When I 1st learnt to drive

ML Course
Was thinking back to the time when I learnt to drive in the army. It was a rather stressful experience I must say. I went for the ML (military license) course where you learn to drive a 3-tonner in 5 weeks. I remember my instructor vividly. He's this chee-na, super sarcastic and irritating guy. He would scold me, slap my hands, and make exaggerated rocking gestures to simulate lousy driving. And mind you, he's a bloody civilian and not an army regular. But on thinking back, I have him to thank for many things. I rem that when we were at the driving circuit on the 1st day, I was eager to start driving and experimenting. Unfortunately, he brought me to a corner of the circuit and there I began my training. As others whizzed haphazardously past me, there I was stationary, practising "clutching in fast, releasing slowly" and the changing of gears without looking at it. I did this till my legs started aching, without any mileage covered. I rem being damn frustrated that day; everyone else was bragging about driving the damn rover and it seemed that only my details of 4 hadn't covered an inch. On retrospect, it held me in good stead cos I got my basics right and had good clutch control and could change gears without looking and all; I just had to focus on the road.
I rem a particular fri when I had a crap driving day when everything seemed to go wrong, I was getting incessant scoldings from Mr Ooi, and I couldnt do anything right. On the following monday however, I had a complete turn-around and you know you have really improved when ur instructor ask you, "you practiced illegally over the weekend right?" I rem I kept smiling to myself, not becos I was guilty but becos I KNEW that it was a compliment. One of the most daunting parts of the course was switching from a rover to a 3-tonner. I felt intimidated and really frightened. I mean it's like a freaking truck now, I could kill someone and amazingly, all the instructors claim it's the same as driving a rover and we didn't have to pass any test in order to start driving a 3-tonner. Oh well, I made that transition and ya I still feel quite scared driving the 3-tonner. Oh well.
Anyway, I took the test at Choa Chu Kang. I rem I was in the first detail and I kena this damn fierce-looking Indian Encik. Amazingly I passed the first time getting 10 points (12 is the failing mark) and from that point on, we were treated like kings in the course (cos not many passed the 1st time) and we would have nothing to do during afternoons cos they wanted to concentrate on the rest. So, 8th Dec 2000 marks the day I passed my driving.

V200 Course
I also had the privilege to learn how to drive the V200 in the army. It's supposed to be an amphibious vehicle though I'm pretty sure it'll sink. And rumour has it that the SAF got the V200s from the U.S. as part of some treaty for a puny $1 each, though each tyre costs like $7k to replace. How ingenious. Anyway, it was really scary driving the tank-on-wheels along the roads of Yishun but I must it was also very fun (when we were not driving) cos we went out in groups of 4/5 and each of us took a diff portion. Then whenever we drove past the pri schs right the kids will run beside the v200 and we'll wave to them and act macho. heh. I rem one particularly memorable drive where I was doing quite well and the Encik let me drive all the way from Khatib Camp to Lentor to Nanyang Poly and even managed to cover Sembawang Park. It was really fun and enjoyable. Rem the rough terrain obstacle courses too, didnt enjoy that as much. I'm gratefully for learning how to drive the V200 man and I love it so much more than the tonner. heh.

Driving in Camp
I think that was when my driving skills were at its peak cos we had to drive everyday in camp and there were certain sections that really helped us to improve. I was most proud of my clutch control cos I could control the vehicle on a slope using just the clutch without stepping on the brake or accelerator. Reversing is my worst skill! I kept practising but it still didn't improve much and I never really could floor the accelerator and reverse like some of the other midfielders. Even to this day, I never accelerate while driving outside. I shall not mention others things that we did in camp here. That's supper conversation material, not something I want on my blog. :p
Another thing I realised is that when I drove in the army, all my frustrations were let out there. I drove safely outside with my dad's car. Unfortunately, I now drive well...not as safely lah. This is something I have to work on lah. As with the most humji slogan ard, RSAF's Safety First, Always, I think I shd learn to drive more safely esp when others are in the car. heh.

Anyway it was just nice thinking back to all these driving memories. :)