Massachusetts RMV Motorcycle Practice Test 36
- Questions25
- Correct to pass18
- Passing score72%
- Minimum age16 years
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1. On a clear day with light traffic, a driver stays far below the maximum this sign sets. What can that cause?
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Answer B: Obstruction of the normal flow of traffic, which is prohibited in itself
Driving so slowly that other traffic is impeded is an offense in its own right when nothing about safety, weather or the road calls for it.
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2. You are behind three slow vehicles on a two-lane road and the way ahead looks clear. What is the sound decision?
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Answer D: Pass one vehicle at a time, if the road allows it
Passing several vehicles in one move keeps you in the oncoming lane far too long and leaves nowhere to go if a vehicle appears.
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3. You are on an entrance ramp merging onto a freeway. Who has to give way?
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Answer B: You must yield and fit into a gap in the traffic already on the freeway
Traffic entering a highway must yield to traffic already on it. Use the acceleration lane to match speed and merge into a gap.
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4. What is the highest license reinstatement fee the Massachusetts RMV charges for its most serious suspensions?
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Answer B: 1,200 dollars
Most reinstatement fees are 100 dollars, but fees for suspensions caused by the most serious offenses run considerably higher.
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5. Why can a mild afternoon still chill a rider dangerously on the highway?
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Answer B: Riding speed creates a wind chill well below the air temperature
Air moving over the body at highway speed strips heat far faster than still air, so a comfortable temperature at a standstill can cause serious chilling in an hour of riding.
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6. The word SCHOOL is painted in large letters across the roadway. What is it doing?
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Answer D: Backing up the signs marking a school zone
Word markings on the pavement reinforce a message that is already signed, and a driver looking at the road ahead cannot miss them.
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7. A separate right-turn lane leads onto the cross street and carries a yield sign. What does it require?
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Answer D: Slowing and giving way to traffic and people, stopping if needed
A yield requires you to slow, give way to traffic in the lane you are joining and to pedestrians, and stop only if that is what safety demands.
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8. In near freezing weather, which part of an otherwise clear road is most likely to still be icy?
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Answer D: A shaded dip under trees or beside a rock cut
Sun clears most of the road, but shaded hollows never warm up and can hold ice long after the rest of the pavement is dry.
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9. A car in the lane to your left keeps drifting toward the line between you. Which portion of your lane should you move to?
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Answer A: The right portion
Moving to the far side of your lane buys distance and time if that driver keeps coming, and it may also make the motorcycle visible to a driver who had not noticed it.
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10. You are stopped at a red light waiting to turn right where the turn is allowed. Besides traffic from the left, what must you check?
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Answer D: Both crosswalks, and anyone approaching along your right side
A right turn on red crosses the crosswalk in front of you and enters the one on the cross street, and cyclists often approach along your right.
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11. Why does even a small reduction in speed matter so much where people are walking?
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Answer D: Because a pedestrian struck at a lower speed is far more likely to survive
The chance that a pedestrian survives falls steeply as impact speed rises, so a few miles per hour can decide the outcome.
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12. You are in the acceleration lane and the gap you were aiming for is now beside you. What is the best adjustment?
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Answer A: Change your speed a little to line up with a gap, then merge smoothly
The acceleration lane is for matching both the speed and the position of a gap, and small speed adjustments are what line the two up.
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13. You are approaching a refuse collection truck working along your street. What should you expect?
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Answer D: Workers stepping into the road around the truck
Collection crews move constantly between the truck and the curb, often from where you cannot see them, so slow right down and pass only when the whole area is clear.
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14. You are in a minor collision on a busy road. No one is hurt and both vehicles can be driven. What is the recommended thing to do?
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Answer C: Move the vehicles out of the travel lanes to a safe spot before exchanging information
Vehicles left in traffic after a minor crash invite a second, often worse, collision. Clearing the lane protects everyone, and you still exchange details and report as required.
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15. Your navigation device tells you to turn where a road sign says the turn is closed. What should you do?
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Answer B: Follow the signs and what you can see
A device works from stored data that can be out of date, while signs and the road in front of you show the situation now, so the road wins every time.
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16. A pedestrian signal displays a steady walking person symbol. What does it mean for a pedestrian at that corner?
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Answer B: The pedestrian may start crossing in the direction of the signal
The steady walking person permits a pedestrian to begin the crossing, while still yielding to vehicles already lawfully in the intersection.
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17. Why should riding clothing have no loose flapping parts?
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Answer B: Loose cloth can catch on the machine, and flapping tires the rider
Loose fabric can snag on the controls, the chain or a wheel, and the constant flapping and noise wear the rider out over a long ride.
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18. You are about to pull out from a stop sign. Which scanning habit is correct?
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Answer A: Look to the left, then to the right, then to the left again before moving
Traffic from the left reaches you first, and a second look left catches anything that arrived while you were looking right.
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19. You enter a corner faster than the turn can be taken. What is the most likely result?
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Answer A: The vehicle runs wide and may cross into another lane
Excess speed uses up the available grip, so the vehicle follows a wider arc than intended and drifts out of its lane.
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20. A helmet falls from the seat onto a hard floor but shows no cracks. What should the owner do?
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Answer C: Replace it or have it checked, because the liner can be crushed inside
The foam liner can be compressed with no outside sign, and crushed foam will not absorb a second impact, so a helmet that has taken a hard knock should be replaced.
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21. You have stopped on the shoulder of a busy freeway with a flat tire that you cannot change safely. Where should you and your passengers wait?
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Answer A: Well away from the traffic side, behind a barrier or up the bank if there is one
People struck on the shoulder are a common cause of roadside deaths, so wait away from the traffic side and behind any barrier.
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22. How does marijuana affect a driver?
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Answer C: It slows reaction time and impairs judgment of time and distance
Marijuana impairs coordination, attention and the ability to judge speed and distance. Driving while impaired by it is illegal everywhere, even where its use is legal.
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23. Some crosswalks are marked with two transverse lines and others with a row of wide bars laid along the direction of travel. Why is the second pattern used?
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Answer B: It is far easier for an approaching driver to see
Longitudinal bar patterns are used where extra visibility is wanted, such as an uncontrolled crossing or one near a school, because they show up much better from a car.
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24. Under Massachusetts General Laws chapter 90 section 17C, what may a city or town adopt for its thickly settled roads?
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Answer C: A 25 mph limit signed at its borders
Section 17C lets a community adopt a lower thickly settled limit, and signs announcing it must be posted at all entrances to that city or town.
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25. What does a flashing yellow traffic light mean?
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Answer B: Slow down and proceed with caution
A flashing yellow lets you enter the intersection cautiously after yielding to pedestrians and to conflicting traffic that is already there.