RTT Defensive Riding & Hazard Awareness 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When riding through a curve and you realize you are going too fast, the correct response is to:
- Brake hard and straighten the bike before the apex
- Look through the curve, lean more, and apply gradual braking if needed (Correct answer)
- Shift to a lower gear to slow the engine
- Put your foot down for stability
Correct answer: Look through the curve, lean more, and apply gradual braking if needed
Looking through the curve and smoothly adjusting lean angle and throttle is safer than braking abruptly mid-curve, which can cause a slide.
Question 2: Wearing bright or reflective gear is an example of which defensive strategy?
- Hazard prediction
- Increasing conspicuity (Correct answer)
- Lane position management
- Escape route planning
Correct answer: Increasing conspicuity
Conspicuity strategies make you more visible to other road users, reducing the chance they will fail to see you.
Question 3: What hazard is most commonly associated with the first rain after a long dry spell?
- Flash flooding in low-lying road sections
- Extremely slippery roads as oil and rubber residue mix with water (Correct answer)
- Reduced visibility from road spray obscuring lane markings
- Increased tire pressure from rising road temperature
Correct answer: Extremely slippery roads as oil and rubber residue mix with water
After a dry period, oil, rubber, and dust build up on the road surface and become extremely slippery when first wetted by rain.
Question 4: When approaching a blind hilltop crest on a two-lane road, you should:
- Accelerate to minimize time in the potential oncoming-traffic zone
- Move to the left of your lane to maximize sight distance
- Reduce speed and stay to the right of your lane (Correct answer)
- Sound your horn continuously until the crest is passed
Correct answer: Reduce speed and stay to the right of your lane
Slowing and keeping right keeps you out of the opposing traffic path and gives you more time to react to hazards hidden by the crest.
Question 5: You are about to be rear-ended and have no time to accelerate away. Your best option is to:
- Lay the bike down to minimize the impact profile
- Steer quickly into an adjacent lane or onto the shoulder if clear (Correct answer)
- Apply the front brake hard to transfer weight rearward
- Stand on the footpegs and hold on tightly
Correct answer: Steer quickly into an adjacent lane or onto the shoulder if clear
Moving laterally into a clear space takes you out of the collision path; laying the bike down or braking increases your exposure.
Question 6: Which of the following BEST describes a 'covered brake' technique?
- Fully applying both brakes before entering a hazard zone
- Resting one or two fingers on the brake lever without squeezing (Correct answer)
- Locking the rear brake to slow gradually in wet conditions
- Keeping the throttle closed while descending steep grades
Correct answer: Resting one or two fingers on the brake lever without squeezing
Covering the brake — resting fingers on the lever without applying pressure — reduces reaction time by a critical fraction of a second when a hazard appears.
Question 7: When riding past a row of parked cars, which hazard requires the most constant attention?
- Vehicle exhaust fumes drifting into your path
- Pedestrians stepping out from between parked cars (Correct answer)
- Road debris accumulating at the edge of the travel lane
- Parked cars blocking your view of traffic signals
Correct answer: Pedestrians stepping out from between parked cars
Pedestrians can step out suddenly from between parked cars with no warning, leaving little time to react.
RTT Defensive Riding & Hazard Awareness 5
When riding through a curve and you realize you are going too fast, the correct response is to: