My 1st Driving Lesson

On Wednesday, 6 June 2007

6.40 am I woke up blearily. I was supposed to go for my first driving lesson. To say I was nervous was such an understatement. I prepared myself and exactly at 7, I received a call from my instructor who had arrived outside my house. Ok… so this was it, I told myself. I’m gonna start learn driving. Haha…

I saw my “L” license attached with my lesson card. After signing a few things, I was off to the driving school. He was bringing me to learn in the school, which was also a test centre. So there a circuit with all the necessary “road conditions” there, although it was really a very cute one – mini roundabout, mini slope, place where 4 parking lots were designed for testing and a small pocket of road for 3-point turns in front of them.

Anyway, my lesson first was to learn the gears. So I practised changing the gears - 1, 2, 3, 4 and Reverse 'R'. Then I learnt how to control the clutch and drive the car forward and backward. Did this a few times. Then I went on a slow drive around the circuit once, all the while following instructions from my instructor (Peter).

Peter is a very funny person. He's someone I would regard as "uncle" category, I guess. Haha. He has the typical pot belly, and is bald as well (or maybe he has very short hair, I can't remember). And he has a kind of... how should I say; for example, when he teaches me something, then he likes to go, "No one will teach you this wan, you know? Only Peter will teach wan!" He repeats it a lot of times too. Kaka... like when he taught me how to turn the sterring (in order that your car tyres will always be straight) and parking formula, and talking about teaching how to drive in the dark (as in night la, but he used the morning dawn time, around 5.30-6 am).

My class lasted 3 hours. 3 hours!!! Haha... so long. My arms and legs were so cramped. And I was sweating too. As in, from all that exertion. Oh, and I haven't mentioned how I had to adjust my seat. I pulled the seat to the front to its limits. And then I found that I still couldn't lean on the seat otherwise I would not be able to step on the clutch and still be able to see what was on the road in front. Adoi... Peter was quite nice about this though. He said it was always slightly more difficult for him to teach "not so big sized" students and for them to learn as well. So next class I would need to bring a pillow. =P

I think this post has reached the proper length already. And I can't think of what else to write anyway. Hah! I shall end here. Till my next adventure. Driving, that is.