Thursday, October 28, 2010

i passed my driving!

After having 30 over lessons, with around 10 different instructors, over 6mths, spending close to 2.7k, taking1 (and no more than tt) test, I FINALLY PASSED!

16 points!
omgosh.

i must really thank my instructors man. (as i walked out of BBDC, i was thinking of how sad it would be not to be able to come for lessons - even though each lesson costs a bloody 68bucks! and some instructors were as good as not being ard)

last night was my last revision lesson with this particular instructor. Mr.P (haha, NO, P is his initial, not that MR.P from many yrs back and they definitely dun share anything similar at all) i rmb the first time i got him 2 mths back, i thought it was strange tt he wasn't my usual grp of instructors.. and he was like kinda quiet, gives comments but always appear very bo chap and SIAN during my driving. after that one time, i seldom got him for my lessons.. then come recently, i got him for 2-3 lessons. the recent ones being last wed, where he convinced me to book ANOTHER lesson, and last night, which was my last revision lesson. the way he calls my name is kinda weird. haha. think he trying to emphasize smthg to me... last wed, he alr observed that my vertical parking was very inconsistent. and i was very inflexible when it comes to making adjustments... he like damn pek chek with me lah... but at the end of the lesson, he wld tell me in a nice tone to go and reflect... LAST night, the same thing happen again. i was super stunned when i cldn't reverse into my vertical slot. and everytime tt happens, he will be EXTREMELY QUIET. and i will be EXTREMELY LOST. cos i honestly dunno how to make adjustments. i will ask 'HOW?' and he will be angry that i'm not trying on my own to attempt and go in. yar. that happened several times.... when the session ended, we were the last car that weren't back at the lot.. he drove me back, told me not to be pressurized...shoke me hand good luck, again, asked me to go and imagine the different senarios...

i was like .. oh shit.. i just pray i can go in, in one attempt

i cldn't sleep well from last night til this morning... only wanted to fall asleep when i was on my way to bbdc. waited at the warm-up area... praying for a good warm-up instructor (aside from good car, good weather, clear road, good tester), then 1220, i heard 'JOYCE'. it was Mr. P. he brought me to the car, tell me that he's gonna give me some extra time to practice..supposed to start at 1230. [SO NICE OF HIM RIGHT? i thought tt was a very nice gesture] anyway, i didn't ask how come he's the warm-up instructor... i thought it'll be some random instructors... So, he brought me ard the circuit.. of which i made stupid mistakes right from the start like not being able to lane change, mounting kerb on directional change! haiyo... on the roads, he said i was good, juz keep up with the momentum... again, shoke my hand good luck b4 we left the car. he gave me his HP number and told me to call him after the test.. then dunno what he mumbling lah.. say all rely on me alr(in chinese).i was thinking - "does he need me to pass so that his group's passing rate will go up?" haha then he walked me to the waiting room.. and then at a very soft volume, he apologised to me for being very hush to me last night. LOL! hahahahaha... pls lah. dun mention it. was he very hush? i didn't think so.. though i thought it wld be better to tell me than make me think lah. haha.. very nice of him lah. he seemed truly paiseh abt what happen last night though i wasn't even at all bothered by it... i mean it's true lah, TP alr, must know how to make adjustments when parking mah..

ok... tt was that.. i waited in the waiting room.. abt 18 of us in total... then slowly one by one the testers came and called the names... (so now i realise that testers are different from instructors! i always thought instructors are testers too.. haha) i was the 2nd last to be called.. by this tester who looked like he acts as the big but short gangster in hongkong drama. haha. he led me down.. and i asked a damn stupid qn juz before we entered the car.. i pointed at the driver's seat and asked 'so i sit here?' he replied' then u want to sit here (tester's seat)?' HAHA. oops. how dumb rite!

wah i didn't know test car is like president's car in circuit one leh! everyone will stop and siam for you. unfortunately, I REALLY DIDN'T KNOW THAT! so everytime i wana turn or go straight, i'll wait for the other cars.. the tester kept urging me to go, but i thought i shld juz ignore since i was told they wld always wana hurry testee to do things.. but then i realised they know that test cars DO HAVE THE RIGHT OF WAY.. so i was scolded for not going when i shld/could. i'm soo happy i aced my parallel parking. though i got scolded cos i thought i shld wait til the car adjacent to me goes in first.. WHY MUST WAIT?!!! he scolded. (but everytime during lesson, the instructor always say only one car can go in at any one time mah -.- ) kena another scolding for jam brake during upslope. say i brake too hard. [and i honestly cannot rmb if we did E-BRAKE] went out to the roads, again, OH MY GOD. its like my car has a singapore flag in front and back. haha. during the lane change at the ITE, i was SO GRATEFUL for that bike which saw my car and didn't go any faster so that i cld do the lane change! THANK YOU SO MUCH BIKER! sorry i cldn't take down ur plate no.! i wld have sent u a thank u card!!! and for that 2 bus/trucks.. i dunno if they were really slow, and juz nice enuf to let me lane change back to left.. and finally that car that had hazards lights on. shucks i thought i was going to die there cos i cldn't overtake him. but luckily he moved off soon enuf... i realised i made a terrible mistake of making a improper turn cos speed too fast plus forgot to change blindspot ( YOU KNOW WHY? cos everytime i go that route, i will go right and do U-TURN! so i really stun tio when he ask me to turn left at traffic light! at that point, i was secretly counting. 8 points?! yikes!)

anyways, i have no idea.. drove back to sch... once we stopped, i thought i heard him said - book for review test. then i HUH?! then he mumbled smthg else and it sounded like go back to room to do debrief. i was like OH SHIT.... then as i waited in the room.. i really had no idea. he came.. wah lao. SPEAK SO LOUD! scared i deaf eh. so fierce i didn't even look him in the eye at all! then i juz wanted to see the points, but i cldn't. then he somemore draw diagram and show me how wrong i was. initially i thought perhaps he juz scaring me only.. then as he went on.. i got more demoralised. then he keep saying i can't be too slow, must have more confidence. and then he passed the paper to me. hehe. PHEW. mass msg the close pals and folks. wanted to call Mr. P but cldn't get through, sent a sms to him instead. later on, while waiting to get license, he came by (perhaps spotted me from the back) JOYCE! i look at him ' i passed! ' like duh rite? if i didn't pass, i wld be there sitting and waiting liao. sure go home and cry alr. haha. he looked at the paper. didn't really say much to me though.. i said thanks again and shook his hands. told me to take care. anyways, i realised he was the team leader for the group that i'm under. haha. so slow. only realised on the last revision lesson. i think he became nicer towards the end.. dunno issit becos he feel for me.. haha. maybe instructors are like this one lah.. fierce during lessons, but nice when it comes to test day.. i'm really appreciative for his presence... can't believe he can be so different... which is good.. haha.. definitely will miss some of these instructors...

so yea. can't believe i passed man! i mean. i can, actually. i was feeling pretty confident for most aspects except the vertical parking... and really.. its a combination of all luck factors - super nice drivers who gave way to me... good weather.. good warm up instructor.. yea.. mm.. tester wise.. well, actually i did more work than i wld give credit to him in any way passing me. HAHA.

Friday, October 08, 2010

LOSER MOMENT NO. 456 : Being quiet at a table full of conversations

guess it's gonna take a gazilion years before i build any sort of bond with the rest who are alr so wel acquinted with one another.
haiyo. sian