District of Columbia DC DMV Motorcycle Practice Test 45
- Questions25
- Correct to pass20
- Passing score80%
- Minimum age16 years
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1. You have stopped on the shoulder of a highway and want to rejoin the traffic. What is the correct way?
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Answer D: Signal, build up speed along the shoulder, then merge into a gap
Entering a fast lane at a slow speed is what causes the conflict, so the shoulder is used to gain speed before the merge in the same way as an acceleration lane.
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2. What should a passenger do when the motorcycle leans into a curve?
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Answer A: Lean with the operator, staying directly behind them
A passenger who leans with the operator lets the motorcycle follow its natural line, while leaning against the lean fights the operator's control inputs.
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3. How close may a DC driver follow fire apparatus responding to an alarm?
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Answer B: No closer than 500 feet
DC regulations make it an infraction to follow fire apparatus within 500 feet.
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4. In a staggered formation, where does the second rider belong?
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Answer C: In the right portion of the lane, about one second behind the leader
The second rider uses the opposite side of the lane roughly one second behind the leader, which staggers the group without stretching it out or putting the two riders alongside each other.
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5. Blue pavement markings are used together with white markings at
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Answer D: parking spaces reserved for people with disabilities
Blue supplements the white markings of accessible parking spaces, which is the only assignment blue has on the pavement.
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6. Why must the handlebars be kept square during a hard straight line stop?
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Answer B: Because a front wheel turned under heavy braking can put the machine down
With the front tire loaded to its limit, any steering input asks it to do two jobs at once and the front end can wash out instantly.
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7. On a regulatory sign, what does a red circle with a diagonal slash drawn over a symbol mean?
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Answer D: The movement or action shown by the symbol is prohibited
A red circle with a diagonal slash is the standard way of showing that the movement pictured inside it, such as a U-turn or a right turn, is not allowed.
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8. You are about to pull out of a driveway when someone on the sidewalk is walking toward it. What should you do?
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Answer D: Wait, because traffic on the sidewalk has the right-of-way
A vehicle entering the roadway from a driveway yields to people on the sidewalk as well as to traffic on the street.
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9. The trapezoid sign shape is associated with
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Answer C: recreational and cultural interest area signing
The trapezoid is used for recreational and cultural interest area guide signs and for national forest route markers.
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10. Why is hearing protection recommended even under a full face helmet?
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Answer D: Long term exposure to wind and road noise can cause permanent hearing damage
Airflow around a helmet produces high noise levels, and good hearing protection lowers that noise while still letting the rider hear horns and sirens.
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11. May you park in front of a public or private driveway?
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Answer A: No, blocking a driveway is prohibited even for a short time
Parking in front of a driveway blocks the property owner from entering or leaving, and the prohibition does not depend on how long you stay.
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12. Which items belong to the Controls step of the T-CLOCS inspection?
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Answer D: Handlebars, levers, cables, hoses and the throttle
The Controls step covers everything the rider operates by hand or foot, plus the cables and hoses that carry those inputs to the machine.
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13. What is true about driving away from a crash you were involved in?
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Answer B: It is a serious offense, even if the other driver has driven away too
Leaving the scene is a criminal offense in every state, and the behavior of the other driver does not excuse it.
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14. You are riding alongside a car in the next lane at the same speed. What is the problem?
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Answer B: You may be sitting in the driver's blind spot with nowhere to escape
A driver who cannot see the motorcycle may change lanes into it, so riders adjust speed to move ahead of or behind the vehicle instead of staying beside it.
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15. When is the right time to put on rain gear?
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Answer C: Before the rain reaches you, at a safe place off the roadway
Once you are wet you stay cold for the rest of the ride, so stop somewhere safe and put the rain suit on while you are still dry.
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16. Your light turns green while a pedestrian who started on the walk signal is still crossing in front of you. What must you do?
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Answer D: Let them finish crossing the road before you move off on your green light
A pedestrian who entered the crosswalk lawfully keeps the right of way until they reach the other side, whatever the signal now shows.
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17. The left-turn signal facing you shows a flashing yellow arrow. What does it mean?
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Answer C: You may turn left after yielding to oncoming traffic and to pedestrians
A flashing yellow arrow permits a left turn but gives no protection, so you must yield to oncoming vehicles and to people in the crosswalk.
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18. When should a rider add a layer on a ride that is turning cold?
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Answer D: Before you start to feel cold, at the next convenient stop
Once a rider is chilled it takes a long time to warm up again, and cold hands and slowed reactions cost control, so add layers before the cold takes hold.
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19. A white arrow painted in your lane points only to the right, and a sign above the lane shows the same movement. What must you do?
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Answer C: Turn right from that lane
Pavement arrows used with lane-use signs are regulatory, so a driver occupying that lane must make the movement shown.
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20. A signal stands part way up a freeway entrance ramp and turns green briefly again and again. How many vehicles does such a signal normally release on each green?
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Answer A: One for each lane of the ramp
A ramp control signal releases a single vehicle per lane on each green so that vehicles reach the merge one at a time instead of in a bunch.
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21. In a staggered group, where does the leader normally ride?
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Answer B: In the left portion of the lane
The leader takes the left portion of the lane, which gives a wide view of the road ahead and sets up the staggered pattern for everyone behind.
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22. You are leaving a private driveway and entering a public street. What are you required to do?
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Answer B: Stop and yield to traffic on the street and to pedestrians on the sidewalk
A driver entering a roadway from a driveway, alley or private road must stop and yield to traffic on the roadway and to pedestrians on the sidewalk being crossed.
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23. You find that the road surface has turned to sheet ice. What speed is appropriate?
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Answer A: A crawl, slow enough that you could stop without braking hard
Ice can cut grip to a fraction of normal, so stopping takes many times the usual distance and only a crawl leaves any margin.
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24. Apart from other vehicles, who else must a driver let go first at this sign?
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Answer A: Pedestrians and cyclists already in or entering the crossing
The duty to give way covers every road user who has the right of way at that point, including people walking or cycling across the driver's path.
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25. You want to turn left at an intersection with no signs or signals and a vehicle is coming straight toward you from the opposite direction. What must you do?
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Answer C: Yield and turn after the oncoming vehicle has passed
A driver turning left always gives way to oncoming traffic that is close enough to be a hazard, whether or not the intersection is controlled.