Motorcycle knowledge test (Class M) · California DMV
Lane position, distance and passing
Questions and answers
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What does a cushion of space around your motorcycle give you when someone else makes a mistake?
Time to react and space to maneuver
Distance is the best protection you can have because it buys time and room.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Keeping Your Distance ↗ -
How many paths of travel does each traffic lane give a motorcycle?
Three
A lane offers a motorcycle a left, a center, and a right path.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Lane Positions ↗ -
Is there one lane position that is always best for being seen and keeping a space cushion?
No, pick the position with the most visibility and space
In general there is no single best position. Adjust it to the traffic situation.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Lane Positions ↗ -
Vehicles and other potential problems are on your left side. Which paths of travel does the handbook suggest?
Paths 2 or 3
With trouble on the left, ride in the center or the other side of the lane.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Lane Positions ↗ -
Vehicles are on both sides of you. Which lane position is usually the best option?
The center of the lane, path 2
With traffic on both sides, the center keeps the most space on each side.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Lane Positions ↗ -
How does riding closer to the center portion of your lane help you?
It helps keep other vehicles from sharing your lane
A rider near the center leaves no room for another vehicle to squeeze into the lane.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Lane Positions ↗ -
How wide is the oily strip in the center portion of a lane, as a rule?
No more than two feet
The strip of oil and grease in the center is usually no more than two feet wide.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Lane Positions ↗ -
Can you ride in the center of the lane and still stay off the oily strip?
Yes, just to the left or right of the strip is still the center of the lane
Ride just beside the strip. Avoid oil and grease buildups.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Lane Positions ↗ -
Which of these is NOT something your lane position should do?
Invite other drivers to share your lane
A good position helps you see and be seen, avoids blind spots, protects your lane, shows your intentions, avoids wind blasts, and leaves an escape route.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Lane Positions ↗ -
May motorcyclists use carpool (HOV) lanes?
Yes, unless otherwise posted
Carpool lanes are open to motorcycles unless a sign says otherwise.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Carpool/High-Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) Lanes ↗ -
A carpool lane is separated by double parallel lines. Where may you enter or leave it?
Only at designated entry or exit places
Do not cross double parallel lines to get into or out of a carpool lane.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Carpool/High-Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) Lanes ↗ -
How is the pavement of a carpool lane marked?
With a diamond symbol and the words “Carpool Lane”
Look for the diamond symbol and the words on the pavement.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Carpool/High-Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) Lanes ↗ -
What are high-occupancy toll (HOT) lanes and toll highways?
Fee-paid roadways used in heavily traveled areas to relieve congestion
HOT lanes and toll highways charge a fee and are meant to ease congestion.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Toll Highways and Vehicle Crossings: Using Transponders or Electronic Payment Devices ↗ -
In how many locations is a motorcyclist allowed to place a transponder or other electronic payment device?
Five
The handbook lists five places on the motorcycle or on the rider.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Toll Highways and Vehicle Crossings: Using Transponders or Electronic Payment Devices ↗ -
Whichever allowed location you choose for a toll payment device, what must be true?
The toll reader must be able to detect the device
Any of the listed places is fine as long as the toll reader can detect the device.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Toll Highways and Vehicle Crossings: Using Transponders or Electronic Payment Devices ↗ -
Which of these is NOT one of the listed places for a toll payment device?
Inside the rider’s helmet
The places are the pocket, a cycle net over the gas tank, a license plate device, a storage compartment, and the windshield.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Toll Highways and Vehicle Crossings: Using Transponders or Electronic Payment Devices ↗ -
When may the toll payment device be placed on a license plate device?
If the toll operator provides such a device
The license plate location applies when the toll operator supplies a device for it.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Toll Highways and Vehicle Crossings: Using Transponders or Electronic Payment Devices ↗ -
What following distance should you normally keep?
Two seconds
Under normal conditions keep at least a two-second following distance.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Following Another Vehicle ↗ -
You count from the moment the vehicle ahead passes a lamp post and you reach the post before you finish “one-thousand-two”. What does that mean?
You are following too closely
Reaching the marker before two seconds are up means you need to drop back.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Following Another Vehicle ↗ -
When gauging your following distance, at what moment do you start counting?
When the rear bumper of the vehicle ahead passes the marker
Pick a marker ahead and start counting as the rear bumper of the vehicle in front passes it.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Following Another Vehicle ↗ -
Besides room to stop or swerve, what does a two-second following distance give you?
A better view of potholes and other road hazards
Hanging back lets you see the road surface ahead.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Following Another Vehicle ↗ -
You are behind a van you cannot see through. What following distance should you open up?
Three seconds or more
Open up three seconds or more when you cannot see through the vehicle ahead.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Following Another Vehicle ↗ -
In which conditions does the handbook call for a three-second or more following distance?
Slippery pavement, a vehicle ahead you cannot see through, or heavy traffic
Whenever stopping may take longer than normal, add at least a second.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Following Another Vehicle ↗ -
Your motorcycle is towing a trailer. What should you do with your following distance?
Increase it, because more stopping distance is required
A trailer lengthens the stopping distance.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Following Another Vehicle ↗ -
In traffic, how does the distance a motorcycle needs to stop compare with other vehicles?
A motorcycle needs as much distance as other vehicles
Motorcycles do not stop shorter than cars, so tailgating is just as risky.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Following Another Vehicle ↗ -
Why should you keep well behind the vehicle ahead when you are stopped?
It leaves an escape route if a driver behind comes too fast or the vehicle ahead backs up
The gap gives you somewhere to go.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Following Another Vehicle ↗ -
Which lane position is usually best for being seen in the rearview mirror of the driver ahead?
The center lane position
In the center you appear in the rearview mirror and keep others from sharing your lane.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Following Another Vehicle ↗ -
What happens when you speed up to lose a tailgater?
You end up being tailgated at a higher speed
Speeding up only raises the speed at which you are being followed too closely.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Being Followed ↗ -
What is the better way to handle a tailgater?
Allow them to pass you
Let the tailgater get by whenever you can.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Being Followed ↗ -
A tailgater is behind you and cannot get past. What should you do?
Slow down and open up extra space ahead of you
Extra space ahead gives both of you room to stop and encourages the tailgater to pass.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Being Followed ↗ -
You are preparing to pass. Where do you ride first?
In the left portion of your lane at a safe following distance
The left portion at a safe distance improves your line of sight and makes you more visible.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Passing ↗ -
While passing, how should you ride through the driver’s blind spot?
As quickly as possible
Spend as little time as you can in the blind spot.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Passing ↗ -
What do you do before returning to your original lane after passing?
Signal again and complete mirror and head checks
Signal, check mirrors and over your shoulder, return, and then cancel the signal.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Passing ↗ -
May you exceed the posted speed limit for a moment to complete a pass?
No, passing must be completed within posted speed limits
Passing is allowed only where permitted and within the speed limit.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Passing ↗ -
What lane position do you choose in the passing lane?
One that does not crowd the vehicle you are passing and leaves space to avoid hazards
Leave room on both sides while you pass.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Passing ↗ -
How does passing or being passed by a larger vehicle differ from a smaller passenger vehicle?
Not by much, but visibility is more critical
Make sure other drivers see you and that you can see potential hazards.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Passing and Being Passed ↗ -
Where in your lane should you be while you are being passed?
In the center portion
Stay in the center whether you are passed from behind or by an oncoming vehicle.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Being Passed ↗ -
Why should you not move to the portion of the lane farthest from a passing vehicle?
It might invite the driver to move back into your lane too early
Moving away can tempt the passing driver to cut back in too soon.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Being Passed ↗ -
A truck passes you and its blast of wind hits you. Where in the lane do you have the most room for error?
In the middle portion
The middle leaves room on both sides if the wind pushes you.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Being Passed ↗ -
Why are a passing vehicle’s extended mirrors a hazard to a rider?
Some drivers forget their mirrors hang out farther than their fenders
Extended mirrors can strike a rider who is too close.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Being Passed ↗ -
What is lane splitting?
Riding between lanes of stopped or slower-moving traffic
It also covers moving between lanes to the front of traffic stopped at a light.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Lane Splitting ↗ -
Which of these is another name for lane splitting?
Filtering
Lane splitting is also called lane sharing, filtering, or white-lining.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Lane Splitting ↗ -
How much room does the handbook say vehicles and motorcycles each need to operate safely?
A full lane
Each needs a full lane, which is why riding between rows of vehicles leaves you vulnerable.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Lane Splitting ↗ -
Which danger does the handbook name when riding between rows of stopped or moving vehicles?
A vehicle could turn or change lanes suddenly, or a door could open
A sudden turn, a lane change, an opening door, or a hand out of a window can all catch you.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Lane Splitting ↗ -
A driver is coming down an entrance ramp onto the highway next to you. What is the first choice?
Change to another lane if one is open
Drivers on a ramp may not see you, so give them plenty of room.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Merging Vehicles ↗ -
A driver is merging and you have no room to change lanes. What do you do?
Adjust your speed to open up space and stay near the center of your lane
Make room with your speed and keep to the center of the lane.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Merging Vehicles ↗ -
Why should you not ride next to passenger vehicles or trucks in other lanes if you do not have to?
You might be in the driver’s blind spot
A driver who does not see you could change lanes without warning.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Vehicles Alongside ↗ -
Vehicles are riding level with you in the next lanes. What should you do?
Speed up or drop back to find a place clear of traffic on both sides
Vehicles beside you can block your escape if danger appears in your own lane.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Vehicles Alongside ↗
Questions and answers by topic
- Vehicle types, license and tests76
- Riding gear and your motorcycle78
- Basic vehicle control43
- SEE, intersections and parking35
- Being seen and riding at night39
- Quick stops, swerving and cornering29
- Dangerous surfaces and mechanical problems61
- Passengers, cargo and group riding62
- Alcohol, fatigue and the law43