Anyone else learning driving?

[roomfulofstars]

I'm learning driving now... greatly demoralized.

Anyone else learning driving that can share your experience?

At which point can we get out $50 deposit back? Or can we?

 

[rubypcm]

u r learning from a private instructor? if so, i think the $50 bucks is registration fees, not deposit.

r u learning auto or manual? I have just started to learn manual

 

[roomfulofstars]

I'm learning manual too. But I'm very demoralized. I notice I drive very well when my teacher is distracted by phone calls and yet not talking (ie, the other party is talking). For example, my turning is very smooth when nobody talks to me, but when he's paying attention, he will grab my wheel. Or when he blabs some instructions to turn, I tend to feel very lost and turn too late.

I feel terribly distracted and very confused when he nags at me and very demoralized when he scolds me.

I know I'm not a natural born driver, but I know I can be much better if I wasn't scolded so often or distracted with his mumbly instructions.

I'd prefer something clear and brief.

Plus he's also too busy for me. Didn't even schedule my class for next week. Really considering changing instructors...

 

[lovetotravel]

Hi femme,

u should change your instructor...u pay them to teach you so you are the boss.
You should just tell him that whatever you did wrongly, he can tell you nicely and explain it to you. he does not need to be so impatient or grumpy towards you.

 

[bloodparrot]

Nowadays, not many instructors are able to guide students to their best effort.. I don't know how to drive, but seen & heard some incidents

I once saw a instructor sleeping at the front passenger seat while on the road with a student.. but the student seemed 'zai' leh..

Another one I heard : a student was about to finish her driving test and while she was about to park back the car and the tester about to rate her, the car suddenly jerk forward and banged into the back of another student's car.. the tester failed her immediately and alot of ppl witnessed her screaming at the tester for being 'unfair'..

 

[bloodparrot]

so moral of the 2nd story..keke...

don't get overly excited when u tot u are able to pass the test and forgotten the last crucial step to success

 

[jueline]

Demoralised too...worse that I am taking Auto!

Test is coming soon and I fear I gotta fail again...

 

[rubypcm]

hi jue, why worst tat u r taking auto? thought it suppose to be "easier" cos no need to change the gear like manual..

i am thinking whether to change to auto or not. but my instructor quite good, tho he nags but he can guide me clearly and not fierce, just some time mock by him only, kekeke

tomo is my 4th lesson.. still wondering if I have make the right decision to learn manual.

 

[roomfulofstars]

Ruby - I think consider the cars you might have access to... if u have more access to auto, then might as well just take auto, but if not, manual might be better, coz then at least u can have the option of driving either M or A.

Which area is your driving?

 

[sane]

I am taking driving too, very demoralised too! From starting, it's a very bumpy road! To be frank, I reallly regretted taking private as choosing the right instructor is really very important, my 1st instructor was very "dilly-dally" and bo chup!
By the time, I took my 1st test, it's almost 10months! and I only learnt vertical parking 3 days before my test, as a result I got a instant failure in my vertical parking for taking over 3mins to adjust my parking (parked too near the curb).
My 2nd instructor was great but I changed the driving centre hence need to learn the route from scratch and what he taught was totally different from no. 1 and it's very hard to adjust my bad driving habits.

 

[minolta01]

I feel it's best to book an instructor whom you are comfortable with. Someone who can give you the confidence.

For my case, I got my license in one and a half month. I went for lesson everyday, sometimes two lessons a day. My instructor really gives me lots of confidence and he doesn't stress me out.

 

[sane]

Hi minolta01

So good and fast! I dunno when then can I get my license.

 

[roomfulofstars]

minolta01 - which area is your driving? Coz I'm looking to change instructors.

 

[zzzz]

most impt is u need to have confidence when u r on the road... i took up private and my instructor worse... very impatient person... if u were to make the same mistakes few times he will start to reprimand which make me feel very demoralised... i very scare to go for driving lessons... but put it this way.. he always nag and when it come to test i remember wat he said and try not to make the same mistakes i make during lessons -.-; and when it come to test no one nagging at me i feel more relaxed when i drive... hehe...

 

[jueline]

ruby> worse because Auto is definitely easier and I still failed twice! Demoralised cos I am learning at the school and each lesson cost me $80+ now. Super ex and I am still nowhere confident enough to pass. And I have to take more lessons!

 

[rubypcm]

haiz.. yesterday I learnt manual driving again, its getting worst.. can't concentrate when i made a mistake, the car stalled, then the instuctor nag n nag..and make even more mistakes.. wondering m I really tat bad..?

hi femme, i m learning at bukit gombak.. e instuctor say he teach me based on the test route.

hi jue, so ex to learn in school.. but i am thinking if i ever buy a car, i would buy auto, definitely not manual.. so seriously consider learning auto car now..

anyone here got good private instructor to recommend for auto lesson?

 

[jueline]

Hi Ruby,

I got this link somewhere from the forum too. Extremely useful for getting a pte instructor.

http://learn-to-drive.spf.gov.sg/services/Learn_To_Drive/passingrates/private.htm

 

[roomfulofstars]

Minolta01 - you can't accept PMs. Do pass me the contact of your instructor, k? I'm looking out for a replacement. Thanks!

You can also email me at [email protected]

 

[violac]

femme, there are two parts to driving.

1) The technical part: know when to change to appropriate gear, understanding your car's turning radius, parking judgement. this one... any reasonable driving instructor can teach you. just get the technical part and let practise enable it to be second nature.

people always mention manual/auto... but i don't think knowing how to HANDLE the car licenses a driver. the important part is

2) SAFETY: What's going on in your mind while your hands are on the steering wheel? Do you keep checking the mirrors around you and understand the traffic scenario around you? Safe driving is understanding the situation around you and allowing yourself distance/time to react should other cars/pedestrians around you "chu" pattern.

Showing your instructor/examiner that you HIGHLY REGARD safety, and handling your car reasonably competent is what gets you your license.

 

[minolta01]

Hihi,

I'm from SSDC. My instructor is Liew Nam Sing. Staff no 5462.

 

[minolta01]

Opps, forgot to mention, not many ppl like him. I also don't know why.

 

[roomfulofstars]

minolta01 - haha, maybe it's subjective lor. Anyway my side is Bt Batok, so cannot. Sigh.

Thanks anyway!

stickymouse: thanks for the good advice. I'm trying very hard to balance both. And I honestly feel I would do better if I'm not so tense and if my instructor didn't constantly nag when I'm trying to focus.

 

[violac]

google for "Hazard Perception test"... there are a few sites from UK and australia that have sample tests for you to watch out what's potentially dangerous to you.

try them.. and have fun

 

[sgbabydoll]

I drive a manual car. Got my driver's licence Oct 2006. I'm known to be a safe driver but not a road hogger.

I tend to think that since the car used by private instructor is his own private car, he feels heart pain when the engine stalls, that's why nags and scolds? Anyway, stalling the engine is part and parcel of learning to master driving a manual car. You just have to get passed this phase.

 

[green_tranquility]

I'm one who has attitude problem. Dunno if my future instructor can tahan me

If the instructor raises his voice at me eg. "Why u never do xxxx and yyyy?". I will reply "If I know how to drive, I won't need u here liao!".

 

[mark78]

wow..... next time your student do that to you then u jialat...

 

[roomfulofstars]

Heheheh.. green u're so funny!

Doll - yeah I agree.. stalling the engine is part and parcel of learning to drive manual. Gotta make mistakes in order to know what is wrong. But how many times is too much leh? I don't stall engine as much as I used to, but seems it's still not good enough for my instructor...

sigh!

 

[sparkless]

This thread reminded me the time when I took my driving lessons with a private instructor. He's very stern and each time before my lesson, i always got very nervous. He would say things like "this thing u didn't do, deduct 2 points" Always got demoralized after he said here deduct 2 points, there deduct 2 points.

But then, because of his constant "reminders", i managed to pass with one try. Now, my license just sit in my wallet and collect dust. Ask me go behind the wheels, think i freak out. =D

 

[dogtag73]

Doll is driving a HEAVILY MODDED CAR~! F1 driver

 

[green_tranquility]

Twinfairy,
I will tell him "Go ahead deduct lor! U deduct my points, I deduct your salary haha!"

 

[green_tranquility]

Femme,
Being a victim of bully for years when I was a kid, has taught me to be assertive.

U shld just change instructor or share your demoralised feeling openly with your current instructor

Who knows he maybe nagging at u so that u remember?

 

[green_tranquility]

Mark,
Not to worry.... My tolerance threshold is pretty high one. If students can't answer my questions, I will usually explain the steps to them.

 

[mark78]

ok.... when i was in poly my lecturer kinda half baked. maybe becoz we are the 1st batch of guinea pigs thus we ask everything they will ask. go check it over the net yourself..

 

[green_tranquility]

Mark,
We teachers cannot allow students to become over-dependent on us too. Problem-solving is important in the workplace.

 

[roomfulofstars]

green... u mean you're a driving instructor???

 

[lyndy]

tips for exam - dress nicely!

1st 3 times - i wore jeans & canvas shoes cos i thought that would be the most comfortable outfit for driving. failed horribly.

4th time - i took this test at the crowded ubi centre instead of the quieter bukit batok driving centre,
because i had to go to work after the test, i had to be in office wear - a tight spaghetti strap top, high slit skirt and high heels.
i guess that gave the examiner the impression that i was v confident in driving, we didn't even finish the whole test route. i passed with flying colors!

 

[green_tranquility]

Femme,
How to be driving instructor when I dun hav a license myself? hehe

Lyndy,
The instructor's eyes were probably on your legs instead of the road!

 

[mark78]

Nice one..

-The instructor's eyes were probably on your legs instead of the road!-

so green..u noe what to wear for test...

 

[sgbabydoll]

Alamak, Meng, since when I got fast car?

Femme - I fixed an instructor at SSDC. He was around my age, hence, we became friends and still keep in touch once in a while.

I still stalled engine during revision and even on the road when first got licence! Doesn't matter one mah as long as no stalling of engine during test.

 

[depressed_guy]

Hmm.....i'm still trying to pass my advance theory....lol.

Failed twice already. Finding time to go down BBDC to book for 3rd attempt.

 

[roomfulofstars]

Spaghetti strap, high slit skirt, heels. Okay noted. Hahaha!

I think depends on who your tester is also bah. Sekali kena those lao kok kok traditional all-female-drivers-suck mentality type, siao liao.

green... haha! sorry from your phrasing, I thot u meant you were a teacher...

 

[green_tranquility]

"Spaghetti strap, high slit skirt, heels"

I can't dress like Lyndy leh. Because the instructor will probably fail me for bulging stomach and thunder thighs!

 

[sgbabydoll]

Green, you DO NOT have bulging stomach and thunder thighs. Please lor hehe

Not sure if "spaghetti strap, high slit skirt, heels" would work with testers who are retired TP in their 50s at least haha

 

[mark78]

well... GREEN wear something hot so your test can end quick. those TP testers will not take the risk of having heart attack...vavavoom

 

[mark78]

Green if you wear like Maggie Q, the red outfit. wow...can tell us..we will go down cheer for you.

 

[powderful07]

Heels?!!! While driving???

Geez...WOMEN!...

CUE : Hordes of women with flaming torches and pitchforks...

 

[mark78]

wear this..and don worry abt beating the red lights...as the tester eyes wont be on the road

 

[mark78]

or this..
.green sure pass one..

 

[sgbabydoll]

Powderful, I wear heels when I drive. Not a problem at all.

 

[violac]

admirable... i must use the ball of my left heel as pivot for clutch pedal.....

after i got my license, i drive bare-foot already hahah