Motorway Riding Flashcards
6 cards from real DVSA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Motorway Riding flashcards as text
What is the danger of wind buffeting from large vehicles when riding on a motorway?
Answer: Turbulence from lorries and buses can push a motorcycle sideways, requiring constant correction and a firm grip
Large vehicles create significant air turbulence that can push a motorcycle sideways. This occurs when overtaking, being overtaken by, or riding alongside lorries and coaches. Riders should anticipate the buffeting, maintain a firm grip, and avoid riding too close to large vehicles.
What are emergency refuge areas (ERAs) on smart motorways and why are they important?
Answer: Laybys at regular intervals providing a safe place to stop in emergencies on motorways without a hard shoulder
Emergency refuge areas are laybys at intervals on smart motorways (which may not have a continuous hard shoulder). They provide a safe place to stop in emergencies, with an emergency phone and sometimes CCTV. Knowing their locations is vital on motorways with no hard shoulder.
How should a motorcyclist leave a motorway?
Answer: Signal left, move into the left lane well before the junction, and decelerate on the slip road — not on the motorway
Plan your exit in advance. Move to the left lane in good time, signal left from the 300-yard marker, and maintain motorway speed until you enter the slip road. Decelerate on the slip road, not on the main carriageway. Check your speedometer as you may have speed blindness after high-speed riding.
What is 'speed blindness' and why does it affect motorcyclists leaving a motorway?
Answer: After sustained high-speed riding, your perception of speed is distorted, making slower speeds feel unnaturally slow
After riding at motorway speeds for an extended period, your brain adapts to the high speed. When you exit the motorway and decelerate, 30 or 40 mph can feel like walking pace. This can cause you to enter roundabouts and bends at dangerously high speeds. Always check your speedometer.
What should a motorcyclist consider about spray in wet motorway conditions?
Answer: Spray from other vehicles drastically reduces visibility — increase following distance and consider pulling over if conditions become too dangerous
Spray from other vehicles, particularly lorries, can dramatically reduce a motorcyclist's visibility to near zero. Unlike car drivers, motorcyclists have no windscreen wipers. Riders should increase following distances, avoid sitting in spray plumes, and consider stopping if visibility becomes too poor.
What is the correct procedure for overtaking on a motorway?
Answer: Check mirrors, signal right, do a lifesaver check, move to the next lane when safe, overtake, then signal left and return
Always overtake on the right. Check mirrors thoroughly, signal right, perform a lifesaver check to the right, move to the next lane when safe, complete the overtake, then signal left and return to the left when clear. Undertaking (overtaking on the left) is generally prohibited.