Any good private driving instructor to recommend?

[Adrianli]

I spent a total of S$1,700+ for my license. Passed at 1st attempt. I felt the lessons were very systematic and good. However some instructors r not that knowledgeable as those old instructors. The younger ones tend to like to chit chat wif u instead of give u info on ur driving.

 

But 80% of my lesson was by an old instructor who was very patient wif me till the last few lessons b4 my test. At the last lesson, he wished me luck and I passed.

 

I forgot how much it cost per lesson liao. Mine was in 2002 so charges might be different now.

 

 

 

Important is u must keep asking questions to learn. Even silly questions also nvm. Like I asked my instructor when approaching traffic lights, when do I start braking? He told me to look at the 3 arrows on the floor n look at the traffic light. If amber at 1st arrow, means u must stop liao if not u will have to do hard braking which the tester dont like.

[Adrianli]

Actually, for school, 1st attempt within 1 mth of booking. Subsequent attempts is abt 2mths of wait.

 

For private, 1st attempt is 3mths, subsequent attempts is 1-2mths.

 

 

All above is during my time in 2002, not sure of current situation.

[Theman]

really? private instructor have to wait longer? that is quite a setback. My wife thinking of getting a license too, now is onsidering whether to go to BBDC/SSDC or private instructor, althought driving school is more exp., but we afraid that private instructor will ke ke said u are not up to the standard yet, so have to practice more before enrol for the test, am i overly worry for private instructor?

pls. correct me if i am wrong.... cheers...

[Icekitten]

But the difference is that pte candidates can book their TP date first, then take lessons during the waiting period.

 

As for school, they have to finish the modules before they can book the TP date right? According to what I heard...

 

So might add up to be about the same?

[Icekitten]

A pte instructor can't force you to take 'extra' revision lessons bcoz the date should have been booked beforehand. So he can't prevent you from taking the test if you don't take enough lessons.

 

But anyway, more practice won't do any harm right? If you don't practice enough and fail, you will have to repay the 'membership fee' for the driving school and TP booking fee, plus wait another few mths and spend more $$ on revision lessons during the waiting period. If you're not confident enough behind the wheel, this is what may happen. Skimp on a few lessons but end up pay a lot more.

[Auron]

my advise is always go for school...

 

unless you managed to get a good pte driving instructor...

you do not want to get a driving instructor that i have...

 

1) come in 5-10 minutes late... end 5-10 minutes earlier

2) can ask you to drive to petrol station during your lesson to pump petrol (more than 1 times), give excuse like car no "power"... i see the petrol gauge still show half tank...

3) ask you to slow down or tap the brake once your car hit 40km/h

4) ask you to slow down far far away from the traffic light

end up during both my test, tester say i drive a bit slow...

5) postponed my driving test, saying that i need more lesson... (not sure what happen to the date that is allocated to me, maybe he give it to somebody else)...

 

although i pass on my 2nd try, i would not recommend him...

[Icekitten]

3) ask you to slow down or tap the brake once your car hit 40km/h

4) ask you to slow down far far away from the traffic light

end up during both my test, tester say i drive a bit slow...

 

Actually this is what my instructor told me last time la - driving slower is better than driving faster.

 

Testers will only comment to advise you but likely will not penalise you unless you were going wayyyy too slow like 30km/h and hogged the road. Coz their mentality is that even if you drive slow during the test, once you get your license and drive more, you will naturally start to drive faster. But if you are a fast driver during your test, this will give the tester the impression that you will have a tendency to speed and drive recklessly, thus all the more they will fail you.

 

It's not possible to fail your TP simply bcoz you drove too slow. But it's possible to fail your TP just bcoz you drove too fast. My hubby kena the latter. He didn't even get his scoresheet back. The tester straightaway told him that he drove too fast and failed him.

 

As for stepping the brake far from the traffic light, the intention is step brake lightly to give drivers behind advance warning that you're slowing down and only step harder to stop nearer the traffic light. My instructor also told me, give the tester as smooth a ride as possible, with minimum jerking during gear changing and braking. This is to show that you can control your clutch and brake well. Hard braking will definitely give more jerking.

 

I heeded all his advice and passed on the 1st attempt. So what your tester told you might be for your own good after all.

[Linus]

mr siew - 9270 7447.

 

he accept both bukit batok and ubi learners.

 

i learnt my driving with him. very patient guy. no scolding.

 

tt time he just suan me... 1st attempt pass to get the "paper" license.

he always say, better to get the "plastic" version. heehee...

 

true enough, 1st test ka-nang-kapok.

pass on 2nd try.

 

still keep in contact with him till now.

[Crasher]

 

My private instructor was the same too, but he belonged to a company of instructors stationed in Bedok more than 10 yrs ago.

 

I remember once he asked me to drive all the way to Pasir Ris, cuz there was a new petrol station (think is Esso) and they were having promotions with girls in hot pants pumping fuel and giving out free gifts.

 

I think I did not mind going there the second time.

Edited January 23, 2007 by Crasher

[Auron]

mine is slowing down far far away from the traffic light...

 

i still can remember my first tester saying,

"u drive too slow liao, Yio Chu Kang road that stretch of traffic is very fast, you should be driving at around 50-60km/h"

 

i think i never hit 50km/h while learning to drive... no chance at all, he will step on his brake to slow me down...

 

of course my first failure is also due to other causes, but kenna dock a few points for insufficient accerelation during change gears..

[Auron]

your instructor is consider good liao, let u drive from bedok to pasir ris...

 

mine only stick to lentor area, think he staying around amk...

 

got 1 time, park at the road for at least 20 minutes and he went to one hardware shop to settle his own private matters.

 

i guess, school will not encountered such matters... the 100 minutes booked is really spent driving, either in the circuit or on the road outside...

[Superkid49]

i got my license from BBDC. 1st attempt. took me 4 months only.

only spent around $1,700++.

Really worth it.

If you really want it fast, school is the choice.

Just pump in money and do block booking.

one week 2 lessons will be enough.

[Watwheels]

Whoa nowadays learn how to drive so ex?

 

My time took me around 3 months. Private instructor.

1st attempt also but less than $1k.

[Icekitten]

I also never hit 50km/h at all during lessons and test. Got docked 12 points for insufficient acceleration too but that's the max they can deduct for that (4x3). That's why driving slowly alone will not make you fail your test. Can say our instructors were teaching us to err on the side of caution.

[Nhyone]

  Quote

As for school, they have to finish the modules before they can book the TP date right? According to what I heard...

 

It's different for BBDC now. You can book the test straight after final theory -- same as private. The waiting time is now very long, 3 months or so. But you can check periodically for a canceled slot.

 

Lessons can be booked easily, so the situation now is that you need to book them two weeks in advance. Otherwise it's really hard to find the timeslots you want. If you can't make it then, cancel it. Try-sell is pretty safe if your slot has high demand.

[Blu_g]

Tester oso said I was too slow... All pts deducted were for slow driving.. luckily no other mistakes, if not I oso cannot pass on my 1st try...

[Myway]

hello, did you find any good ones in the end? I'm also looking for one in the West area.

 

Hope you can share your experience, thanks!

[Charmaine]

Mrs Lim @ 93807577 teaches at Bukit Batok