DAY 95: Stage 4 Practical Lesson 4.04 Courteous and Considerate Driving

Today was the last lesson for stage 4. My lane change still not good especially in heavy traffic. Instructor say it is too slow. I tend to turn steering wheel too much. I need to do a gradual shift to the next lane (this includes going into merging lane) . Anyway I passed. So the next lesson would be the Stage 5 final review.

Procedure for lane change to the right:

1. Check rear mirror to determine road condition behind
   
2. Signal right to tell other drivers of your intention
3. Check right side mirror to look out for opportunity
4. If nobody gives way, slow down by releasing accelerator to let vehicles at the right lane pass through
5. When there is a wide enough gap (either the vehicle behind give way by not speeding up or it is too far behind) speed up to match the speed of the front vehicle at the right lane, check blind spot then gently steer to the right lane into the gap
6. When speeding up, do not change gear up but only press accelerator (up gear does not increase speed)
7. Once lane change is done, turn off signal and proceed on

Things to take note:

• At the road outside Bukit Gombak Stadium (tesst route 9), if instructor/tester tells you to go straight, you need to lane change to right lane as left lane is only for left turn. Similarly at Choa Chu Kang Road nearing the Teck Whye LRT station (test route 6 and 8). If you're told to go straight, you need to lane change to middle lane.before the traffic light cross junction.

Expenditure

Practical                 $77.04
Total cost so far:     $2482.80

Read More

DAY 88: Stage 4 Practical Lesson 4.03 Defensive Driving Part III

This was the second lesson of the day. For this lesson, I practiced on test route 3 and 5. The clutch of today’s car was very stiff. There were a few times I didn’t manage to clutch in fully. I stroked a kerb during the first crank course (first time strike kerb). The traffic was heavy on the streets. I had a hard time changing lane as there was a road block in the middle lane at Bukit Batok Road. There was also road block on the left lane right just after a traffic junction (of all places!) at Teck Whye lane. I didn't notice it and ended up stopping in the junction while would be an immediate failure during test. I should have seen it earlier  and lane change before the traffic junction if I only was not too focused on the steering the car straight.

Things to take note:

• Need more confident in lane change during heavy traffic
• Be more aware of oncoming hazards, slow down earlier to allow more room for lane change
• On the streets, do not half-clutch too long in gear one as car cannot accelerate quickly
• Left/right turn not too wide so that motocycle cannot slip in from your blind spot.

Expenditure

Practical                 $77.04
Total cost so far:     $2405.76

Read More

DAY 88: Stage 4 Practical Lesson 4.02 Defensive Driving Part II

For today's lesson, I chose to do test route 4 and 6. There was once in the circuit I accidentally did a lane change at the zig-zag line before the zebra cross. Instructor told me that it would be an immediate failure during test.

Things to take note:

• Don’t overtake in zig zag line - there is one just before the zebra crossing in the circuit. 
• Beware of traffic light suddenly change  to amber. Use the red man as indicator. 
• If entering crank course 47 if from lane 41, you must lane change to right after traffic junction- left lane only meant for left turn.
• Make sure to release handbrake fully after moving off on the slope. Push the handbrake all the way down. If stop at T junction in front of Bukit Gombak CC, need to pull handbrake since it is a slope. Maintain lane discipline (keep left) even in circuit. If there’s a yellow box with an arrow at the bus stop, need to let bus to come out of bus stop if bus signal right. Bus will on hazard light when stopped for passengers.

Expenditure

Practical                 $77.04
Total cost so far:     $2328.72

Read More

DAY 80: Stage 4 Practical Lesson 4.01 Defensive Driving Part I

Today lesson was to familiarize with 2 test routes as well as to revise on the circuit courses. The instructor asked me to select 2 routes to drive. I chose test route 1 and 2.

Things to note:

• When you need to lane change several lanes, make sure to cancel signal after one lane change and only signal again when doing the next lane change. Do not keep signal on the whole time. (I get different advice from different instructors on this. Some say it is OK to keep signal on all the way while others you say need to cancel signal on each lane. You need to decide for yourself.)
• If you need to overtake an obstacle near to a junction, return to left lane after the junction, not just before the junction as your left signal may misled other drivers that you are trying to left turn. This happened to me at the T junction at Bukit Batok West Ave 5 in front of Bukit Gombak MRT. When there was a bus stopping at the bus stop, I overtook it from the right lane and immediately move back to the left lane just before the T junction. 2 vehicles waiting at the side road saw my signal left and thought I wanted to turn left (when in reality I was just changing back to left lane) and they just rushed our with their right turn. So instructor told me in such a case, return to left lane only after the junction
• If a vehicle was stationary (not going to move off anytime soon) at the side of a 2 way lane with a double white line in between, you can still overtake over the double white line in this situation (better ask the tester for permission during test!) 
• Make sure car is more towards the left/right when at the slip road for left/right turn to prevent opening a big space to your left/right which would allow motorcyclist to cut in from the left/right

Expenditure

Practical                 $77.04
Total cost so far:     $2183.20

Read More