they process my results. After the show, they pass the paper to me individually and I quickly dash up to had my photo card done beating the rest in the queue who were still finding the paper in the pile.

Mere luck got me through. Thanks, tester.

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1:12 PM

Sunday, August 09, 2009
Driving license

Thou officially can drive on the road on 8th August 2009. Previously when someone mention that they got their license, I merely congratulate them with their earnings and could not apprehend why the outburst of joy. I could not further understand why they proudly show their driving identity card with a smirk. Now everything came to light when I share their plight.

The whole ordeal from booking a lesson till to D-day was tormenting, flash backs of it is enough to send shivers down my spine. Booking of lesson was never hassle free. At Ubi driving center (every center works differently), there will be this specific day of the month at 6pm, where you can start booking lessons two months in advance. The earlier you book the lessons, the more available time slots and instructor you can choose from. Lesson booking could be done at the office, through phone or on the net. Easy as it seems, it never was.

When the very particular day came, students were often seen lining up outside the office to had their hands on the slot desired. I ever tried reaching an hour before, just to know that 44 people came earlier than me. So obviously, beside the hour being squander, I had to spend even more time waiting for that 44 people to choose their slot. On the very day, Internet booking is feasibly not possible (even having 100 mbps Internet speed) as everyone else would lag the system and the office would not answer any call. The only options left was to wait.

Time is a factor, money too. My first impression of the office was pay-and-pay. We had to pay for the registration fee, two theory test fee, PDL fee, lessons fee, warm up fee, practical test fee, photo license card fee (the only fee which i willingly and happily fork out). Not including optional fees like, theory lesson fee, trial test fee and etc etc.

Lesson itself was worst, it was rather a demoralizing session. As I was learning a manual transmission car, I had to rack my brain to multi-task at the beginning. Once I even contemplate to switch to auto transmission car, which thank god i didn't.

License is seriously hard to come by. Will narrate on the D-day when I have the writing thoughts once again.

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9:53 PM