25th lesson:
Stage 5
And finally, my "last" practical lesson before i can officially book for my TP test!
I arrived 15 minutes ahead of lesson as i wanted to calm down before my test. When i am late, i get so tensed up and always perform badly. Since today is my "last" practical lesson, i wanted to perform to my max. As usual, its lottery time when i scanned my nric to get my car number. My eyes nearly popped out when i see the number. It's not the usual 11X! Instead, i got car 132 and the waiting area is C!?!??
*damn...*
I have already booked this lesson way ahead just like the rest of my previous schedule and why is it that for the last lesson i am not allocated an instructor from my group? *so upset*
Just then, Mr Lim walked past and we had a short chat and he told me that car 132 is from our group and it is, Mr Teo, our team leader. *oops*
I remembered he sat in previously for my lesson on vertical parking. He has a super stern and fierce look on his face. Recalling, i was so scared of his presence then that i couldn't even perform. I am definitely not someone who can perform under pressure and stress. *duhz this time will be equally dead meat*
I called zh and he told me to take Mr Teo as a mock TP tester and do my test. I was still trying desperately to calm myself down before the lesson. To make sure i don't freak out later in the circuit, i was sitting at the pole trying to visualise the steps in parking with my eyes closed. I think i must have looked very ridiculous but i simply can't be bothered as i am more afraid of messing up during the course. While i am half way through my ridiculous visualisation, KS walked past and told me to hop on. For once, i thought he was my instructor but turns out, he is just joking.
I didn't take long for Mr Teo to show up. Surprisingly, he didn't have the stern and fierce look on him today. In fact, he was quite smiley. When he was checking my PDL, he asked if he has taught me before as i looked familiar. I told him he sat in for my lesson with Mr Pang before. And immediately, he asked me how i feel about Mr Pang's teaching! Before i can answer, the rest of the instructors nearby was warning me to watch my words as he is the team leader. Of cos i am not so stupid. =p
We took off on the road first, and while driving out, he asked whether i have any questions for him. I am glad i told him i am not too comfortable with Teck Whye route and hence he allowed me to go there even though that was not our route today.
Along the Teck Whye route, he cleared many of my concerns.
As there is one particular test route that involves a left turn into the main road for the U-turn, i was telling him that i am not confident of doing a lane change in such a short distance. He taught me a technique which is to keep more on the right side of the lane after signaling. In this way, cars will normally give way to us as we are already gradually steering into the next lane. I practiced it and realised it works!
Somehow, i don't know why my U-turn (be it at Bt Batok or Teck Whye) turns out to be very "ko-yoke" today. Instead of keeping in the middle of the lane, i am always of the left side. Mr Teo isn't too pleased with it. Neither am i.
After all U-turn, it's time for lane change. And while i was busy trying to lane change back to the 1st lane. He stopped me. He told me that doing lane change is about finding the right stage to perform. Only when i have find the best opportunity to lane change do i lane change. If no right opportunity is found, do not rushed into it.
And there, i found another small useful pointer.
#1: If you happened to be on the test route that requires you to turn right straight after the U-turn, you are allowed to do just one lane change into the 2nd lane and then lane change back to the 3rd lane again. The important thing is to pick up the speed so as to shorten the distance and not appear to be dragging the lane change process! *useful tips*
#2: If yours is a straight route back to BBDC, follow step #1 and only after you have crossed the 1st junction and after the bend, then u do the final lane change back to the 1st lane. Key point is not to rush into doing lane change. Find the right timing and do it! Find the stage! His analogy makes this simple point so enlightening!
Along the Teck Whye route (slightly before the temple), there is a bus stop which has a yellow box and a traffic light in the path leading up to it. If there is a bus in the bus bay, only 1 car is allowed in the space between the traffic light and yellow box. All other cars have to wait behind the yellow box. Don't rush into it.
If the bus has just stopped to pick up passenger, he told me to overtake to show my confidence. He keeps asking me to overtake for he thinks i can do it but i told him that's because he hasn't seen my lane change. And if i screwed up during my overtaking, wouldn't i be giving precious points away?
And so, we headed over to Bt Batok test route and again the U-turn came in. And again, i didn't do well. =(
I can't really remembered what happened along the rest of the test route in Bukit Batok but he said as long as i can be more confident, that would be the key to passing. Do not go for the TP test in hope of passing only. Show the TP tester that you are very confident and as if you have years of driving experience. I also hoped i can do it, but it's definitely easier said than done.
Back to the circuit for some review!
#Ramp
I told him that i think this is one of my worst circuit courses. He said this is a bonus giveaway and is surprised that i have stated this as my worry. So, he allowed me to demonstrate and as predicted, it wasn't perfect. My weakness is that i failed to jam the brake hard enough. He told me to treat it as E-brake and it doesn't matter to cause the tester to feel jerky. We stayed in the same spot and did it for 3 times and a queue soon formed behind us and he said it is alright and to just concentrate on my ramp. My takeaway is that i must really jam the brake harder! *must remember ar*
#Vertical parking
After my first left steer, I would have managed to get into the lot in the first attempt but somehow i thought i couldn't and i adjusted. Only to get "scolding" from Mr Teo. He said if i didn't have itchy hands, i would have gotten into the lot nicely. And thus, he told me to drive out and do it again. I did ok in the 2nd attempt.
#Parallel parking
One of my weakness in this course is that i am unable to really gauge well the distance between my rear wheel and the hind kerb in the final reverse step before straightening. So, Mr Teo allows me go out and take a look for myself.
Also, my hand movement when steering it back to the left (in drive mode) is not fast enough. As such, i will lose precious distance and risked hitting the front kerb.
#Directional change
I thought this was one of the simplest circuit course but maybe over-confidence took the better of me. I narrowly brushed through the right kerb. Mr Teo pointed out that the key is to be steering well is to steer only when you are sitting on the 2.5 kerb. Must constantly check to make sure i have cleared the right kerb before i bring my focus to the left kerb.
#'S' course
With Mr Teo careful enlightenment, i can finally understand what the rest of my instructors have been trying to tell me over the past few lessons regarding staying in the middle of the 'S' course without using the front kerb as a gauge. The key is that the left front pillar of the car has to stay in the middle of the lane (when there is an imaginary shortest line that is cutting across the "S" course).
Mr Teo keeps encouraging me to drive faster in the "S"course to show confidence, however i am sceptical cause i am scared that overconfidence will lead to immediate failure once i strike the kerb.
#Crank course
#Slope
Throughout the lesson, Mr Teo was trying to sound me out on how i think of our group instructors. *I hoped he is not reading my blog.* Always, the first name that pops out is that of Mdm Chua. Be it Mr Teo or whichever instructors in our group, their first question to me is have Mdm Chua taught me before. Why? But i dare not ask. A few other names popped out and i try to avert.
Honestly, i think all of the instructors in my group are all very seasoned and experienced. For someone who have been teaching over more than a decade, how bad can they be? Problem is, different people have different learning and teaching style. Question is, which style fits you? Just because some styles do not fit you doesn't mean they are bad instructors. How bad can instructors from your own group be? Unless they don't want to earn their bonus. Problem is when you get instructors from other group. And the fault lies in BBDC style of structuring their performance scheme. I really hope that by being this frank with Mr Teo, he can feedback and help to improve this structure.
I think he was taken aback when i throw the question back at him asking him how he think of the instructors in our group. He gave a positive response.
The lesson ended just as i am enjoying it. Today's lesson has really given me a big boast in my confidence level. Mr Teo keeps reminding me to come back for revision lesson at least once a week and during the week of my test, come back more frequently. Our debrief after the lesson dragged for 9 minutes and before i knew it, his next lesson was starting.
Thank you Mr Teo!
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