Class 2B from Class 3 (SSDC): Defensive Riding Lesson 6

Finally, my last DRLT. Today's instructor Low KY seemed to have taken the class since 8.20am! Since I had attended lesson 5, I joined the class for lesson 6 at 10.30am. I spotted Kopi's wife sitting in front of the projector, and was wondering why did she sit so front.

Low's class was enjoyable. A large part of lesson 6 was all videos, and we were shown 6-7 videos at 1 go. As I had mentioned in my previous post, the instructors also would share a lot of their experiences. Among the 3 DRTL, Low had created a great impression (other than Eugene Lee) in me. He told the class after his near accident, he vowed to teach in driving school and tell us the experiences!

Low's experience 1:
One fine day, he went to the motorcycle shop to change the tires and the boss show him Japan made discounted tires. [He told the class that tires made in different countries such as Thailand, Japan, Germany, etc. Japan made are one of the best]. Not finding anything amiss, Low purchased it without hesitation, thinking he had made a good deal! Riding was fine, braking was supered, and Low was happy.

While Low was riding on a raining day, a car from the side suddenly swerve out in front of him.  He applied the necessary defensive measures to avoid getting too close, but that was when the "good" tires caused him trouble. After he applied the brakes gradually, the wheels of his motorcycle suddenly locked, and he went gliding into the car!

Low questioned the class and all got the wrong answers how the tires caused him that incident. He told the class to look out for the manufactured date at the side of the tires, anything less than a year, don't buy. Usually the sticker would have the date, but if the owner of the shop tore the sticker away, Low said to look at the markings on the side of the tires. Most likely we would spot 4 digit numbers like 3211, which the 1st 2 digits are the weeks and the last 2 digits are the year.

Apparently, the tires he had was manufactured for sometime, and it had hardened. Hence it caused the motorcycle to wheel lock... how I'm uncertain, but that was what he said. As a driver, I do agree with him that we should change tires after 2 years to have effective control of the car. Once I heard my friend said to me that he is still driving his 4 year old tires. Probably because his BMW is heavy..?

Low's experience 2:
One fine day, he went riding on a 3 lane expressway. [I think he talk a lot, and I started think about something else and missed how he got into the accident, hahahaha... can't blame me as a student... most students aren't attentive right? haha]. He hit something and started sliding forward. As he came to a stop, he suddenly felt very very tired and thought he just close his eyes to snooze a while... in THE MIDDLE OF THE EXPRESSWAY!!!! While he was snoozing, he could hear commotion around him, asking him if he's alright and can he open his eyes, but he reluctantly respond to them.

Until when somebody tried to lift his helmet, he responded he's fine and started to get up. He didn't feel uncomfortable, and walk to the side of the expressway. [And he went on telling us about his experience]... his injuries was pretty severe at the back of this arm, due his skidding. Luckily of his haversack, otherwise his back would have been injured as well. At the end, he told all of us to wear proper gear. [Of course, he went on telling about his experience in the hospital, how painful it was changing his medication application on his skin, how the nurse aunties pull out the application.]

Class 2B from Class 3 (SSDC): Defensive Riding Lesson 7

I'm a logical and sequential person, so skipping a step makes me slightly uncomfortable. Anyway, all 3 DRTL (Defensive Riding Theory Lesson) doesn't have a consecutive teaching, so attending them in any sequence was fine.

Lesson 7 was also compulsory teaching by Traffic Police. Today's instructor is "Salehin Md Ali". I realised for both DRTL, other than imparting practical knowledge of how to safely handle your motorocycle, these instructors would unusually talk a lot about their experiences with you.

Time seemed to past by fairly quickly when you engrossed in the topic. One more lesson 6 to go through and I'm all to practical lessons!

Class 2B from Class 3 (SSDC): Defensive Riding Lesson 5

I had my Defensive Riding Lesson 5 tonight (8.20pm to 10pm), and the instructor Eugene was practical in his conduct. In DRL5, we were shown videos of accidents, so as to learn from the mistakes from these videos. Due to the magnitude of these videos could deter any riders from continuing the course, I suppose Eugene started to bring in jokes to lighten up the atmosphere. He had emphasize a lot of accidents could have been prevented, and repeating the phrase, "The speed don't choose you, it is you who choose the speed. Therefore, choose your speed wisely and ride according to the traffic condition.".

Lesson 5, a lot of videos on mistakes. Take your time, ride safe.

I think there is only this much the school can protect the students, and impart safety to all learners. The instructors really had done their job in the training school. Well done Eugene!

Class 2B from Class 3 (SSDC): Practical Lesson 1 Session 2

Sunday 10.30am in my opinion is one of the worst timing to take lesson 1. I have about 11 companions in this class.

The 3 instructors Lee, Ng and a quiet stylo Malay instructor took everyone to the mini circuit and start to assess our riding techniques. They call this the elimination. Unfortunately, I was "short listed" in the 1st round and was stuck with another 5 companions in the mini circuit.

So, Ng took the 5 of us through. And the 2nd round of elimination, 1 of us had to stayed back at the mini circuit. I was "promoted" to the outer circuit to learn:

1. Checking of blind spot before moving off.

2. Changing of gears from 1-4 and back down to lower gears before engaging the corner.

3. After the 4th bend, signaling to the side and stop.

I hope I clear the lesson 1 next time!!!! 

Class 2B from Class 3 (SSDC): Practical Lesson 1 Session 1

My friend Kopi told me that he took 4 sessions for lesson 1, just made me wonder if I would be going more than him. I was almost late for my 8.15am lesson and had to quickly wear my gear!

Prior to the lesson, an instructor would lead us through a warm up regime to loosen and stretch our muscles.

Practical lesson session 1, I had 3 companion. I thought its a norm, maybe it is. The following were covered:

1. Pushing off main stand and side stand

2. Feeling the throttle and brake.

3. Getting the biting point.

4. Moving around the mini circuit, and shifting the gear up to gear 2.

Class 2B from Class 3 (SSDC): Theory test practices and trial

After I completed the lessons 1-4, I paid for lessons 5-7, booked my practical lesson 1 and booked all riding theory test (3 practise and 1 trial).

So I spread the practices and trial to 2 nights, each night complete 2 sessions. The practices doesn't have a limit to number of questions and I was shown the correct answers after each question. So I did as what Instructor Mohd Amid said, complete as much questions as I could, so I could learn it faster. Also each session, I tried different computer and noticed sometimes the questions are in different order but still the same... Hahaha...

Anyway, I got 50/50 for the trial after intensive practices! So I waited for my RTT to come in 69 days. While waiting, I'll just take my time to ride the lessons.

Class 2B from Class 3 (SSDC): Lesson 1 to 4

Saturday 4 May

I think the calendar provided by SSDC is good to plan my learning schedule. Continuing from Friday, today I attended lesson 1-4.

As there was no reference for the lessons, I scouted around the Internet to find out more. Probably the forums might have something but it seemed an uphill task to hunt for words like lessons which is far too common! Then I asked friends who had took lessons previously, but they couldn't recall much as they had completed them many years ago.

Probably I was too excited about the whole learning experience that I looked into such lessons too seriously. There were 2 sessions of lessons 1 and 2 spread throughout the day, and according to Lee, we need not take them in sequential order, but I took it in sequence starting from 8.15am.

Lessons 1 and 2 are basically for learners who have not yet pass the basic theory test, and for learners like me who has class 3, they are merely refresher classes. I thought there wasn't a need to bring the given textbooks and I was wrong! So in the end I couldn't reference to anything. These 2 lessons covered things like traffic rules, traffic signs, right of ways, and everything else you can find in the basic theory textbook. 

During the 35 min break, instructor Faisal said if we are continuing lesson 2, we could leave our student booklet with him in the class. By the way, nobody said about submitting the booklet upon entering the class!! Boy was I elated to find the Traffic Police office opened, and I managed to get my PDL during the break! Lucky me!

Instructor Faisal was straight to the point and had few light moments during the class. I think he could be a good practical lesson instructor. 

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Sunday 5 May

I continued lessons 3 and 4, and started at 8.15am as well. It was very tiring to have continuing lessons for 3 days. Maybe it's a sign of aging!

For lessons 3 and 4, it's best to bring both text book. Depending on the instructor I guess, this instructor Mohd Ali referred to both. By the way, I don't know why only lessons 3 and 4 require a short 15 questions assessment, the previous lessons 1 and 2 didn't have it.

Mohd Ali was jovial and placed importance on safety and hazards on the road. 

After the lessons, I tried to book my first practical on 11 May Saturday. Apparently, I need to visit the information counter at level 3 to "register" my PDL before booking, and I have to find out through rejection from the computer booking system! I also paid for my Defensive Riding Theory lessons 5 - 7 as well

Class 2B from Class 3 (SSDC): Orientation

It's very exciting to go back to the the driving school after so many years. Finding my way there was a problem since it moved from AMK to woodlands, and its a left turn in only entrance. Carpark lots were quite scarce about 45 lots scattered on level 1&2 and it was almost full.

The AMK lady (see my previous post) told me to do 3 things before the start of my orientation lesson:

1. Buy your gloves at the canteen on level 1. (Actually, this isn't needed for orientation)

2. Go to level 3 information counter, ask them print a sticker and stick the student number on the student booklet. (This is because AMK branch couldn't print for me when I enrolled there).

3. Go to level 5 for orientation, tell instructor to release me early so I can apply for my PDL at the TP office at level 1 before it close at 5pm. [Updated: I think PDL maybe not needed until you get onto the road?]

My instructor was Lee, and his favorite phrase is "all I can say is...". Because he kept saying it in front of all his sentences for the next 100 minutes. By right, we can end slightly on time, but...

The overview of Orientation in my experience was (not in sequential order):

1. Go to level 3 classroom and chit chat on past riding experience (maybe overseas), q & a on class 3 and bicycle riding experience.

2. Go back level 5 know the places of where to get the gears before riding, lockers ($1 !), raincoats, etc

3. Looking at him riding the bike a while, and him explaining the where and what of the bike.

Then lesson ended.

It ended beyond 5pm, so I couldn't get the PDL.

Then I went off to Helmetboyz to get my own helmet, gloves, elbow and knee guards, head liner, forearm sleeves for hot sun, all for $85! All for learners package! Good deal!