Ontario M1: Road hazards, night and weather

All 31 questions in this test

Every question and its answer choices. The correct answers and explanations appear when you take the test above.

1. A car waits to turn left across your path at an intersection ahead. How should you position yourself?

   1. Move close to the centre line so the driver sees you
   2. Move as far right as possible to add space
   3. Stay exactly where you are
   4. Ride on the right shoulder

2. A train engineer sees you on the tracks and brakes as hard as possible. How far might the train travel before it stops?

   1. Up to 200 metres
   2. Up to two kilometres
   3. Up to 500 metres
   4. Up to five kilometres

3. You must ride a long stretch of snow-covered road. Which snow gives better traction?

   1. Snow in the centre of the lane
   2. Loose or fresh snow
   3. Hard-packed snow
   4. Snow mixed with ice

4. Railway signal lights start flashing as a train comes. What is the minimum distance from the nearest rail or gate to stop?

   1. One motorcycle length
   2. Ten metres
   3. Five metres
   4. Two metres

5. On a cold-weather ride, what does the handbook call probably your greatest danger?

   1. Fatigue brought on by the cold
   2. Lower fuel economy
   3. A dead battery after short stops
   4. Too much tire grip

6. Why may Level One (M1) riders not ride at night?

   1. Because of their inexperience
   2. Because motorcycle headlights are dim
   3. Because night roads are closed to them
   4. Because insurance does not cover it

7. Streetcar tracks run parallel to your path and you need to cross them. How should you do it?

   1. Edging across slowly while braking
   2. At a shallow angle of 10 to 15 degrees
   3. At an angle of at least 45 degrees
   4. Riding along between the rails first

8. On a gravel road, where should you ride?

   1. On the grass beside the road
   2. Along the edge, where the deeper gravel gives the tires more bite
   3. In the tire tracks, away from loose gravel at the edge
   4. In the centre between the tracks

9. As you approach a car waiting to turn left, what else should you pay attention to?

   1. Only the traffic light colour
   2. Only the car's turn signal
   3. Only the left-turning car's front wheels and driver
   4. Everything else happening around the intersection

10. Starting on a hill, what can happen if you release the clutch too quickly?

    1. The bike will roll forward safely in a lower gear
    2. The front wheel may lift or the engine may stall
    3. The rear brake will lock on
    4. The headlight will switch off

11. In winter, the asphalt ahead looks black and shiny instead of grey-white. What should you suspect?

    1. Road salt residue
    2. Fresh dry pavement
    3. Black ice
    4. Spilled oil

12. What is one of the most common causes of crashes between motorcycles and cars?

    1. A car turning left in front of the motorcycle
    2. A motorcycle rear-ending a stopped car
    3. A car backing out of a driveway
    4. A car passing a motorcycle on the right

13. Why should you avoid riding through puddles?

    1. Puddles always mean black ice
    2. Riding through water is illegal
    3. Water cools the engine too quickly and can crack the cylinders
    4. They can hide potholes and make your brakes less effective

14. At night, the tail lights of the car ahead bounce up and down. What does that tell you?

    1. The car is about to turn
    2. The car has a flat tire
    3. There are bumps or rough pavement ahead
    4. The driver is braking hard and may stop soon

15. The fog becomes too dense to continue. What should you do?

    1. Stop in your lane with your four-way flashers on
    2. Pull completely off the road to a safe area
    3. Follow closely behind a truck
    4. Speed up to get through it

16. You must ride over broken pavement. Which technique does the handbook recommend?

    1. Brake firmly as each bump arrives
    2. Rise slightly on the footrests and keep the bike upright
    3. Sit down hard on the seat and lean into each of the bumps
    4. Turn sharply to dodge each hole

17. What does cold weather do to your tires?

    1. It raises their air pressure
    2. It makes their tread deeper
    3. It lowers their air pressure
    4. It has no effect on them

18. Which lights should you use when riding in fog?

    1. Four-way flashers only
    2. Low beams, plus fog lights if you have them
    3. No lights, to avoid glare
    4. High beams, to light up as much of the fog as possible

19. You cannot avoid a patch of wet wooden planks or ice. What should you do?

    1. Speed up to get across faster
    2. Brake firmly while crossing it to keep your speed down
    3. Slow down before it and stay off the brakes on it
    4. Lean the bike to one side

20. Why is alcohol a bigger danger to riders at night?

    1. Helmet visors darken at night
    2. Night roads have no speed limits
    3. More drinking drivers are on the road
    4. Streetlights make alcohol stronger

21. Your motorcycle starts to feel loose on a metal bridge grating. What should you do?

    1. Stop and walk the bike across
    2. Keep a gentle but firm grip and ride smoothly
    3. Grip tightly and steer back and forth
    4. Brake hard until you are off it

22. Fog is thick and the centre line is hard to see. What should guide your path?

    1. The tail lights of oncoming cars
    2. The left shoulder
    3. The right edge of the road
    4. The centre line

23. You are starting uphill from a stop. After shifting into first, which brake holds the bike while your right hand works the throttle?

    1. The engine kill switch
    2. The rear foot brake
    3. No brake at all
    4. The front hand brake

24. In cold weather, where are icy patches especially likely to appear?

    1. Only on gravel roads
    2. On bridges, shady spots and windswept areas
    3. Only in parking lots
    4. On sunny, open stretches of highway at midday

25. What does it mean to overdrive your headlight?

    1. Using your high beam when other vehicles are close in front of you
    2. Riding so fast you cannot stop within the distance you can see
    3. Leaving your headlight on in daylight
    4. Riding with a headlight aimed too low

26. On a wet road, what do shiny areas on the pavement often mean?

    1. A recently salted surface
    2. Worn, polished pavement that is very slippery
    3. A painted bicycle lane
    4. Freshly laid pavement that gives good grip in the rain

27. You are crossing railway tracks on your motorcycle. What should you avoid doing?

    1. Keeping a steady speed
    2. Shifting gears on the tracks
    3. Riding straight across
    4. Looking both ways first

28. You must brake on a slippery road. Which brakes should you use?

    1. Neither; downshift only
    2. The front brake alone
    3. Both brakes together
    4. The rear brake alone

29. When riding at night, when should you use your high beam?

    1. When not following or meeting other vehicles
    2. Only when riding in fog or heavy rain
    3. Only when a car is just ahead of you
    4. Only on well-lit city streets

30. In the rain, which part of the lane is especially slippery near intersections?

    1. The centre, where oil builds up
    2. The right tire track
    3. The painted stop line only
    4. The left tire track

31. Crossing a very slippery surface on a motorcycle with gears, why should you pull in the clutch and coast?

    1. It lets the engine's heat warm up the rear tire
    2. It removes engine drag from the rear wheel
    3. It turns on your brake light
    4. It lowers the motorcycle's height