ACT rider knowledge test road surfaces and hazards practice questions

Question 1

How should you cross light rail tracks that run along or across a Canberra road?

• At the shallowest angle you can
• As close to a right angle as is safe, upright, with no braking or turning while you are on the railsCorrect answer
• While braking, to keep speed low
• With the bike leaned over

Steel rails and the paved strip beside them are slippery, especially when wet, and a rail met at a shallow angle can catch and slide the front tyre.

Rule cited: ACT motorcycle rider handbook, topic: light rail and tram tracks

Question 2

Why does painted line marking deserve extra care from a rider in the wet?

• Paint damages tyres
• Wet paint offers noticeably less grip than the surrounding road surfaceCorrect answer
• It is illegal to ride on markings
• Paint hides potholes

Big painted areas such as turn arrows, stop lines and pedestrian crossings are the worst. Cross them upright with no sudden braking or steering.

Rule cited: ACT motorcycle rider handbook, topic: surface hazards

Question 3

On a cold Canberra morning, where should you expect frost or black ice to last longest?

• On open sunlit straights
• On bridges, in shaded cuttings and under trees where the sun does not reachCorrect answer
• Only on gravel roads
• Only in the mountains

Bridges lose heat from both sides and freeze first. Ice can be nearly invisible, so keep the bike upright, avoid braking and steering inputs, and slow down well before shaded sections.

Rule cited: ACT motorcycle rider handbook, topic: cold weather riding

Question 4

You come across a patch of loose gravel washed onto the road at the exit of a bend. What is the best response?

• Brake hard on the gravel
• Get your braking done before it, then cross upright with a steady throttle and a light gripCorrect answer
• Accelerate hard across it
• Swerve sharply at the last moment

Gravel takes away grip, so make your speed and direction changes on the clean surface either side. A relaxed grip lets the bike move under you without falling.

Rule cited: ACT motorcycle rider handbook, topic: surface hazards

Question 5

In autumn, wet leaves have collected on a shaded suburban corner. What should you expect?

• Better grip because the leaves are soft
• Very poor grip, similar to riding on ice, so slow down before the corner and stay uprightCorrect answer
• No change in grip
• Grip only reduces for cars

Wet leaves and moss build up where the road stays damp. Treat them like an oil slick and make no sudden inputs while you are on them.

Rule cited: ACT motorcycle rider handbook, topic: surface hazards

Question 6

You are riding through roadworks with steel plates over the surface. How should you handle them?

• Brake on the plates
• Cross upright at a steady speed with no braking or steering while you are on themCorrect answer
• Cross them leaned over at speed
• Ride along the edge of the plate

Plates are slippery, more so when wet, and their raised edges can deflect a tyre. Set your speed before the plates, not on them.

Rule cited: ACT motorcycle rider handbook, topic: roadworks and surface hazards

Question 7

There is a metal service cover in your wheel track and the road is wet. What should you do?

• Ride straight over it while braking
• Move your position within the lane so your tyres miss it, if it is safe to do soCorrect answer
• Stop before it
• Nothing, metal gives the same grip as bitumen

Wet metal covers and drainage grates offer very little grip. You usually have a metre of lane to work with, which is all you need.

Rule cited: ACT motorcycle rider handbook, topic: surface hazards