Iowa DOT Motorcycle Practice Test 35

1. You have turned onto a street and see parked cars facing you and headlights coming toward you. What has probably happened?

• A You are on a street where the far side has angle parking
• B You are on a road where oncoming drivers have drifted over the line
• C You have turned the wrong way onto a one-way street
• D You are on a two-way street where the center line has worn away

2. You are traveling at 55 mph on a rural road and come up behind a horse-drawn buggy. What is the main danger?

• A Its lamps are too bright to see past when it is getting dark
• B It will move onto the shoulder as soon as you appear behind it
• C Its wheels throw up gravel that can crack your windshield
• D You close on it very quickly because it moves at walking pace

3. A large truck ahead of you in a roundabout is using part of both lanes as it goes around. What is the correct response?

• A Pass on the inside of the truck as it goes around
• B Stay back and give it room until it leaves the roundabout
• C Pull up alongside it in the outer lane so you are ready for your exit
• D Sound your horn to tell the driver to keep inside a single marked lane

4. A driver reaches this sign and the intersecting roadway is completely clear. What is required?

• A A complete halt in every case, exactly as at a stop-controlled approach
• B Nothing at all, because the rule applies only to trucks and buses
• C A halt of at least three seconds before moving on
• D Slowing to a speed that allows stopping, then going on without stopping if the way stays clear

5. When is a driver or rider most likely to need hand and arm signals instead of the vehicle turn signal lamps?

• A Only when driving after dark on an unlit road
• B Only when a police officer directing traffic asks for them
• C Only when traveling through a work zone or a school zone at any hour of the day
• D When the lamps have failed or cannot be seen because of glare or a load

6. How is the yield sign shaped and colored?

• A A yellow diamond with a black legend and a black border, the same as a warning sign
• B A red octagon with a white legend and a narrow white border all around
• C A downward-pointing triangle with a wide red border and a red legend on white
• D A blue square with a white legend and a white reflective border

7. A speed limit sign carries a second panel reading TRUCKS 55. What does that panel do?

• A It sets the speed trucks must keep in the right-hand lane only
• B It sets a lower legal limit for trucks
• C It advises trucks of a comfortable speed for the grade ahead
• D It applies to trucks only while they are climbing the grade

8. An ambulance with lights and siren is coming toward you on an undivided two-lane road. What must you do?

• A Pull to the right edge and stop until it passes
• B Keep going at your normal speed
• C Move toward the center line so the ambulance can use the shoulder
• D Stop where you are in the middle of the lane and wait for it there

9. A tractor-trailer is backing slowly across the roadway to enter a loading dock. What should you do?

• A Drive around the front of the truck while the trailer is still moving
• B Pass behind the trailer, where the driver can see you in the mirror
• C Stop and wait until the truck has finished the maneuver
• D Flash your headlights so the driver stops and lets you through

10. You are waiting in a left-turn lane at a green light when a fire engine with lights and siren comes toward you in the oncoming lanes. What should you do?

• A Complete the turn quickly to get out of the fire engine's path
• B Turn left immediately and then pull over on the side street ahead
• C Reverse out of the turn lane
• D Hold your position and let the fire engine pass

11. How far forward should a rider sit on the seat?

• A Far enough back that the arms are locked straight and hold the body up
• B As far back as the seat allows, because comfort matters most
• C Directly above the rear axle, over the wheel that drives the machine
• D Far enough forward that the arms are slightly bent on the grips

12. In most states, how far before a turn must your signal already be on in city traffic?

• A About one car length, so the signal is not flashing for very long
• B At least 100 feet, roughly the length of six or seven cars
• C Only once you have started to slow down for the corner itself
• D Only after you have entered the turn lane at the intersection

13. How much clear road do driver manuals say you need before starting a pass at highway speed on a two-lane road?

• A About the length of two vehicles, since you only have to get past the one that is ahead of you
• B Whatever distance remains before the next curve, whether or not you can see beyond that curve
• C Enough to complete the pass and return, roughly ten to twelve seconds of travel
• D About three seconds, which is the same gap you normally keep behind the vehicle ahead of you

14. A driver hunting for an on-ramp meets this sign at the mouth of the pavement ahead. What is the correct action?

• A Go in slowly with the hazard lights switched on to warn any oncoming driver
• B Go in after giving way to any traffic already on that pavement
• C Keep out of that roadway and look for the proper approach elsewhere
• D Go in as long as no vehicle is currently visible anywhere on it

15. Where must the engine cut-off switch be set before the starter button will crank the engine?

• A In the run position
• B Held down while the starter button is pressed at the same moment
• C In the off position until the engine has actually fired and caught
• D Anywhere at all, because it is wired only to the tail light circuit

16. What does a sign reading Slower Traffic Keep Right require?

• A Every vehicle on the road must move into the right lane at the point where the sign is posted
• B The right lane ahead is about to end and all of the traffic using it must merge to the left
• C Traffic moving slower than the general flow must use the right-hand lane
• D Trucks and other heavy vehicles are banned from the road beyond the point where it is posted

17. A driver slows to walking pace at this sign, never stops rolling and eases into the intersection. How is that treated?

• A It is acceptable whenever the driver already has a clear view along both approaches
• B It is a violation, because the vehicle never came to a complete halt
• C It is acceptable at night, when cross traffic is lightest
• D It is acceptable as long as no other vehicle is in sight anywhere near the corner

18. Which of these makes you unpredictable to other drivers?

• A Slowing early and smoothly for a red light that is ahead of you
• B Changing lanes suddenly without signaling, to save a moment
• C Signalling every lane change well before you begin to make it
• D Holding a steady speed in the right hand lane of a highway

19. A downpour has just started on a street with a visible dark strip down the middle of the lane. Where should you ride?

• A In the left or right portion of the lane, away from the greasy center strip
• B Directly on the center strip, because the crown of the road drains water fastest
• C As close to the lane line as you can, since the paint gives the tires extra bite
• D Wherever you were already riding, because oil has no effect once the road is wet

20. Why do streetcar or light rail rails set into a street deserve extra care from a rider?

• A The rails stand a few inches proud of the pavement and act like a curb to the tires
• B The groove alongside the rail can catch a front tire crossed at a shallow angle
• C The rails are usually electrified, so a tire touching them can shock the rider
• D Rails are laid across the street at a right angle, which is the hardest angle to cross

21. What is the first thing to do once your disabled vehicle is stopped on the shoulder?

• A Switch on the hazard warning lights so other drivers can see the vehicle
• B Raise the hood and tie a white cloth to the antenna before anything else
• C Walk back along the shoulder to flag down the traffic coming toward you
• D Call for a tow truck and stay seated with all of the lights switched off

22. Why is passing another vehicle a bad idea in dense fog?

• A Fog makes the engine lose power, so the pass takes much longer than usual
• B Fog condenses on the road and makes the passing lane far more slippery
• C You cannot see far enough ahead to know the passing lane is clear
• D Your turn signals cannot be seen once fog has settled on the lenses

23. What happens when alcohol is combined with another drug that also affects the nervous system?

• A The two cancel each other out and leave the driver unimpaired
• B Impairment is often far greater than either one alone would produce
• C Only the stronger of the two substances has any effect on the driver
• D Alcohol leaves the body faster than it would on its own

24. 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?

• A One for each lane of the ramp
• B As many as can pass before the red returns
• C Two per lane, so that pairs can merge together
• D Any number, since the signal only sets a rhythm

25. What does a pre-ride check of a hydraulic brake system cover?

• A Only the thickness of the pads, since fluid is sealed and cannot be lost
• B How far the wheel turns before the brake begins to slow it down
• C The fluid level and any sign of a leak at the hoses and fittings
• D The temperature of the disc immediately after the previous ride ended