SA motorcycle test lane position and buffering practice questions

Question 1

What is the safest lane position when passing a line of parked cars?

• As close to the parked cars as possible
• Away from the parked cars, in the part of the lane that keeps you clear of an opening doorCorrect answer
• Straddling the centre line
• In the gutter beside the cars

This is buffering. A door can open with no warning and a car can pull out of a gap. If the lane is too narrow to buffer properly, slow down so you can stop instead.

Rule cited: The Rider's Handbook (South Australia), topic: road position and buffering

Question 2

What is a sensible minimum following distance for a rider in good conditions?

• One second
• Two seconds
• Three secondsCorrect answer
• One bike length per 10 km/h

Three seconds gives you time to see, decide and slow smoothly rather than brake hard. It is a minimum for good conditions, so add more in rain, at night or behind a large vehicle.

Rule cited: The Rider's Handbook (South Australia), topic: following distance

Question 3

You are behind a truck on a country highway and cannot see past it. What should you do?

• Move closer so you can read its number plate
• Drop back until you can see well past it and the driver can see you in a mirrorCorrect answer
• Sit level with its rear wheels
• Overtake immediately regardless of the view

Distance gives you the view you need to plan an overtake and gets you into the driver's mirrors. It also keeps you clear of stones and debris thrown up by the truck's tyres.

Rule cited: The Rider's Handbook (South Australia), topic: road position

Question 4

You are approaching a crest on a rural road with a farm driveway just beyond it. What should you do?

• Hold your speed, you have right of way
• Slow down and move to the part of your lane that gives the earliest view over the crestCorrect answer
• Move to the centre of the road for a better view
• Accelerate to clear the crest quickly

You cannot avoid what you cannot see, and a vehicle turning out of a driveway will not expect you. Reduce speed so your stopping distance fits inside your view.

Rule cited: The Rider's Handbook (South Australia), topic: hazard perception

Question 5

You are riding slowly past a queue of stopped traffic in a shopping street. What is the main hazard?

• Vehicles behind you accelerating
• Pedestrians stepping out between the stopped vehicles where you cannot see themCorrect answer
• The stopped vehicles reversing
• Traffic lights changing

People cross through gaps in a stationary queue and step out without looking. Keep your speed right down, cover the brakes and watch for feet and shadows under the vehicles.

Rule cited: The Rider's Handbook (South Australia), topic: pedestrians

Question 6

On a wet multi lane road, which part of the lane generally offers the most grip?

• The wheel tracks worn clean by passing trafficCorrect answer
• The centre strip between the wheel tracks
• The painted lane line
• The gutter at the kerb

Car tyres push oil and grit out of the wheel tracks into the strip between them. The tracks usually give better grip in the wet, although they can also collect standing water, so watch for pooling.

Rule cited: The Rider's Handbook (South Australia), topic: riding in the wet