How Not To Fail In J.P.J. Road Test

Some people prefer the “positive” approach. However, unusual as it may seem, there are others who profess the “negative” stance instead.

This article is therefore written to cater for those who wish to know “How did I fail the test?”.

First and foremost, do not allow your name to be called too many times on test day. Nothing irritates more than having your name or number called too many times.

Human beings are easily irritated. Excuse the poor tester, he has anything from maybe 30 – 50 candidates to test in the hot mid-day Malaysian sun.

Get the idea?

Well, whether it is for parking or the road test, do listen carefully. Appear before the test the moment your name is called.

Anyway, this shouldn’t be a problem. Most institutes are using the P.A. System anyway. You should be able to hear fairly well, unless you are hard of hearing.

A well-mannered candidate uttering “Good morning, Sir” or “Selamat pagi Encik” is a bonus. Actually, you have nothing to lose by being well-mannered.

Remember, you are out to get you license that day, by hook or by crook. The important thing is try not to fail. Failing means incurring time lost and more money spent. So go all out by being on your best behavior that special day.

“Clothes, they say, maketh a man.” Males candidates, please wear shoes, collared shirts and proper trousers and please, not those “tiga-suku” ones.

For young ladies, please refrain from wearing revealing or short dresses. For Muslim lady candidates, it’s better if you could “bertudung” or wear a “selendang” for that day. Thinking of it, it’s worth the effort anyway.

In my many years as an instructor, nothing irritates me more than a long haired lad swiping away his hair which has fallen across his forehead time and time again.

Swiping or brushing your hair away may be done in the name of vanity, but for this particular day, remember my dear friend, “Vanity should not be the name!” The same also applies to young lady candidates as well.

For boy candidates, my advice is, do get your hair cut, and your lady candidates, do have your hair tied up neatly and carefully before your test. Swiping away your hair from your forehead, is actually driving with one hand. To the testers, this actually is “Gagal Serta Merta” or G.S.M.

For those who are ignorant, driving with one hand is allowed, but only when one is changing gears. In short, driving with one hand is actually “Dangerous Driving”.

How on earth can the tester ever pass you if you are driving in such a manner?

So ladies and gentlemen, think about it deeply. You hair or your license?

They say “a miss is as good as a mile”.

But unfortunately, in driving test, “nearly missing” to cause an accident is as good as having Failed.

So do not ever “about to be involved or nearly involved or about to come on accident”. To the tester, it’s all in the same category. It’s a G.S.M. or “Gagal Serta Merta”. In English, if you still have not understand yet - “Instantaneous Failure”. On the spot!

So do remember, drive extra careful when you are on test.

I know you are nervous. But try your best. Look ahead, anticipate children crossing, old folks about to cross the road, cyclists and cars attempting to enter your line of traffic.

Use the horn if necessary! There is no greater sin than not using the Horn in cases of Emergency. Especially in a test. So I wish to reiterate once again – beware of cyclists, pedestrians, school children and especially “disabled persons” or O.K.U. “orang kurang upaya”.

These are your greatest dangers.

As mentioned earlier in another blog post, ask the tester whether he wishes the engine to be switched off or otherwise when you reached the testing institute. Days are hot and testers tend to be irritated easily.

Don’t do things which might make the tester angry!

If you can, contribute by making “his” day as cool as possible. That’s the way Not The Fail, hopefully.

It has been said before and I would say it again, Free Gear when you stop. Also pull up your handbrakes. Nothing makes the tester angrier than having the vehicle suddenly jerk forward violently, as he is about to disembark from the car.

There has been cases where testers has reversed their decision from a “Pass” to a “Fail” in instances such as these.

Finally, during the “On the road” test, strictly keep your eyes on the road and no where else! This has been said over and over again.

To end this short article, permit me, if I may, to quote you an incident. a true one which happened during the test in Penang some many years ago.

A friend, taking his driving test in Penang, did extremely well in the initial stages.

Three quarters through his test, in fact he had already passed his exam, so commented the testers. Unfortunately, while crossing the town area, there was a large advertisement poster depicting a James Bond movie in a local cinema.

The tester looked out and commented: “Oh, James Bond!” The candidate also turned around to the tester’s side and looked out too. After all, it was a natural thing to do anyway.

The tester screamed. “Eh, why are you not concentrating on your driving?” Failed, uttered the tester.

Despite my poor friend’s protest, he actually did not pass eventually. My friend has since passed away.

There is no way whereby I can verify they story anyway. Believe it or not? Up to you anyway.

This article, unlike others, has concentrated on the topic of “How I can fail my Jalan Raya test!”

Come to think of it, it actually does make sense anyway. By pinpointing all the negatives aspects which brings about a person’s failure and by avoiding them during the test, we eventually might land up passing the test.

All the best in you attempt to pass the Part III of the Jalan Raya test and eventually secure your Lesen D (cars) license.