TP test
Booking
The TP test slots are released periodically and seem to be released as previous slots are almost all snatched up. Hence, no fixed timing that they will be released, and you can just check back regularly to get the preferred slots which are snatched up very quickly (I think session 3 and 4 are usually gone within 20 minutes). Generally, instructors will advise to choose the sessions that are not the first or the last in the day and preferably in the morning.
Test Day
I took my test during session 3 which has the warmup at 9.10am and the test at 10.15am.
However, do note that the timing is just a rough gauge and I was told to be at the centre 30 minutes before the indicated warm up timing. I did my warmup slightly earlier and the test started at about 10am.
Warmup
Follow the instructions on the app and wait at Room3. Then an instructor will find you to do a quick mock drive around everything in the circuit and one test route. First time using this car and meeting this instructor but he was friendly and all went well during the warmup. Had a pretty good run in the circuit with a no corrections needed VP too. One mistake I made here was to not signal and check blindspots before moving off after e-brake. Then, I went on an easy test route(s) at the new route area. Traffic was rather light and lane changing was completed okay too. I also realised that many people were wary and kind to me haha and finally found out that during warmup the double L plate was displayed already too. One pointer he gave me to do a right turn back into school was to slow down a lot and let the other vehicles past before lane changing to the right. After returning from the warmup drive, he will park the car and let you know the specific lot that the car will start from for the test. Then follow the instructor and wait to be called by the tester. I think that there are about 10 students waiting to take the test too.
Test
The tester was friendly and even replied with a funny comment on the dual angle camera installed on the car when I mentioned it.
As for the actual test, I will try my best to recall all that happened, but a lot of the mistakes will be my guess as to when they happened and might not be fully accurate.
Alright moving off from the lot, there was a red car diagonally left of me stopped parallel and slightly in the circuit lane. I was considering waiting for the car to move but the tester said to just go, and I was like alright I shall move off then. I think this is where I got my first 8 points which is to not have enough side clearance given to other road object. Probably should have signalled right and moved even further to the right.
Right after was E-brake and that was fine and at exactly the same spot during warmup.
Then I continued with the rest of the circuit, which was pretty ok. I had to do corrections for VP but that was no problem. Except for DC, when I was about to head out, another test car drove in and the tester had to point to me about the car. I think this is where I got 4 points for failure to confirm safety under Parking. I have two thoughts here. First is that I must have been confused as when I was having revision lessons, I had to wait outside for the car to finish turning if the signal was on but I think since I barely moved I should have looked out for incoming traffic too. Second, if this is not the place where I got points for then maybe I really didn’t do enough safety blindspot checks during parking. Edit: I just checked my score sheet and realised marks deducted are for ‘Parallel Parking’. This means that I didn’t check enough while parking… Remember to check all around before/while reversing.
Afterwards, we headed out at 50 and once I was out of the school, I had to turn right… Teck Whye area it is. I proceeded to turn right and then lane change left pretty immediately. Then the tester pointed out about a taxi and did a hand signal to him. I must have done something wrong here and proceeded to be distracted and wanted to ask about it. Then I didn’t have any chance to lane change to the left anymore and ended up in the middle lane at the junction. I clarified with the tester on the taxi while waiting at the junction and if I didn’t understand wrongly the taxi was quite close when I wanted to lane change. I think it was here where I had a tick for incorrect positioning (first time 0 points) at the junction since I wasn’t on the left most lane. Finally, after I moved off from the junction, I immediately picked up speed and lane changed to the left. Then he said to go straight, in which I had to lane change to the middle lane again.
Going straight means that I had to attempt the U-turn soon and that was pretty nerve wrecking. Soon, he said U-turn and I had to lane change to the right but didn’t manage to do so even when I reached the junction nearing the U-turn. Hence, by this point I was lowkey panicking and slowed down a lot trying to get a slot to move in. Finally, I decided a lorry was far back enough and proceeded to lane change in. I think it was this area where I got many ticks on the paper… For changing lane abruptly which was 4 points, and failure to check mirror before slowing down (first time 0 points). I could have gotten the failure to check mirror before slowing down elsewhere but I think it made sense here.
Then we moved to the silver zone which was okay except I forgot to check my blindspots when I was turning left onto the main road. This is the only one I remembered but I got 2 ticks for failure to check blind spot so I really should be careful when driving next time. (first and second times 0 points)
Last part on this route included a right turn and I was pretty nervous about it too as I had trouble lane changing in during revisions and the turn was known to be tougher. During the test, I was able to lane change but I didn’t stop so I was still at not a slow enough speed imo and I swerved the steering wheel a little more to make sure I was going to the correct lane. I think it was here where I got another tick for doing a sharp turn at the junction (first time 0 points). The tester must have felt it when I did the turn as I think he was looking at the test sheet and the car somewhat jerked when I turned the steering wheel suddenly.
Finally, I moved back into the school and had to stop near the parking lots at the front of the building. He then asked me to reverse but I couldn’t understand him until he repeated a lot more times… haha I must have been pretty anxious then… Then I saw he gave me a pass with 18 points!
I was relieved. He told some stuff but I can’t recall well anymore except the general idea is that I should take note to lane change carefully and to drive safe.
Probably should have asked about my faults but then I also didn’t dare to say much should he find another fault to give to me, I will fail… haha so he handed me the test sheet and got off the car. I got out of the car and the warmup instructor was there waiting to park the car and to hear about my news. He said that usually if the tester passed the test sheet to the student in the car, it means that they passed the test. He also said it doesn’t matter what the points are, after all this is not O Levels. Haha yes a pass is a pass and I will take it.
I then headed back to room3 and filled up the feedback form. Then the staff gave some administrative pointers on applying for the driving license and receiving the remaining funds in the account via cheque. Surprisingly, there weren’t any gruesome safety video nor driving orientation course video that I had to watch. I think the safety video became an animated video that I had to watch when applying for the qualified driving license. I did enquire about the orientation course and no hard sell here, just said to go down to sign up 6 months from passing and the enrolment fees will be waived. I think that because there is a huge backlog of students taking normal car lessons, there is no need to promote such other classes for now haha.
With that, I now officially have a Class 3A driving license!!! 😊
Do check out my tips and closing overview posts for more thoughts.
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