I took my M test in Newmarket through a very good instructor based course, and passed it today, (losing marks left and right), not too bad though, far from perfect.
Anyway, throughout my not many years of riding, i picked up some lazy habits, as many people said before in this thread, you need to do a lot of shoulder checking and blind spots (both sides)checking, make sure those checking are visible in every 10s on road, and approaching every intersection (even non-stop). I squeezed in my arms to do mirrors checking, then swing my head from side to side, make these action as big as possible, anyway, in later part of test, I still forget(very stressful) doing couple of blind spot checking.
Just after leaving from a waiting area for testee, my route had a uphill 4 ways stop, I stalled. I was like WTH, heart pumping fast, people were waiting on 2 side, left and right. Keep forward, no problem until a left turn at a traffic light(from a designated left turn area to two lanes, i think it was Leslie street), I made a pretty fast lane change into curb lane with all shoulders checking, signaling etc, bad habit, should wait for like 2-3s, but don't wait too long(more than 5s).
First Highway round, made a complete lane change smoothly, kind slow to "normal driving", a cargo van driver passed me from right really fast, WTH, I was piking up speed fast,but didn't want go over speed limit, he maybe trying to get away from my group(examiner car behinds me). Anyway, on my 2nd highway round, I made sure riding as "normal" as possible, took another completed lane change, no problem. (Highway portion, From Green Lane to Davis drive, and back).
After making another left turn at traffic light(the 1 after getting off highway 404, to westbound green lane), I was on Harry-walker parkway. After twist and turn road, I did a full emergency stop on a smaller road adjacent to hwparkway.(we have done many practices earlier in those area) No problem in industrial area, and then moving into another residential area. Now, my confidence was up, start pacing with traffic flow and timing for traffic lights smoothly.
Just as i was leaving the this part of residential area, rain water came down slowly, storm rain, the good part of it, there were no lighting. As I turning onto Davis Drive, strangely new bus lane (a long bus passenger stops), quickly switched over into a real curb lane before its end, into business area of part of test, rain was getting bigger and bigger, my visor was getting fogged up, then i did another completed lane change, after that, my speed was getting slower, traffic starting jamming up for couple of intersections, i was praying for green-light staying little longer so i didn't have to stop too much, at same time, i lifted my visor up a small gap to mitigate the fog problem.
Got off the business area from Davis drive, left turning into another residential area, all wet from neck to toe. I was keeping my speed just little under 40km/h for rest of my test, really careful on all turns, there was some nasty turns, one downhill 90° curve then immediately into a small uphill turning, on top of it, people crossing in the rain. Although other drivers were driving faster, but no one had honked me yet. Keep telling myself, "don't freaking drop the bike", keep my head clear with deep breathing, and lifted my visor up little more.
I guess everyone don't like being test on, the pressure just keep building up, stress has made you going a little bit crazier. "I have only chosen riding in sunny day, today is very unique experience of my life, never drop my bike before, and I will not drop my bike today, forget about speed limit, there are NOT gonna be any stupid cars in my blind spots, I will ride just like before, 'only safer', I will let other drivers passing me, and let them go first even I was first at a stop sign. NO FREAKY RUSH HERE!". Keeping my clutch smooth and head up.
Everyone has passed this "stupid" test were right. After ~30 minutes solid riding, the next thing I knew, I was coming back to where I had started from. "Did I fail the test?", the very first thing, I asked to the guy who had taped a earphone of walkies-talkie into my left ear before beginning the test, "Hell no, you were good!", I forgot his name, who had nice and decent smile on his face.
