Please read this post, which is a summary on how to get a driving licence, before reading this one if you haven't already.
I decided to get my driving licence in December 2017. That's like several months ago so I doubt I can give much details in this post. Anyway, the whole process to get a driving licence took me around 3 to 4 months. It wouldn't have taken that long if it weren't for the events that popped up along the way.
I found out about the nearest driving school in my area, but I still decided to check its credentials using this webpage. After seeing its name in the list, I travelled there to get more information about obtaining a driving licence. Interestingly enough, the school is located next to a cemetery. I guess it helps to remind everyone what might happen if one is reckless on the road.
I arrived there a bit before closing time so there weren't many people in the office. I talked with the person behind the counter about the structure and process of the driving school. They even gave me a small slip of paper with the breakdown of fees I'll need to pay (from registering all the way to the JPJ test as well as miscellaneous fees).
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| Fees breakdown for Class DA & D at my driving school as of 2017/2018. I apologise for the bad quality of the picture. |
The person behind the counter was able to give me the numbers of a few agents whom I can contact. This is helpful as the agents whose names they have can act as driving instructors for us. For comparison, this driving school only has male instructors while there are several female agents who can be driving instructors. Obviously, registering with an agent costs much more than registering by yourself, but the agent can help you with class schedules and exam bookings as well as transport you between your home and school.
Anyway, after registering, I was given a time and date for the 6-hour lecture (KPP 01). I think it was a day or two after my registration. The lecture was in the morning, around 9 AM. There was a crowd of people waiting to attend the lecture as I arrived at the school. When you arrive, you have to queue and register your attendance at the counter. If you have an agent, they'll do it for you.
Different vehicle classes attend different lectures. Those taking the B course will go in one room while those taking the D course will enter another room. In the car group, only a few are taking the DA course. Most of them are taking the D course. You'll be given a textbook, following what course you're taking, about driving and traffic laws. Honestly, the huge blocks of text and repetitions of facts in some sections didn't really help much but you're required to have it anyway.
Don't even bother trying to buy a secondhand textbook just to save money. Each textbook comes with a unique serial number which is tied to you. This is important when you want to take the computerised MCQ test or driving tests.
You, and the rest of the group, might be asked to do a colour blind practice test. You'll be given a question booklet and an answer sheet to write your answers in. It's simple and short so don't worry much unless you are actually colour blind. I heard that even getting 1 or 2 questions wrong can disqualify you from taking driving lessons (unless you come back with a doctor's letter saying you can). After that, you hand in the stuff to any instructor you see and they'll mark it for you.
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| An example of the pictures you'll be seeing. Besides numbers, there may also be simple objects like boats or shapes. |
Back to the lecture. Basically, it's boring. Period.
A driving instructor would enter the room and start talking about road safety and the importance of getting a driving licence if you wish to drive. Maybe they'll sprinkle in some jokes or stories related to the lecture. Probably in the first hour or so, you'll feel normal and be listening intently to the lecture. "Huh, this lecture isn't as bad as I thought," you might think to yourself. This is the part where you played yourself.
By the third hour, you'll feel like taking a nap right then and there. You look around and see half of the room sleeping on their desks. The lecturer is still going, now talking about some weird scenario they encountered last time. You can see the struggles of the remaining few who try to continue paying attention. Your own eyes are blinking to fight the urge of sleep. A few others were on their phones to ward off the boredom that spreads in this room.
Ahem, forgive me for the dramatic retelling. Anyway, that's my experience during the lecture. Don't worry, there'll be a short break in between so that the lecture won't end with the entire room stuck in dreamland. No offence to the instructor, of course. I think they did an okay job with the lecturing. It's just that people will eventually lose focus after 3 hours of sitting in a cold room. I barely made it by trying to read through my driving textbook.
You don't have to bring notebooks and pens for this lecture. Just sit back and get ready for an intense fight with your eyelids for 6 hours. The things I brought in my small backpack are just food and drinks from home, some documents, and emergency essentials.
After the lecture, you'll be required to queue at the counter again for some document checking stuff. Since you've completed the lecture, you can now book for your computerised exam (Ujian Bahagian I). I'll explain more about this test in my next post. It helps if you read your driving textbook thoroughly, but I'll share my tips on acing the test in the upcoming next post.
🔆 ~Thanks for reading my post and have a nice day~ 🔆
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