Discuss how you can convert your foreign drivers' licence and other topics relating to drivers' licence.
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bak_kwa
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by bak_kwa » Sat, 12 Feb 2022 5:29 pm
malcontent wrote: ↑Thu, 03 Feb 2022 7:22 pm
bak_kwa wrote: ↑Thu, 03 Feb 2022 2:09 pm
malcontent wrote: ↑Thu, 03 Feb 2022 1:06 am
I converted my overseas license within 1 year of my arrival, even though I had no car and had no expectations of ever owning a car here — a drivers license is something I did not want to be without in case the need arose. Back then no BTT was required, but from what I have heard from those expats who took it — if you don’t study, you will fail.
During my first 10 years here, I can only recall driving once. It was the time a Japanese friend of mine went back to Japan for a week and gave me his car to use. It was his own private car but paid for by the company.
After 10 years here, we finally had our first child and got an economy car to putz around in, makes it easier to juggle life with a kid. Since then, and 16 years later, we’ve had three other cars, mainly to facilitate a “soccer mom lifestyle” that my wife & kids desire. I really only drive on the weekends if we all go out somewhere, which has become far less frequent since Covid. Other than that, I take BMW everywhere (Bus, MRT, Walk).
I think I too would be aiming at exactly what you are doing right now and that is use the car as and when I need to viz. taking the family out on any outings etc. and use the public transport otherwise. The other thing which may not necessarily not go in my favour is that I have not driven at all since coming to Singapore in 2006
Hence, I am curious to know what you did different to clear the supposedly difficult BTT in the first attempt considering the fact that not all may clear it in the first attempt even by studying for it?
I was told that you can pass it… IF you study for it diligently. My wife got it on her first attempt, but again, she did study for it.
The T is BTT is theory, so not sure why your having not driven since 2006 would make any difference. If you don’t pass it, just take it again a month or two later. Not a big deal.
When I got my license here, it was not just to be able to drive here — my wife and I really love road trips. One of our first vacations after moving to Singapore was Brisbane-Gold Coast-Sydney-Melboune-Great Ocean Road, all in one trip and 100% coastal roads, no expressways.
I remember at the time I hadn’t adjusted to driving on the right and hit lots of curbs… good thing it was a rental!
It's encouraging to hear all this....
Well....I should give it a shot then and then pray everything goes well
...Thanks
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sundaymorningstaple
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by sundaymorningstaple » Sat, 12 Feb 2022 6:39 pm
Hey Mal, you might get a kick out of this. As noted, I owned 3 cars here on a standard SVP back in the 80's~90's. My first two cars were old Ford Cortinas, first a 74 and then a special edition 76. The 74 I did some customizing to it as well, curtesy of a kerb/curb and the intersection of Kampong Java Road and Bukit Timah Rd 2 blocks from the old KK Hospital which was behind Tekka Market back in the day. I had been out celebrating the birth of my daughter 2 weeks after she was born as my wife contracted pneumonia during the birthing (CC) I was recalled from Medan and flown back the morning after the birth and spent the next 2 weeks sitting with her in the hospital. Anyway, she finally made me leave and wanted me to go meet all my drinking buddies in the Country Bar where she was singing (Peyton Place in the basement of OT back in the day). So I did. I went down with a box of King Edwards and it was a freeflow night needless to say. So around 3:3 am I start making my way out of town (I lived in Seletar Camp). Being I was a new Yank driving, as you have mentioned, was still getting used to driving on the wrong side of the road. The Bukit Timah/Kg Java interestion is rather large and my wife would always remind me to stay to the left but she wasn't with me and I had a snoot fully of alcohol but I still remembered to stay to the left at the last second, but sadly my reflexes weren't what they should have been and there is a curb that separates the Kg Java lanes that actually comes to a point and a little white sign with arrow pointing diagonally each side. Different sign there today. As I said, I remembered a second too late and I straddled that curb smack center of the Cortina and succeeded in pushing the entire A frame far enough that the front wheels were up against the firewall. Here's the location and the customized Cortina Estate Wagon.
https://www.google.com.sg/maps/@1.30842 ... authuser=0
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers
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malcontent
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by malcontent » Sat, 12 Feb 2022 9:05 pm
sundaymorningstaple wrote: ↑Sat, 12 Feb 2022 6:39 pm
As I said, I remembered a second too late and I straddled that curb smack center of the Cortina and succeeded in pushing the entire A frame far enough that the front wheels were up against the firewall. Here's the location and the customized Cortina Estate Wagon.
That’s a great story, I remember you recounting other details about it in another post. I know that area well. When we first moved here, my wife stayed just up the road from there, across the street from United Square. I can imagine the entire incident! A station wagon was probably a novelty on the roads here. When I was growing up in the late 70’s and early 80’s, my family always had a station wagon. By the time I got to Singapore in the mid-90’s, cars were already crazy expensive and I was living on a shoestring, so it was all bus and train for me.
Every great and deep difficulty bears in itself its own solution. It forces us to change our thinking in order to find it - Niels Bohr
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Lisafuller
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by Lisafuller » Sun, 13 Feb 2022 10:56 pm
I’ve always fancied station wagons, they were so popular in the 80s, but now its all about sedans and SUVs. None of the old charm.
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malcontent
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by malcontent » Mon, 14 Feb 2022 12:06 am
I always like to see the ute on the roads in Australia… it’s a sedan in the front and pickup truck in the back.
In the US, we had the same thing in the form of the El Camino, but you just don’t see those anymore… it lives on in Australia!
Every great and deep difficulty bears in itself its own solution. It forces us to change our thinking in order to find it - Niels Bohr
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sundaymorningstaple
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by sundaymorningstaple » Mon, 14 Feb 2022 12:26 am
Don't forget the
Found
On
Road
Dead Ranchero as well!
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers
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sundaymorningstaple
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by sundaymorningstaple » Mon, 14 Feb 2022 12:28 am
Holden Utes weren't bad.
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers
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Lisafuller
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by Lisafuller » Thu, 17 Feb 2022 11:35 pm
malcontent wrote: ↑Mon, 14 Feb 2022 12:06 am
I always like to see the ute on the roads in Australia… it’s a sedan in the front and pickup truck in the back.
In the US, we had the same thing in the form of the El Camino, but you just don’t see those anymore… it lives on in Australia!
Caminos!!!!!
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