Dumfries and Galloway IAM

I was rather too cautious in the climb out of Lochmaben through the switch back bends and could have made much better progress here. Good observation and more acceptable speeds got me through Torthorwald and back to the Dumfries By-pass. At the roundabout I expected the examiner to take us along the A75 for a few more roundabouts but he didn’t and just asked to go back to the car park by the quickest route. Obviously this involved going down the narrow bit of the Lockerbie Road by Noblehill with parked vehicles everywhere but careful observation, planning and clutch control got us through here without incident; I say this now but at the time I thought “I think I’ve failed, he’s hardly said anything, barely written anything down and he hasn’t asked me any questions!” and now he was busy writing the report sheet. Maybe I wasn’t worth bothering about? However, as soon as I had completed my shut down drill, he said he wouldn’t hold me in suspense, I had passed! He complimented me on my smooth gear changes and good use of mirrors and signals when needed and a good commentary but noted a lack of progress at times with a tendency to be over cautious.”

Mark