Today is a memorable day. I passed my Class 3 TP driving test on the first try!!!!!! Alhamdulillah! Ya Allah I can't be more grateful that you allowed this to happen. What a ride it has been. Let me take you to the start. As a word of caution, it is going to be a lengthy post and a little dry as I share my class 3 journey and driving test experience.

Before I entered uni, I had planned to pass Class 2A, Class 2 and Class 3 in my 4 years as an undergraduate. Passed my 2A in 2018. Passed my Class 2 in 2019 and now Class 3 in 2020. 

I registered for driving as a private learner initially, thinking that I am a fast learner and my road experience as a rider makes it easier for me to pick up driving. However, I did not have any contacts for a private driving instructor (PDI) who teaches class 3 @ BBDC. From my google search online, the PDIs I can find can only speak Mandarin. Without wasting anymore time and sourcing for PDI by camping at Esso BBDC, I decided that learning in school has their own advantages too despite it being known to be costly. 

It was somewhere post-CNY. I had cleared my FTT as a private learner before making the switch to a student learner. I block booked my practical lessons in June as I would have been done with internship by then. Alas, COVID-19 led to circuitbreaker measures which saw the closure of BBDC. Thankfully, BBDC refunded their customers for cancelled lessons and tests. When phase 2 started, BBDC resumed its business. It was somewhere around last week of June if I were to recall correctly. I could still go for 7 lessons as booked earlier and need to book other lessons which are only available in September. I didn't want to camp on the website to book for last minute cancelled prac lessons so I decided that I should just cancel my remaining June lessons and block book my lessons again in September/October.

Yup, from clearing my lessons during summer break to attending lessons during the semester. I was wondering if I made the right move there as I had to balance my time between school and driving. Most of my lesssons were booked on the first slot for the day, which is 0730-0910. I will proceed to school once I'm done with driving. 

Driving Lessons

I remember struggling with steering control for the first few lessons. First 3 to be honest. Like erm one instructor insists on hand-over-hand. Another one taught me push and pull method. Bro...which one la. I was told that hand-over-hand is better when it comes to low speed control to maneuver the courses later on. Anyway, I grew up without the privilege of observing a dad who drives unlike my peers who told me that they didn't struggle with steering control cos they have been observing their parents driving since young. I knew I had to do sth to get that practice outside of lessons. I found the perfect solution to this problem.  

FITNESS CORNER STEERING WHEEL!!!!! The solution I needed. Thankfully, this equipment is found at the void deck just next block. I came up with a systematic approach to steering control. Left turn means I release grip from my left hand, grip with my right hand and cross the right hand over to the left and cross my left hand over to the right to continue turning the wheel. The opposite for right turn. I practiced this almost daily for 1-2 minutes and damnnnnn it truly made a huge difference in my steering control. I had no problems with steering control from then on.

There was a lesson which I struggled with making sharp left turns as my steering control was still bad. I only stayed in the circuit to do left turns bro can you fucking imagine how boring it was. It was made worse when the instructor who took me is a real condescending ass. I passed that lesson. It was the only lesson I did not clear 2 lessons at one go. I swear I was traumatised from that driving lesson and I came to school really down. When I got this instructor again a few lessons after, I was reminded of the previous lesson with him and did quite badly on the road. I stalled in the middle of a traffic junction sia wtf kena whackkk by him. He took me again when I was nearing the end of the syllabus and I have improved so much. His last few words to me were "You can definitely drive. You are not bad but not too good either if I can be honest with you." 

Looking back, if not for his strict teaching, I doubt I will put in much effort to master the hand over hand technique which is now ingrained in me. You have to learn some things the hard way I guess. Just like how it was in my boy period at station lol. I learnt from my other instructors in my group that he is the fiercest of the lot and he is known to make female students cry due to his scoldings. Damnnnnnn. His instructor number is 6655 and you'll see later in my training history.

On the other hand, I had 3 other instructors from my group who taught me regularly. One of them always plays the radio during lessons. The only one tbh. The most lepakkkkk. I got him for my second revision lesson, yesterday, one day before test day, and his tips for vertical parking made me more confident in vertical parking. He likes to crack jokes on fat people too lol like "Jaga2 pedestrian gemuk ni. Kalau langgar habis kemek kereta kita." sialaaaaaaaaa nak ketawa je sia bila dengar HAHHAHAHA. 

The other insturctor is the one who felt like it wasn't strictly a instructor-student setting. He is friendly and was the only one who asked me about my future plans and also shared about his life. I look forward to getting him as my instructor as we will always chat during lessons and the positive vibes made me more confident of my driving. Thankful that I got him on my first revision lesson just 2 days ago. For that lesson, I mounted the damn kerb twice when I am coming out of the lot from vertical parking and he made sure that I practice until I turn out at the right time. 

TP Test

I book my test today in mid-October after I cleared my evaluation lesson. There was a 3 weeks gap. It could have been shorter but there was only 8.15am test slot available for the earliest day possible that I can book. TP test during peak hour? No fucking way man. I've had enough of peak hour driving thanks to my session 1 practical lessons. 1015 test time it is then.

I reached at 9 and even though warm up was originally at 0915, I only waited around 5 mins before I was brought to my test car for warm up. Car number 1. Wow feeling2 special cos car number 1 ape jeeee. No idea who the warm up instructor is but he was very cheerful and definitely made me feel less nervous for my test. My warm-up went fucking smoothly like seriously everything was PERFECT. I wished it was my actual test and I could've just been done with it if my warmup was the test lol. 

Done with warmup and proceeded to level 2 to wait for the tester to bring us to the test car. My test time is stated as 1015 but I was already back in my test car at 1000. I was not nervous until when it comes to vertical parking. I had to make 2 CORRECTIONS!!! I swear I was really confident of my vertical parking and got it right in one try during warmup. I really drilled it in the past 2 revision lessons but sadly I needed to make corrections during the actual test. Scary af bro. Usually during lessons, the instructor will guide us for corrections but this time it's all on me. I was rather close to striking the kerb after the first correction. I then visualised the birds eye view so as to 'see' better and ensure that the rear left wheel will go in perfectly. Thankfully, it managed to go in perfectly and I managed to do one of my straightest vertical parking despite the corrections. Alhamdulillah ya Allah thank you so much. 

Other courses went perfectly fine, except for engaging the wrong gear when straightening the car for parallel parking. I wanted to reverse but accidentally entered gear 4 HAISSS. I was shocked when the car moved forward. Luckily it was only in a split second. Could've striked front kerb if I wasn't careful. I got demerit points for moving off in wrong gear. Parallel parking went smoothly and out we go to the road. That was when I realised that the tester did not test on ebrake. Oh no. Will he test the ebrake outside? Idk but I kept that in mind so that I am always prepared for it. Turns out I was not tested on ebrake. 

Tester took me to Bukit Batok Rd test route, which was the exact route my warmup instructor had brought me. Coincidence or planned? Interesting. U turn was smooth. Lane changing to the left was done easily as it wasn't peak hour traffic unlike my other lessons @ Teck Whye Lane uturn which is always congested. 

Had to make a lane change to the right so as to make a right turn at the next junction. Andddd there was a pretty fast car at lane 1. I was already at lane 2 and rushed the lange change to lane 1. In front of me was another car also lane changing to make a right turn. I ended up being too close to the front car. Most of my points were from this abrupt lane change + failure to keep a safety distance + improper blindspot checks. Tester mentioned my mistakes instantly and I acknowledged it. I did not let myself be affected by it as I was nearing the end of the test. Later on, I approached 2 traffic light junctons which was green but turned amber when I'm around 3 seconds before reaching the stop line. Thankfully, I was alert and already anticipated the light change. I managed to stop behind the stop line for both traffic junctions. Alhamdulillah. 

Went up to the tester room to review my results. 16 points. I passed! Only Allah knows how happy I was. They updated my license within a few minutes and I'm free to go, as a newly qualified driver :))  I wanted to find my instructors to share the news with them but it was still lesson time so they weren't available. Oh well. That sucks. 

I wrote in to customer service to thank my instructors so that they will receive better bonuses, apparently. It is done. I can resume my morning runs on weekdays now.

Summary

22 lessons + 1 auto car lesson + 2 revision lessons + 1 TP test

~$2.1k 

That's the end of my 5 year BBDC journey. Such a sweet ending. Alhamdulillah. Let's end this semester well in sya Allah. May Allah grant me strength to perservere to the end of finals. 

Labels: BBDC, BBDC Class 3, BBDC Class 3 Driving, Class 3 driving, Class 3 TP Test