Self drive lessons

The stupid thing about our driving schools in Singapore is you pay $3000 for lessons but never get a chance to drive on the expressway. And because I signed up for manual transmission license, I never got to drive an auto transmission car either. I hate that I spent more than half the time on the circuit performing driving circus tricks, while what we really need is more time familiarizing and building up confidence to drive on busy public roads.

Now that I finally got my driving license, I have to come up with my own driving lessons to get those skills unlocked. So I asked AI to come up with a lesson plan for me:

Prompt:
I just got my driving license in Singapore but dont own a car and want to continue to drive to keep my skills fresh. I plan to rent a car-sharing car like GetGo to do so. Will drive weekly on weekends for 1h.

Imagine you are a professional, kind and competent driving instructor. How will you plan my driving sessions to ramp up on my experience driving on open roads? So far. I had yet to drive on expressways.

And the lesson plan:

New drivers benefit from a structured progression across Singapore’s diverse road types to build versatile skills safely during weekly 1-hour GetGo sessions. This 6-week plan starts simple and layers complexity, emphasizing observation, control, and adaptation without rushing into high-risk areas. Each session follows a 10-minute warm-up, 40-minute practice, and 10-minute self-review.

Weeks 1-2: Residential and Local Roads

Focus on low-speed control in quiet HDB estates or industrial zones (e.g., near Woodlands or Jurong). Practice precise maneuveurs like U-turns, parallel parking, and yielding at uncontrolled junctions while scanning mirrors every 5 seconds. Build confidence with the two-second following rule and gentle acceleration to 40 km/h.

Weeks 3-4: Arterial and Multi-Lane Roads

Tackle busier arterials like Woodlands Road or Bukit Timah Road, handling 50-70 km/h speeds, frequent lane changes, and traffic lights. Prioritize right-of-way decisions at roundabouts (yield to right) and overtaking slower vehicles safely using inner lanes. Note bus lane restrictions—avoid them during operating hours.

Weeks 5-6: Expressways and Mixed Conditions

Enter expressways (PIE, AYE) via slip roads, accelerating to match 80-100 km/h flow in middle lanes only. Practice merging (signal early, blind-spot check), steady cruising, and exiting 1 km in advance. Incorporate weather variations—reduce speed 10-20% in rain—and night drives if sessions extend into dusk for headlight adaptation.

Wet Roads and Night Driving

Dedicate 15 minutes per session to slippery conditions: increase following distance to four seconds, brake earlier, and avoid sharp turns. For nights, dim lights appropriately, watch for motorcyclists, and use high beams only on empty stretches.

Review and Safety Essentials

Log notes on strengths (e.g., smooth braking) and tweaks (e.g., earlier signaling). Always pre-check GetGo vehicles, wear seatbelts, and stay below speed limits by 5 km/h initially. This builds well-rounded proficiency steadily.

And I just did my first lesson on Sunday!

Rented a small Suzuki Swift for starters. Smaller cars are easier to handle and to park. Also made sure I rented it from a car park in a quiet neighbourhood - less cars, less stress for first drive.

It was fun to finally be able to drive on my own, without someone annoyingly breathing down neck for every maneuveur. And fk me, auto gear is also sooo much easier than having to deal with a clutch. I think if I had just went with just an auto car license, I would probably shave a few weeks off my learning journey!

Hopefully in a month or two I’ll be confident enough to start driving on the expressway, and to take my family as passengers.