Anyway, I get good response on my photo once I put it on the social media network.
For those who haven't seen my Youtube vid, then they do not know my "battle" with getting the driving license. Once I thought about it, why it merits to be told and untold for several times. I didn't write a long post about it because I was thinking, does it merit a post?! LOL But I have come to accept that this is part of the story of my life. I have to tell this story over and over again!! But again, I'm proud of it and I have never regret the journey.
Just to think again, I'm crazy to take the driving test in Brussels, a capital city. Imagine the difference if you take the exam in a small town (where you grew up in) and a city where there are trams, busses, cyclists, cars, trucks... LOL
The best about the whole experience is the process here in Brussels. As you may know or may not know, in Belgium once you passed the theory exam and learn 20hrs with driving school, you get a temporary driving license 'L'. With this, with some restriction, I could drive alone within the country. As a person who strive on practice and practice, I find that this way is a good way to learn. What? Putting people in danger? What about those people who drive fast? Or who drives thru red light? I find that experienced drivers are as much as danger prone as 'L' drivers. Having to drive to work everyday helps me too. So far I've driven almost 6000km.
As I mentioned, the process in Brussels is good. To set the exam date and time, you can just go to the website and register online. You may choose up to 5 dates of your choice and either AM or PM. Then, in few hours, you get a confirmation email on the time and date and you confirm online. So just in few hours, I get the confirmation of my exam date and exact time. Just to compare in France, the registration can only be done via your driving school. So you do not have control on when you want. If the driving school wants to toy with you, they will set the exam further, and ask you to pay for more lessons so that you won't "get out of touch" with your driving skill.
So mine was on 3rd of July at 10:51AM. Yeah very precise LOL.
You can do the exam with your own car or with the driving school car and there must be 1 person comes along. Since I'm using my own car, I bring my husband :D
The day itself, we went and it was so stressful!!! We paid the fee and wait for our turn. Surprisingly, they are on time. So I have to pick a little card from a deck. The cards have number and this suppose to determine the exam route. I got N° 2.
We walked up to my car, myself, the examiner and my hub. Th exam started with the tech knowledge test: Lights, Wiper etc. I almost forgot how to switch on the anti-fog light. Phew! Then check under the hood. Then it's time to roll.... My hub sat at the front and the examiner at the back. So my route n°2 mainly consists of urban area where the speed limits are 50 or 30 km/h. There is one long stretch where the speed limit is 70km/h, but it's a street with traffic lights every 100m. Yeah it's wierd. There are 2-3 cars ahead which were slow, so I just stayed behind and drove at 50km/h. I was tempted to overtake but lucky that I saw it's a street with lotsa traffic lights. One thing about driving during the exam is 'drive like a grandma' LOL At any exam there will always a 'trap/trick' area. This is usually where the street upfront is a no entry, and you have to either turn left or right. I was concious about this, especially when we kept on going straight.
There are 2 manoeuvers only to be done here: U-turn in a small street and parallel parking. While in France, you could be asked for 3rd manoeuvre which can be either backward along the street (yeah having to drive backward seems to be very important if you are french LOL) and side parking. Since the beginning I have no problem to do these things. A lot of people have problem with parallel parking, but I grasped it well and I think it is fun. :-/
During the ride, the examiner made some comments like "You know we are not in 30km/h zone?" - In my defense, I was looking for the sign, and I think I missed it LOL and "Careful" - This is where I was a tad fast at a little corner :-/
When we arrived, we had to go to the other part of the building, and wait for the examiner for the verdict. I told my hub that I won't get it because the usual comment would be insufficient skill, thus I need to practice and practice. While waiting you witnessed other people's verdict. Huhuhuhu...
Then the examiner came out with papers in hand. I thought this is not good. We asked if I passed and he said, "What do you expect?" . I said "oh god, OK what did I do wrong". He hesitated a bit and then he said, "Congratulations" . I can't say for my hub but I was like so close to hug him LOL But I managed to refrain and hug my hub instead :P
I said that I didn't know the place well, so I was so not sure of my driving and you would've told me to go get more lessons with school and learn the exam's routes. But the examiner said that the best way is to not know where you are going because you will and should be careful. And this is what you have showed. People who know the routes tend to drive badly.
Whoever invent motorized vehicules just didn't know what they did to millions of people!!!! Imagine if we are still stuck with horses and donkeys? LOL Well it will be whole new experience! hahahaha :P
All in all it was a great day! :D
YES I DID IT!
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