SA rider knowledge test road surface hazards practice questions

Question 1

You need to cross tram tracks on a wet Adelaide street. What is the safest way?

• Cross as close to a right angle as you safely can, upright, with no braking or turning on the railsCorrect answer
• Ride along the groove beside the rail
• Cross at a shallow angle
• Brake firmly while your tyres are on the steel

Wet steel rails have almost no grip and the groove beside them can grab a front tyre and steer it. Plan your line early so you cross them square and settled.

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

Question 2

After heavy rain, where does gravel and debris usually collect on a hills road?

• In the middle of the straights
• On the inside of bends and at the bottom of dips, washed there by run offCorrect answer
• Only on the crests
• It is spread evenly across the road

Water carries loose material downhill and dumps it where the road flattens or turns. Expect it after rain, ride at a speed that lets you see and avoid it, and choose a line away from the inside edge.

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

Question 3

Why should a rider avoid braking hard on painted road markings in the wet?

• Paint holds far less grip than the road surface beside itCorrect answer
• The paint stains the tyres
• Braking wears the paint away, which is an offence
• Paint is only slippery in the dry

Wet line marking, arrows and crossing stripes are close to ice for a motorcycle tyre. Plan to have your braking and turning done before the paint, and cross it upright and steady.

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

Question 4

A metal drain cover sits on the line you would normally take through a wet corner. What should you do?

• Ride over it while leaned, it is only small
• Change your line before the corner so you miss it, or cross it upright with no braking or turningCorrect answer
• Brake on it to settle the bike
• Accelerate hard over it

Wet metal is one of the slipperiest surfaces on a city street and a leaned tyre has very little margin. Spot it early enough to adjust your line rather than react at the last moment.

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

Question 5

Roadworks have covered part of your lane with steel plates. How should you ride across them?

• Upright, at a steady speed, with no braking or turning while you are on the steelCorrect answer
• Leaned over so the tyre edges bite
• Braking hard as you reach them
• With one wheel on the plate and one off

Steel plates are slippery, often uneven and worse again when wet or dusty. Get your speed right before you reach them, then let the motorcycle roll straight across.

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

Question 6

Why is the strip down the centre of a lane at a busy intersection worth avoiding?

• It is reserved for emergency vehicles
• Oil, coolant and fuel dripped by stopped vehicles collect there and cut the grip badlyCorrect answer
• It is always higher than the rest of the lane
• It is where the road is thinnest

Traffic queues leave a slick band down the centre of the lane. Brake and stop with your tyres in a wheel track, and put your foot down there too rather than on the greasy strip.

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

Question 7

You are riding on a road that has just been resealed with loose stone chips. What should you do?

• Keep your normal speed, the chips will settle
• Slow well down, increase your following distance, and avoid hard braking, sharp turns and heavy throttleCorrect answer
• Ride in the centre of the lane where the chips are deepest
• Overtake quickly to get past the section

Loose chips act like ball bearings under the tyres, and vehicles ahead flick stones back at you. Take it gently until the section ends and the sweepers have been through.

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