driving test

everyone - the good and bad - plays a part in your success

Finally got my Australian Driver's Licence - after 8.5 years here.

I've put off the idea of obtaining a Licence for soooo long because:

1. There was no need for one.

2. The public transport is pretty convenient.

3. I don't have a car, why need a licence?

4. Licence was not compulsory for work.

5. Car is a liability, not an asset.

6. I hate the idea of sitting for tests.

Earlier this year, I went for a job interview - whereby 'driver's licence' was one of the requirements for the job. In order to be competent for the job, I took the theory exam prior to the interview to show that I'm 'close' to getting a license. LOL. I didn't end up getting the job though. 

However, my current 'new' job requires frequent site visits. 

I think sooner or later, my colleagues will hate to partner me to site visits as I can't share the driving responsibility. 

At some point, I have to stop being the female-engineer-who-doesn't-drive-herself-to-site-visits. Feels like a hopeless spoilt brat.

And since I've taken the theory exam, I might as well get the licence done. Driving Test is just a tiny fraction of all the challenges and changes that I've been through in 2015. Just face it and bring it on!

Few days before the exam, I went on a 2-hours driving lesson with an ahpek instructor - just to get some exam tips from him.

He's such an old school chap who raises his voice and puts blame whenever he can. 

You failed! 

You gonna fail!

Fail! You exceeded the speed limit!

Fail! Why did you stop unnecessarily?!

Fail! Too fast! If the examiner feels scared, you fail!

Fail! You didn't check the blind spot.

Fail!

Fail!

Fail!

Honestly, I haven't FAILED so much in my life until I met him.

What a traumatic 2-hours. 

After the lesson, I felt so lost and my brain went blank. 

The FAILED voices kept playing in my ears. Wtf.

Before an exam, the last thing you wanna hear is your teacher telling you that you're gonna Fail, Fail, Fail and Fail... =_="

The following day, I tried driving to work. Felt like a rookie on the road.

The ahpek's voice still lingered in my ears.

I became unsure of when and where I should check the blind spots, when to check for cars, when to start signalling, etc...

The ahpek has been yelling Fail! so frequently that I'm so used to him telling me if I fail or not, I lost the ability to decide for myself and became so fearful of failing. zZZzzZz

Sure enough, despite the 'Sure Pass' muffin from VV, I failed the test. 

Ahpek was right after all. Hahahha.

So what happened?

All good, except ONE fail item.

When turning right, the right front wheel accidentally went on the solid white line-marking.

Sweat.

The examiners should make a compilation of the Dumbest Ways to Fail a Driving Test - to show how they decide to fail people in the most ridiculous ways.

Did he fail me because crossing the line during exam means I'll forever be crossing lines?

If I didn't cross that solid line, I would have passed.

But does that mean I won't cross any solid line EVER in the future?

There ought to be better ways to test driving skills.

'Skills' are just a small contributing factor to road safety. 

What about the patience, the kindness, the generosity, the calmness, which would also impact the driver and other road users?

Anyways, the following week, I passed the test on second try. 

I thought I did worse than the first time. LOL.

- 2 mins into the test, I was speeding up to cross the lights when they turned yellow suddenly. I made a sudden stop, in time before the first white line. I thought I hear ahpek's voice screaming Fail! I immediately apologised to the officer. He replied, 'That's okay'. I'd prefer him to be nasty cos the nicer he is, the scarier it seems.

- When moving into a kerb side before a 3-point-turn, I went too close to the kerb and scratched the tyre rim. LOL! The officer looked funny. And I thought, Damn..fail again?!

- When I was about to overtake a bus, suddenly it has its signal on, it was too late to give way so I went straight ahead. Fail again???

After the test, I was already thinking of when, how, and where I should take the 3rd test. 

When he announced the results to me...

Officer: Please sign here. Congratulations, it's a pass today.

Me: Sorry? Pass? Really???

Officer: Yeah.

Me: Oh. I thought I did worse than last week.

Officer: Nah, it was a nice ride. You did well.

Me: Oh okay. Thanks. Still can't believe it.

Finally, mission accomplished.

Driver Knowledge Test - $43
Leaner's Licence - $24
2-hours lesson - $90
Driving Test #1 - $54
Borrow Ahpek's car for Test#1 - $120
Driving Test #2 - $54
Borrow Arl's car for Test#2 - $40
10-years licence - $324
TOTAL = $749!!! 

Didn't feel as broke until I saw this figure.

Thanks ahpek for your fail-lessons, arl for borrowing me your car and taking half day off, vv for letting me hijack your room for a night before the tests, the officer who insisted that the ride was 'nice' despite the jolt and 'excitement' I gave him, and Ching who was gonna swap shifts to send me to the 3rd test - which is no longer required now that I've passed the 2nd.

So many conditions put together, for this to happen - the miracle of Causes and Conditions.

Next, it's time for other more important 'tests'.....