[Part 4] Getting My Driving Licence : KPP 03 Road Practical

Please read this post, which is a summary on how to get a driving licence, as well as the previous part(s) before reading this one if you haven't already.

        Phew, 4th post in this series already.

        So, KPP 03. Obviously, I've started driving on public road at this point (while accompanied by my instructor, of course). For this class, my instructor took the learning car out of the driving school compound and showed me the routes that I'll have to learn. I think it depends on your school if you'll need to learn only one route or several more. 

        My driving school has three routes that the students need to memorise and drive through. Route A is kind of a long stretch of road but there's a junction somewhere that's difficult to cross. Routes B and C are through housing areas. They may be shorter compared to A but they have many road bumps. Everything has its pro's and con's, it seems.

        Whatever road you'll be driving on, they all should have some common features since you'll be tested on them during the JPJ exam:

• Straight road
• Junction
• Turning left or right
• Bend
• Roundabout
• Driving through a school/housing area

        Seems pretty easy, huh? If you're someone like me, then think again. Spoiler alert: I failed my JPJ Road test the first time. You can easily lose a lot of marks just by forgetting to do obscure things like checking your blindspots. You can even fail your test on the spot if you forget to wear your seatbelt. I'll say this now before I forget; read through your JPJ penilaian form and remember to do (almost) everything listed there. If you don't have one, request for a copy from your instructor or driving school clerk. If luck is in your hands for this journey, the form may be the exact same form the JPJ officer would be using to assess you during the exam.

        Take note of the actions marked with M for "mandatory". These are the actions you absolutely must do in order to not fail the test automatically. All these things about the exam also apply to KPP 02.

        Back to our usual program of "Ugh This Story Sucks When Will It End".

        I was surprised and panicky when my instructor arrived back at the driving school and handed me the wheel. I was smiling and laughing nervously while I drove the car past the driving school gate. "Seriously?" I thought. "I don't think I'm ready for this yet, what if I crash into someth-"

        Getting out of the driving school area was such a hassle. The exiting junction had the unfortunate luck of being merged with a semi-highway where fast cars reign supreme. I remember having to wait for a few minutes sometimes because there wasn't any opening for me to exit, and when there is an exit, you can bet that I pressed that gas pedal and gripped the wheel like my life depended on it. I even sometimes felt my eyes widening as I tried to get out of there before any other cars catch up with me.

        Such a relief it was when I got on the "normal road". When I reached a red traffic light, I put the gear into Neutral and pulled up the handbrake. Just in case, you know. I got used to swiftly changing the gears and hitting the gas whenever the light turns green because I was so worried that people would judge me for being slow. That reminds me. Remember to press your foot onto the brake pedal whenever you stop, regardless if you have the handbrake pulled up.

        My biggest enemies when it comes to KPP 03 are switching lanes and crossing a junction where cars are coming in from both sides. They were difficult for me to master because there was just so much going on for my minuscule brain to comprehend, not to mention the "fabulous" Malaysian way of driving that's prevalent everywhere here. Expect lots of sudden lane switching by motorists who don't even bother using their signal lights, having a personal crowd of motorcyclists who think it's a smart move to stay extremely close to a learning car, and the fear that will eat you alive whenever a huge lorry is tailing behind you.

Imagine being the red car, trying to cross to the right. Beep beep loser, you just got sandwiched between 2 other cars.

        To all full-fledge drivers reading this post, please, I beg you. Stop driving so close to a learning car. I'm looking at you, motorcyclists.

"But it's easier to just cut them without giving any signal, get in front of them all of a sudden, and be on my merry way!"

"But I, as a motorcyclist, can use them as a slow shield to protect myself from those pesky speeding cars!"

"We get to do what we want on the road since they're all slow peasants! Survival of the fittest!"

        Wow, amazing debate we've spectated here in the annual I'm A Self-Centred Troglodyte Conference! Let's all give a standing ovation!

        Whoops, got a bit carried away there. My message remains standing, though. Anyway, I usually keep a constant speed of 40 km/h on the left lane. Ah, take note of these reminders. You should stay around 30 km/h when driving through a school or housing area. Slow down whenever you see road bumps too, but don't slow down so suddenly that the car behind you can't react quickly. Always use your turn signals, please. You should use them even when you want to switch lanes. It's beneficial to both you and other motorists. Make full use of your side and back mirrors.

        And my most important advice. One that brings back horrible memories flashing before my eyes. One that causes restless nights and growing hatred. One that sent me spiralling into a dark void of deep despair when I didn't follow it.

📢 ➡️ Pull. Up. The. Handbrake. At. A. Stop. Sign. ⬅️ 📢

        I've been told that this is one of the major reasons why people fail their JPJ Road test. How do I know this? Well, you guessed it, I failed my JPJ Road test the first time because of that.

No matter how empty the road is,
no matter how many cars are behind you,
you best be pulling up that handbrake when you see this.

        Other than that, just make sure you wear comfortable shoes when driving so that you can have a smooth ride. Wearing uncomfortable shoes might make you misjudge the pressure you need to exert on the gas pedal and break pedal, causing those annoying sudden brakes.

        I think that's all I have to say about this section. This class is mostly practical so you just have to learn from experience (or read that blog which I linked in my previous post). Oh right, I was allowed to have the air-conditioning system switched on when I was doing KPP 03 so hooray.

        When I finally completed the hours for KPP 02 and 03, I was allowed to book for my QTI test. This is sort of like a trial/mock exam for the real JPJ test and will be conducted by your driving school's instructors. As usual, stick to the school's dress code (if any) and try to be punctual.

        To be honest, I had originally made this blog to share my life experiences in a functional, direct manner. I remember desperately searching through the Internet for any information or another person's experience about something that I might face. I read through various blogs to try to get more insight on the journey of getting a driving licence. Alas, not many blogs give enough information for me to fully comprehend the situation and be able to completely be ready for it. Now here I am, rambling on and on while providing sparse information that is actually useful. Oh, the irony.

🔆 ~Thanks for reading my post and have a nice day~ 🔆