District of Columbia DC DMV Motorcycle Practice Test 43
- Questions25
- Correct to pass20
- Passing score80%
- Minimum age16 years
-
1. What is wrong with slowing to a crawl at a stop sign and then rolling on through?
Show answer
Answer C: It is not a stop, and you may miss a pedestrian or cross traffic
A rolling stop is a violation and it also cuts short the moment you need in order to look carefully in each direction before entering.
-
2. May you stop in the striped triangle that separates an exit ramp from the freeway lanes?
Show answer
Answer A: No, it is not a lane and stopping there is dangerous
The striped gore area is not a travel lane or a shoulder, and a vehicle stopped there sits directly in the path of drivers correcting a late exit.
-
3. Your vehicle has antilock brakes. What should you never do in an emergency stop?
Show answer
Answer A: Pump the pedal up and down
The system already releases and reapplies the brakes many times a second. Pumping the pedal interrupts it and makes the stop longer.
-
4. What does a shaft final drive need checked before a ride?
Show answer
Answer D: The fluid level in the final drive housing, and any sign of leaks
A shaft drive runs in its own oil bath, so the pre-ride check is the fluid level and any leak around the housing seals rather than tension or slack.
-
5. What does DC require of a driver approaching the scene of an incident?
Show answer
Answer D: Proceeding with caution and at reduced speed
DC creates separate 100 dollar infractions for failing to proceed with caution and reduced speed when approaching an incident and for failing to proceed with caution through it.
-
6. On an unlit road, about how far ahead do high beams normally let you see?
Show answer
Answer D: About 350 to 500 feet ahead of the vehicle
High beams light roughly 350 to 500 feet of road and low beams far less, which is why night speeds have to be chosen around the beam, not the limit.
-
7. You are stopped at a stop sign on a two-way stop intersection and the cross street has no stop signs at all. What does that mean for you?
Show answer
Answer A: You yield to all cross traffic no matter how long that takes
At a two-way stop only your direction is controlled, so there is no taking turns; you wait for a gap big enough to enter safely.
-
8. Why do streetcar or light rail rails set into a street deserve extra care from a rider?
Show answer
Answer B: The groove alongside the rail can catch a front tire crossed at a shallow angle
The groove beside an embedded rail is just wide enough to trap a motorcycle tire, so cross rails at as steep an angle as your lane allows.
-
9. A deer crosses the road in front of you and disappears into the trees. What should you expect?
Show answer
Answer B: That other deer are likely to follow it across the very same stretch of road
Deer usually move in groups, so one crossing the road is a warning that more may follow.
-
10. You are descending a long steep grade with a loaded truck close behind you. What should you do?
Show answer
Answer A: Hold a steady speed and let it pass when it can
Gravity pushes a loaded truck downhill and it cannot slow quickly, so give it a predictable speed and room to get by rather than braking in front of it.
-
11. What is the basic rule for entering a roundabout?
Show answer
Answer B: Traffic already circulating goes first, and you wait for a gap
Entering traffic yields to vehicles already going around the circle, which is what keeps a roundabout moving instead of locking up.
-
12. Where is reflective material most effective at attracting a driver's attention at night?
Show answer
Answer A: On the arms, legs and helmet, where the movement draws the eye
Reflective patches that move as the rider rides are noticed sooner than static ones, and a helmet sits high where drivers are already looking.
-
13. What does the Lights and Electrics step of T-CLOCS include?
Show answer
Answer A: The battery, the headlight, the brake light and the wiring
This step covers the battery and its terminals, the headlight, tail and brake lights, the turn signals, the switches, the mirrors and the wiring.
-
14. A car is coming straight at you in your lane and there is no time for it to move back. What should you do?
Show answer
Answer A: Brake, sound the horn and steer to the right, toward the shoulder or ditch
Steering right takes you away from the other vehicle even if its driver corrects course, and the shoulder or ditch is survivable.
-
15. How should riders in a staggered formation pass another vehicle?
Show answer
Answer D: One rider at a time
Passing one rider at a time keeps each pass short and prevents the group from occupying the other lane longer than necessary.
-
16. What should a driver do first after passing this sign?
Show answer
Answer A: Move into the right-hand lane and stay there
Traffic returns to two-way operation, so the driver keeps to the right of the centerline and stops treating the left side as available.
-
17. You are following a car at night with the high beam on. What should you do?
Show answer
Answer C: Switch to the low beam so the driver ahead is not blinded
A high beam fills the mirrors of the vehicle ahead and blinds its driver, which is dangerous for the very driver most able to affect the rider.
-
18. You have just merged onto a freeway from an entrance ramp. What should you do next?
Show answer
Answer C: Settle into the right lane and build up speed before changing lanes
Crossing lanes while you are still below the speed of the traffic forces other drivers to brake, so the speed comes first and the lane change second.
-
19. You are about to descend a long steep grade. How should you control your speed?
Show answer
Answer D: Select a lower gear before starting down and use the brakes in firm, brief applications
Engine braking in a lower gear carries most of the load down the grade, while continuous brake pressure overheats the brakes and reduces their effectiveness.
-
20. How many points does DC assess for driving 11 to 15 mph above the posted speed limit?
Show answer
Answer D: 3 points
The DC point chart assigns 3 points to speeding of 11 to 15 mph over the limit, rising with each higher speed band.
-
21. You are riding along a street lined with parked cars. What is the safest approach?
Show answer
Answer D: Move away from the parked cars, slow down, and watch for doors and people
Doors open, drivers pull out and pedestrians step between vehicles, so extra space and a lower speed give the rider time to see and react.
-
22. May you park across the entrance to a fire station?
Show answer
Answer D: No, an emergency exit must never be blocked
Emergency vehicles must be able to leave the moment a call comes in, so their entrances and exits are kept clear at all hours.
-
23. A flashing red arrow is displayed for your turning lane. What does it require?
Show answer
Answer D: Stopping, then turning when the way is clear
A flashing red arrow is treated like a stop sign for that movement: come to a full stop, then turn when it is safe and no one has to be cut off.
-
24. Why do drivers so often misjudge how fast an approaching motorcycle is traveling?
Show answer
Answer C: A narrow vehicle seems to grow slowly, so it appears further away
A small frontal area changes size slowly as it approaches, so drivers read a motorcycle as further away and slower than it really is. Never assume a waiting driver has judged your speed correctly.
-
25. How should a motorcycle helmet fit?
Show answer
Answer A: Snugly all the way around, without shifting or lifting off the head
A snug helmet stays in place during a crash, while one that moves or lifts can come off at the moment it is needed most.