Massachusetts RMV Motorcycle Practice Test 52
- Questions25
- Correct to pass18
- Passing score72%
- Minimum age16 years
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1. A disabled vehicle is blocking your lane on a two-lane road with a single solid yellow line on your side. What should you do?
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Answer C: Wait until the oncoming lane is clear, then go around carefully
The solid line prohibits overtaking a moving vehicle, but in most states a driver may go around an obstruction such as a disabled vehicle once the oncoming lane is clear and the move can be made safely.
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2. You are following a car at night with the high beam on. What should you do?
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Answer C: Switch to the low beam so the driver ahead is not blinded
A high beam fills the mirrors of the vehicle ahead and blinds its driver, which is dangerous for the very driver most able to affect the rider.
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3. A yield sign is posted where an entrance ramp meets the highway. What must you do?
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Answer C: Give way to the traffic already on the highway and merge into a gap
The yield sign confirms that the merging driver is the one who must fit into the traffic stream rather than the other way round.
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4. You have just ridden over a large object lying in the road. What should you do next?
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Answer A: Pull over when it is safe and check the tires and rims for damage
An impact can cut a tire, dent a rim or bend a fork without giving any immediate change in how the machine feels, so it deserves a look.
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5. The traffic around you is moving well above the limit on a wide highway. What should you do?
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Answer D: Keep to the limit and stay to the right, letting faster traffic pass
The limit is a legal maximum, and the safe way to differ from the traffic around you is to keep right and let it go by.
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6. Where in the United States may a motorcycle ride between lanes of traffic?
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Answer C: Only where a state has specifically authorized it
Riding between lanes is prohibited in most states and permitted only where a state law expressly allows it, so a rider must know the rule for the state being ridden in.
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7. A steady green arrow pointing left is displayed for your turning lane. What does it tell you?
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Answer D: The turn is protected because conflicting traffic is being held
A steady green arrow gives a protected movement in the direction shown, although you still yield to pedestrians and to any vehicle already inside the intersection.
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8. When should a staggered group change to single file?
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Answer C: In curves, in turns, and when entering or leaving a highway
Curves, turns and highway entrances and exits require the full width of the lane, so the group rides single file at those points.
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9. A pedestrian is crossing a wide four-lane street and has reached the lanes on the far side. When may you go on?
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Answer C: Only after the person has finished crossing the roadway
Waiting until the pedestrian has finished crossing is correct in every state and removes any doubt about how much clearance your state demands.
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10. How should your speed behave while you move from one lane into the next?
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Answer C: Keep it steady or adjust it smoothly to match the traffic in the new lane
A lane change works best as a smooth movement at the speed of the lane you are joining, since sudden braking or acceleration surprises the drivers around you.
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11. Why should riders avoid the center strip of the lane, especially where traffic stops often?
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Answer A: Because it collects oil and grease dripped from other vehicles
Drippings from other vehicles build up in the center of the lane, and the buildup is heaviest at busy intersections and toll booths where traffic sits waiting.
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12. What is the first riding effect of becoming dehydrated on a hot day?
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Answer D: Concentration and judgment fade before the rider feels very thirsty
Thirst lags behind fluid loss, so a rider can lose concentration and coordination before feeling thirsty. Drink regularly on hot rides rather than waiting.
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13. A yellow diamond on an exit ramp shows a truck tipping over onto two wheels. Which drivers does it concern most?
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Answer D: Those in tall vehicles carrying a high load
The truck rollover sign warns that the curve can overturn a vehicle with a high center of gravity, so such drivers must slow well below the normal ramp speed.
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14. You are passing a crash on the other side of a divided highway. What should you do?
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Answer D: Keep your eyes on your own lane and the traffic around you
Staring at a crash scene, often called rubbernecking, causes sudden slowing and secondary collisions. Your attention belongs on the traffic in front of you.
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15. In Massachusetts, three speeding violations within a 12 month period trigger which automatic action?
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Answer A: A 30 day license suspension
Three speeding violations inside a 12 month window, counted from the first citation, cause an automatic 30 day suspension.
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16. You are making a U-turn at a signal on a green left arrow. Who must you still watch for?
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Answer D: People in the crosswalk you will cross as you come around
Even a protected arrow does not clear the crosswalk, and a U-turn sweeps across a crosswalk that pedestrians may already be using.
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17. How does the crown of a road affect a turn made on it?
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Answer C: Turning toward the low side leaves less ground clearance for leaning
Leaning down the slope of the crown adds the slope to the lean angle, so the footrests and other parts reach the pavement sooner than they otherwise would.
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18. Enhanced reference location markers differ from ordinary mileposts in that they
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Answer B: carry the route number and a mileage figure to the tenth of a mile
An enhanced reference location marker adds the route designation and carries the mileage to a tenth, so the point named is far more precise than a plain milepost.
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19. A rider signals that they need to stop, although nobody else in the group wants a break. What should happen?
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Answer A: The group stops, because a rider who needs a break should get one
A rider who is tired, cold or uncomfortable is a hazard to the whole group, and stopping costs far less than the mistake that follows.
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20. You are stopped in a line of traffic on a steep uphill grade. What should you do about the gap to the vehicle ahead?
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Answer B: Leave more room than usual, because vehicles can roll back as they pull away
A vehicle ahead can roll back a foot or more as its driver releases the brake, and a motorcycle stopped tight behind it has nowhere to go.
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21. You come up behind a bicyclist who is descending a steep hill in the middle of the traffic lane. What should you take into account?
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Answer D: The rider may be moving at close to the speed of the traffic
A bicycle can reach the speed of traffic on a descent, so there is little to gain from a pass and the rider needs the whole lane to steer around surface hazards.
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22. What is the correct way to apply the front brake when you need maximum braking?
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Answer C: Squeeze it progressively harder as weight settles onto the front tire
Progressive pressure lets load build on the front tire before the braking force does, so the tire has the grip needed to handle it.
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23. A United States numbered route is normally marked with
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Answer C: black numerals on a white shield
The U.S. route marker is a white shield carrying black numerals, which sets it apart at a glance from the red, white and blue Interstate shield.
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24. You have just had bad news and you feel very upset. What should you do?
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Answer B: Wait until you have calmed down, or else let somebody else drive
Strong emotion takes attention away from the road as surely as alcohol or fatigue, so it is a reason not to drive yet.
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25. Why is passing another vehicle a bad idea in dense fog?
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Answer C: You cannot see far enough ahead to know the passing lane is clear
A pass needs a clear view of the road well beyond the vehicle you are overtaking, and fog takes exactly that away.