This is the second installment.
I did guard duty on 20th (Mon) and booked out on Tuesday for my off. On my way home I dropped by BBDC to top up my account and checked if there were any available slots this few days. To my surprise, there were three available slots today. I didn't want to miss out on such a good chance so I booked all three of them immediately.
My parents weren't as pleased as I was when I told them about it. In fact, they weren't very happy when I booked the two lessons on the same day just two days ago. Said that it was a waste of time and money as I wouldn't be able to absorb it all. Normal people take one lesson a week.
Well, I have my own reasons for doing so. I had to pass subject 2.11 first before I can apply for the practical test. So my strategy was basically to complete up to 2.11 asap so that I can book a test date. Besides, I need to get the feeling for driving early on before I lose it. Just like mastering a skill-when you have it imprinted in your body early, it's harder to lose the feel.
So anyway, here goes...
Lesson 321/12/2009 (Tues)
1220-1400
This lesson's about changing from gear 1-3. I wasn't confident of going out to the road today at first so we went for a few rounds int the circuit.
The traffic inside was slow moving, so I took the chance to up gear and down gear rapidly, practicing as much as I could. After all, I had only been doing shadow gear shifting practice the whole of yesterday night and I finally have a chance to put practice to test.
After the few rounds, the instructor thought I was pretty steady so he asked if I was ready to go out. I thought I was pretty good myself too, so I told him 'let's go.'
We took a simple route. Only left turns and straight roads. I asked him if I have to check blind spot and mirrors or not at the left turns. He said all I need to do is to stop and move off-he'll check for me. Haha. So nice right?
Turns out that driving on the road is quite ok. Perhaps even easier than inside a circuit since there're no slow moving cars and the road's wider. Went for a few rounds and everything went pretty smoothly. Towards the end, the instructor for the car I was following even praised me for being able to keep up with his student at just my 3rd lesson! =)
At the end of the session, I asked my instructor a few questions regarding the practicals.
Q: How many sessions does it take to complete the driving practicals.
A: On average, 25 sessions. Some people take more, some less.
Q: The least number of sessions?
A: I would say 20 sessions. That is for the 'zai' ones. If everything goes smoothly and you haven't failed any subjects. Normally people fail one or two and they have to keep repeating until they pass. Like the parking. The 'zai' ones, those with higher IQ, they just listen to the instructions and do it in one try. The weaker students can spend quite a few sessions on just a single subject alone.
Q: When should I up the gear?
A: As and when you can. It has become a habit for me already so you can see that I up my gear to 3rd gear or even 4th gear very naturally. Even in the circuit, I can up it to 3rd gear even though the traffic is quite slow moving. Eh, and you must enjoy playing with the gear ok? Like in Initial D like that! -shows fast gear changing- That's why you learn manual mah!
Haha. And more questions la... But I should stop here.
Subjects Completed: 1.05, 1.06
Lesson 421/12/2009 (Tues)
1815-1955
This lesson's about changing from 1st-4th gear. And about intermittent braking. When the instructor took me for a ride outside, he asked if I know what is engine brake.
"Hmm.. Engine brake ah. Braking action occurs when you slow down the wheels. The engine brake uses a slower moving engine to slow the wheels down. And to slow down the engine you down a gear."
"No lah..."
"..."
"Engine brake! Engine brake!"
"I think that was quite a complete explanation on the mechanics behind engine brake?"
"Engine brake means when you down gear to slow down the vehicle! You are supposed to learn that the last lessson!"
(Er, ok... Wasn't that what I just said?)
His bad impression of me due my lack of understanding of engine brake made me feel quite awkward right at the start of the lesson. As a result, I drove really cautiously and made sure that I don't commit any blunders.
Turns out that he was pretty pleased with me. He was confident enough to chat with me freely as I drove and we went quite far out. To Jurong. And he was planning to take me even further. Until I suddenly said that I needed to pee.>.<>.< Ah.
We tried to find a toilet for me for quite a while but there wasn't any convenient ones. So we took a turn back to the Bukit Batok area in the end. Stopped by the road while I went to the toilet in the coffee shop.
When I got back to the car, it was near the end of the lesson so he just drove us back to BBDC.
At the end of the lesson, he told me he would have brought me out to Clementi if not for that lil incident. And I would have to take note not to clutch in too early when I brake. Always brake and clutch in only at the last minute, just before the car stops.
Subjects Completed: 1.07, 1.08
Lesson 521/12/2009 (Tues)
2155-2305
This lesson's about low speed control and negotiating a sharp turn.
Unexpectedly, my morale suffered a big drop this time round. I didn't quite like the instructor. He wasn't cold like my 2nd instructor but he was wayy too talkative. And he speaks too fast. He sounds like Nick Chan, my NJ physics teacher. Haha. But not as encouraging as him.=/
Anyway, into lesson proper. Here's the secret to negotiating sharp bends. By sharp, I mean 90 degrees. No rounded thingy at the corner. Two criteria to fulfil. One, the curb should be a quarter of the windscreen from the left. Two, quickly steer completely to the left when the line of the curb is below the left side mirror.
To negotiate such a sharp bend would require you to move very slowly if you don't want to rush your steering.
Most of the time I was moving off without my feet on the accelerator. As a result, the car creeps really slowly but it sometimes it vibrates like crazy due to insufficient engine acceleration.
Btw, I learnt this technique in my second lesson. I don't know if the instructor realised what I was doing, but I don't think I was supposed to do that... You're supposed to make good use of the half-clutch technique so that you can move forward slowly while keeping the engine at a nice hum. Not vibrating like crazy.
The next subject's safety routine. I did a few practices on it but there wasn't enough time to access whether I deserve to pass this subject or not.
Oh well, it's a 70min session, so too bad for me.
Subjects Completed: 1.09
That's it for now!
From my Past,
To my Future