"Every time.."
"Controls full and free every time."
"Yep, habitually, since first training flight."
"Yep, that one's burned into my mind.."
and so on...
I must say I often skip this check as I haven't thought it that necessary to check if the controls are full and free. (I mean I do sometimes if there happens to be an extraordinary long wait at the holding point, or I'm trying to stretch a leg or something)
I will from now on.
I am heartened by the responses here and the level of professionalism displayed by pilots on this forum.