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A month later I’ve attended my first driving lesson, I find myself queuing up for a number as a candidate at the driving range today. I was initially shocked when my “gung-ho” (as described by Letti) driving instructor told me that I’ll be sitting the test today, a week ago. At that point of time, I have not even mastered how to move a car parked on a slope as well as have the guts to navigate through heavy traffic. And I thought that I’m a piece of dead meat.
After listening to my list of insecurities, she gave me 8 hours of training time this week (wow that’s definitely an overdose, I think!) and she told me that I’ll be ready to roll by Friday. And she really mean it! I woke up at 5.45am (the first time I’m rising so early from bed since I graduated from college last year) to prepare myself for the big day. She came at 6.45am, drove me to the driving range, got me registered and shoved me into the queue before I could say, Can we wait till next week?
The counter lady didn’t even bother to look up at me when I nudged my application form closer towards her. She grabbed the form, made notes on the huge paper printed with words of the smallest font size possible (there’s a shorter name to it: fine prints) and gave me a number. 67. And it’s actually a vulgarity in a dialect called Cantonese. I shall not tell you what it means.
Twitter feed: At the driving range now, waiting for my turn. I’m so nervous and jittery. I hope I can pass
oh gawd.
Anyway, after getting my number, everything was a blur. Before I could compose myself, I heard my number being called, the scrawny guy who calls out number grabbed my arm and said, Eleven! Eleven! I told him, I’m sixty seven. He shook his head and pointed to a car labeled Eleven.
It’s only when I entered the car that the gravity of the situation started to be clear to me - I’m having a freaking on-road test! The female examiner in the car wasn’t very happy today morning, her face was just gloomy and intimidating. I repeated the list of things I had to do before I get started: adjust my seat, check the mirrors, wipers and signal lamps, check whether I’m currently in neutral gear and fasten my seatbelt. In Asia where drivers are seated on the right, I was reluctant to bend over across the female examiner to adjust the left mirror - and I was deducted a mark. Dammit. Three more marks to go before she declares that I’ve screwed up the test.
On the road, I proceeded carefully, remembering to glance at the mirrors after every second (although not necessary), frantically fumbling for the signal lamps and handling the clutch with my trembling legs. We arrived at a traffic circle - and the exam route requires me to make a 3 o’clock turn. That means cutting through the heavy morning traffic.
The car ahead of me was driven by another candidate. She was obviously shell-shocked by the traffic and couldn’t bring her feet to leave the brake. My examiner lost her patience and started blaring the horns, on my behalf. In the end, the candidate in the car ahead was forced to switch places with her examiner because traffic was piling up behind us at the traffic circle.
I didn’t want to tailgate the car ahead because I was equally afraid of the morning traffic. Then a voice piped up from my examiner (finally!) - what are you doing? Couldn’t you move?! Okay, so I stepped on the accelerator very gently to nudge the car ahead. Look out for the van! Go faster! Signal lights, hellooo?! Look at the mirrors! My head started to swirl amidst her shouts. If it weren’t for the sake of that beautiful ‘pass’ in my report, I would have slapped her in the face.
We arrived at a U-turn. I went slow, hit the brakes and my eyes fixated on a tractor ahead. How the hell am I going to move if I couldn’t overtake it? It’s so slow. Why are you looking at the tractor? Mirrors, mirrors, mirriors! How many times do I need to remind you to look at them?! And overtake that tractor, I don’t care. Okay I get it. With my signal lamps flickering, I made an illegal maneuver to overtake the tractor. One mark down again for not looking at mirrors (and strangely enough, no marks deducted for that illegal overtaking part). Two more marks to hell.
Finally without nothing much happening along the way back, we’ve made it safely back to the driving range. I was so nervous that I forgot to engage the gear to neutral before removing my seatbelt. Another mark gone, but at least we’re done. I took every restraint to snicker at her when she dropped the pen while she was grading my performance. I left the car and squeezed out a fake smile: Thank you, ma’am.
Twitter feed: Wheee I’ve passed the on-road test but have to bear with the fierce female examinor. Lol got scolded for not looking at mirrors frequently.
I waited for a period that felt like eternity until I couldn’t take the heat and thirst - so I went over to the coffee shop with a female friend, confident that the lady will not call our numbers anytime soon for the driving range test. And I was right - for the next 3 hours, she didn’t call for any of us. My friend dragged me into the air-conditioned office (I wasn’t even sure whether we could enter, because it was an office!), and for every 15 minutes we will head out and check whether we’re called for the second test.
Twitter feed: Waiting and waiting for my turn to do the slope test, parking and cru-de-sac (spelling error. It should be cul-de-sac, my bad!) U turn. There’s no seat so I can only stand :\
After an hour texting the tweet above, we finally got called to wait at a miserably small covered area where we were at the mercy of the hot late morning sun. Those who got called can pick any car they want for the test, but I’ve decided to wait it out until everyone in my group has completed the test.
Twitter feed: My number got called, and I’m now waiting for my turn to drive. I’m praying hard for a pass
I was dead nervous. When there’s only my friend and I who are the only ones left at the waiting area, I knew that my time is up. I plopped my sweaty body at the seat, and grimaced at the fact that the car windows should always be wound down and air-conditioners turned off for the driving range test. The first part to the test was a scary monster called the Slope Test - you’ll have to drive up a slope (my instructor told me that due to a measurement error, the one in that driving range was gentler), stop your car halfway such that the front tires are in the yellow box. The examiner, who’s standing near the slope, will ask to you continue your climb when he feels like it.
My car chugged up the slope, I was a little panicky so I stepped harder on the accelerator. I nearly missed the box, but managed to have the front tires inside. The examiner asked for my name. Terry, I replied. Terri Hatcher, that desperate housewife? I laughed at his question. No, I’m that Terry Fox, I told him. I was amazed that he watches Desperate Housewives, lol! He waved his hand to get me going. I stepped on the accelerator, released the clutch, hear for that distinct guzzlinng sound of petrol and released the handbrake. I squirmed a little, praying hard that my car will not move backwards (that’ll make the fail the whole damn test!). The car moved forward, and shortly after, I find myself to have completed the hardest part of the test. Woots!
After the Slope Test, I’m starting to understand how much skill it takes for San Francisco drivers to make their cars climb the steepest street on Earth - Lombard Street.
Now the Parallel Parking part - with the lot 4 feet longer and 2 feet wider than my car, I’ll have to, by hook or by crook, move the car into the lot, and out, in five minutes. I was still terrorised by the hallucination and possible prospects of failing the Slope Test, so I did a really crappy maneuver such that the car is barely inside the lot. I made a few adjustments, keeping track on the time elapsed. I couldn’t bear it any more. I hastily waved my hand at the other examiner. He squinted his eyes to see whether my car is totally in the lot - well, as far as I know, the mirror isn’t really inside the lot yet - it’s on the white line. Looking at my face which resembles that of a rabbit caught in the headlights, a mixture of fear, confusion and dazed-out, he let me pass.
Finally, the Cul-de-sac U-turn part. What I really need to do is enter the dead-end, make a U-turn (without knocking over any of the poles), get my ass out and I’m done. I got it, threw my car in reverse, scrambled for the gear and rushed out - I couldn’t wait to get out of that microwave oven under the sun. After a disaster-less round, I’m done! I waited for my friend to complete her circuit, headed over to the examiner and got our forms chopped and signed.
Twitter feed: OMG I’ve passed! Woots
I can finally get a probation licence and drive, heh.
This probably sums up my experience! In a week’s time, I’ll be getting my Probation License and will be able to drive my family car! Teehee 
Dear readers, have you been through any traumatising experience when you’re on the road? And how was your experience with that driving test you’ve taken before?
:evil:
20 responses to I Can Finally Drive!
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May 16th, 2008 at 6:48 pm
Congrats on passing! I’ve yet to learn to drive, since if I do learn I’ll have to get, feed and take care of a car… Petrol and insurance are expensive! D:
Check out Vickie’s last blog post: EPIC PHAIL
May 16th, 2008 at 8:49 pm
w00t w00t W00T!!!!!! Congratulations, dude.. totally awesome
Hhhehh @67
Check out letti’s last blog post: Food Glorious Food
May 16th, 2008 at 11:46 pm
Congrats on being able to drive!
In response to the comment you left on my blog, I’m going to China after the Olympics have finished. I’ll be there for six months as a volunteer English teacher with a charity called Lattitude which specialises in putting volunteers in overseas placements to help worldwide communities.
May 17th, 2008 at 12:47 am
Wow. That’s a real detailed writing on your driving test. I really enjoyed reading it a lot!
Mine was nothing much. I passed just like that. Hehe. Does that mean that I’m a good driver? Nah. I don’t think so. And I gotta admit the fact that males are always (always, not all the time) better in driving than females.
Anywayz, congratz! Enjoy driving and be careful on the road yea. =)
Check out SilverIsle’s last blog post: Toga Party
May 17th, 2008 at 1:10 am
anyways i can’t help wonder, quote: “… I was still terrorist …”, when did you become a terrorist? LOL
Check out lix’s last blog post: of earthquakes and schools
May 17th, 2008 at 3:52 am
How awesome! Well done to you! Here in the UK its like you have to have at least 20 hours of driving experience before passing both the theory and practical parts!
Now you’re the king of the road- go buy yourself a pair of fuzzy dice to hang by your rear-view mirror!
Check out Nel’s last blog post: World’s unsexiest woman is…Sarah Jessica Parker???
May 17th, 2008 at 9:12 pm
omg i havent even take my undang test and after reading your very detailed driving test, i don’t feel like i want to take any tests and go drive illegally lol!!
So scary la ur female examiner, i’ll cry if i were you cause obviously u were very nervous and she’s screaming in your ears.
Congratulations on passing the tests and finally able to drive!!
You’ll drive like those people in too fast too furious in no time!! hahahaha ok that was lame. 
Check out Melissa’s last blog post: Trip to Perth[for the 5th time] - Part 1
May 18th, 2008 at 1:45 am
@Vickie:
Thank you! Yea it’s indeed troublesome and taxing on your wallet to purchase AND maintain a car. I guess the maintenance part is the tricky one! Petrol is going to get really expensive in the future, so I think when I’m travelling for short distances like getting to the nearby grocery stores, I’ll stick to my bike, heh.
@letti:
Thanks! Actually I was a little superstitious that day, and gee when you add up the digits together you’ll get 13! Brrr.
@Sarah:
Thanks, and you’ve earned my respect for being a really selfless and caring volunteer. Not everyone is willing to travel so far to a distant nation, and to live there for such a long time! It’s really nice of you! *applauds* anyway, I’m just curious that if you’re going to live there for six months, do you need to attend courses that teach you how to converse in basic Chinese?
@SilverIsle:
Woah you actually read the whole thing? I didn’t really expect anyone to read the whole entry - just part of it, skipping a few paragraph and lines. Not everyone has iron patience like yours, and I sincerely thank you for your time. Maybe I’m the weird one among the guys because according to my instructor, almost all the guys she’ve taught will jam the accelerator once on the road, while I won’t. This is weird!
@lix:
Okay lol thanks for the lame joke, haha! Oh and it’s a typo error - I couldn’t figure out why I typed ‘terrorist’ instead of ‘terrorised’, I guess I’ll just blame my brain for being all dazed-out after the test. Teehee. My bad!
@Nel:
Oh wow it’s surely strict over there! Over in my country, all we need is to attend about 12 hours of lecture regarding road safety and laws, split into 2 separate days - one before the theory examination the the other one, after it. When we’re done with the lectures, we’ll engage a driving instructor and let them do the teaching. Most instructors recommend 12 to 16 hours of on-road practise before heading for the driving range for the final test. Thanks for the suggestion! I’ve never knew why people hang fuzzy dices on their read windscreen, but now I know! When I get my own car, I’m planning to print my blog address on the rear bumper, woots!
@Melissa:
Don’t worry! I’m just unlucky that day to land with that examinor from hell. I know of friends who are very lucky and got really angelic, smiley examinors! One of my friend took a wrong turn and went right off the actual test route, but the examiner still passed him. It really depends on who you’ll be getting on the big day. I’m more of a cautious (and timid) person, so I think I’ll be driving really slow! Haha.
May 19th, 2008 at 2:40 pm
Congratulations on passing your drive test.So far the only dumb thing I have done while driving is bump into my friends boyfriends car big oops.Luckily there wasn’t even a mark on either cars.
May 19th, 2008 at 3:31 pm
congratulations on passing your driving test! I’m so proud of you. xD
well, reading your post reminds me of my driving test experience. I must say that I was pretty lucky. I got a very kind JPJ guy. we were having conversations and I wasn’t that nervous at all. I got 2 points deducted for the road test, though. I’m glad that i was called up early and the examiner’s mood hasnt yet to be spoiled by bad drivers. LOL. and it was raining quite heavily. so the air was pretty chilly. hehe.
so yeah, my driving test went well too. :p
Check out Aisyah’s last blog post: The Real Me
May 19th, 2008 at 5:28 pm
Congrats! Big boy now huh.
Can bring me go kai-kai when I go Singapore already hor?
Check out Nonnie’s last blog post: Get well soon Isk
May 19th, 2008 at 11:44 pm
@sara:
I shall be extra careful when I drive, since I have really short attention spans and overlook things really easily.
Thanks! I’m glad that your accident wasn’t a disaster, since you’ve left no nasty marks behind
@Aisyah:
Wow you’re proud of me? OMG I’m honoured! It’s nice to know that you’ve got a really angelic JPJ examiner instead of the grumpy and fierce one I’ve got. I think my examiner’s mood will get even worse in the afternoon because the weather is so hot and she’s most probably tired of scolding people, haha! It actually rained when you’re having your driving test?! Wow that’s really challenging and tricky because I kind of know that the ‘feel’ is different when you’re driving in different weathers. On the wet road, I’m afraid that the car will skid!
@Nonnie:
Haha yea kind of. At least it proves that I can drive legally, heh. I’m living in Malaysia now, but Singapore is near so I can drive you around in BOTH countries
May 20th, 2008 at 3:23 am
That was your driving test???? Holy poo! We had this teeny closed course. I cried too, before the test started, I think that helped. I suck at driving, they shouldn’t have passed me. But congrats to you!
Figured I’d drop by since we blog in the same circles and all.
Check out Lissy’s last blog post: 1998
May 20th, 2008 at 10:55 am
congrats on passing! (:
well, I’ve still yet to take driving lessons
(they are so expensive at where I’m from!)
but I’m currently taking my motorbike
lessons and it’s fun fun FUN (:
Check out Nadine’s last blog post: Drinking is Love (once again)
May 20th, 2008 at 12:29 pm
@Lissy:
Yea, it was pretty freaky! I’m glad that you’ve passed your as well! Not everyone is as lucky as us - my aunt failed at least 5 times before getting a pass! Thanks for the comment anyway. Do you mind if I link you up?
@Nadine:
actually I wanted to have a motorcycle license as well, since I’ve been craving for a cute scooter since I was a kid. I hope you’re enjoying yourself during the lessons, and most importantly, pass the exam!
Thanks! I’ve got friends over in Singapore who didn’t take driving test too since they deem taking it infeasible, given the excellent public transport over there
May 20th, 2008 at 1:16 pm
Oh my gosh, congrats on passing your test! It means you can get your own car now doesn’t it? ^_^ It must have been so nerve racking and also mentally emotional. Oh my gosh, I hope you did test in an automatic… if you had driven up that huge slope in a manual car, not sure if you would have made it. The waiting at the end is the worst part, because you probably wanted to hear it, whether it’s good or not.
I remember when I first started my driving lessons, when I was 17. It was all common sense as I always paid attention to the driver and so I catch onto tips and nips, etc for driving. Fortunately for me, I’m also a very great hands-on learner, and understand the navigation and the movements of a car.
I was unfortunate with multiple question tests, so I failed my learners 2 times before passing, so I was pretty afraid that I would fail my on-road test as well. My hubby got his test a day before me, and I was choking like a butterfly the day before. When my time to test finally came, I forced my mentality into a calm state, and started driving. Through the whole time, the examiner was very quiet. I did a parallel parking perfectly, and I was like you, kept checking the mirrors over and over again just to “be sure” that he notices. Hahaha… anyways, after the exam, I parked, and got out of the car, and started following him. Inside, he gave me my drivers slip, and said “there you go!” I was like…. “umm… shouldn’t I get a paper with my marks on it?” and he said, “I don’t think you really need one if you aced it 100%, but I can definitely give you one with a lower number on it if you want” I was so happy when I learnt that I had passed with an A. It feels good to know that I am an excellent driver… hehehe, a bit much there but with my record of only 2 speeding tickets and no accident in the last 6 years of driving is awesome *knock on wood*
I know you will be an excellent driver, have a lot of confidence in yourself, just don’t speed and race like me ^_^
Check out Destiny’s last blog post: The Return to Redstreak
May 20th, 2008 at 2:17 pm
My parents say they’ll let me have one when I can afford it next time, which means I’m at least 4 years away from my own car! But they’re nice enough to let me use the family car. In my country, we still use manual cars for driving tests because when you’re applying for an international driving license, some countries mandates you to take the test using manual cars. The rule goes that if you sat the test with manual cars, you can drive both manual and automatic.
I struggled for the first two hours of driving due to my poor eye-hand coordination. I’m glad that my instructor forced me to learn to change gears without looking at them, because if she didn’t, I couldn’t have learned to do that.
A quiet examiner may mean only two things - either you’ve done exceptionally well or you’re screwed. I’m relieved to know that you belong to the former! I got a nasty examiner which kept scolding me for the rest of the journey, haha. There’s no grading system of tests here - what really matters afterall is a pass or a fail, lol!
May 21st, 2008 at 12:20 pm
Congratulations to you teddY. Welcome to the auto-world. You will need to learn to change tyre, maintenance of your car, basic skill to repair minor damage to your car, etc…
Anyway, it is always good to have your own car. It is much easier to move from one place to another with your own car.
Check out hp84’s last blog post: Finish Interview
May 21st, 2008 at 4:11 pm
Thanks! Yea it’s the maintenance part that’s pretty troublesome! At least I have some basic knowledge on washing and waxing cars, haha
they’ll come in handy when I’m getting my own car. For the moment being, I’ll be using our family car!
May 22nd, 2008 at 12:31 am
congrats terry and welcome to the drivers club hehehe
enjoy your ‘new’ freedom!!!