Biker Kaz on her Mock Test

This session would be with my IAM Observer, Ian Souter and Charlie, who is the Chief Observer for the MKAM (Milton Keynes Advanced Motorists) who I am doing my IAM course with.

Charlie from MKAM, would be observing my riding as if we were on a test to see if there were any areas of my riding that we can improve on, basically a second opinion, before Ian put me in for my Advanced Rider test.

I have to say here that I was really nervous about this session. I think it’s that word ‘test’. I am not good with that word. I didn’t sleep well the night before worrying about how today would go and was struggling to relax.

I met up with Ian and we had a general chit chat before heading off on our bikes to meet Charlie...

The three of us had a chat to start with before Charlie explained how this session would go, the length of the proposed ride was 45 miles, approx. 1 hour depending on traffic, and he gave me a brief overview of the route.

Okay now I was really nervous. Charlie was lovely and tried to make me feel at ease.

We headed off on our route and away we went. I could feel I wasn’t relaxed riding the bike and it wasn’t until about twenty minutes into the ride when I did a couple of overtakes that I felt the my riding change, I had started to relax and was not getting into the ride.

During the course of the ride we covered a combination of roads - dual carriageways, A and B roads, country lanes, towns, villages etc. I think I can safely say we covered them all.

I was really pleased with myself that I didn’t miss an indicate from Charlie.

We got to the finishing point and parked the bikes, grabbed a coffee and sat down. Uh oh, the moment of truth...

All in all I did a very good ride. Charlie said he thought it showed through in my riding to start with that I was nervous and it was not until I did a couple of overtakes (really good overtakes at that too, said Charlie J) that he felt my riding changed and I came alive. I definitely agreed with him here.

My positioning, control of the bike at low speed and controlling my speed were all good. I was generally systematic in my riding although not completely. Charlie said I looked comfortable on my bike.

Charlie would however like to see me get up to speed quicker on a dual carriageway, a couple of times I was holding the clutch in whilst at traffic lights instead of putting the bike into neutral and when there is an open view on bends, I don’t necessarily have to take the bends.

So all in all a really good ride and I would have passed today except for one major boo boo!

When filtering a line of stationary traffic I pulled in just before the zebra crossing but I pulled in front of the lead car on the zig zag lines. I should have pulled in behind. Damn. I know I should have.

I am really gutted with myself that I made that mistake. I have been driving/riding for many years now and it is something I do know not to do. I cannot tell you why I did it this time.

There is one plus point though, Ian said on next week’s ride we will find cake...