Speed & Space Management

Study questions with answers

12 sample Speed & Space Management questions with the correct answer, a short explanation, and the official handbook reference. Read through them, then take the quiz above.

1. 1. You should open up to at least a three-second following distance in which situation?

   Correct answer: When the pavement is slippery or you can't see past the vehicle ahead

   Increase to three or more seconds when the pavement is slippery, you can't see past the vehicle ahead, or traffic is heavy and someone may cut in.

   Source: Maryland Motorcycle Operator Manual (DL-001) — Keeping Your Distance: Following Another Vehicle

2. 2. How much space should you allow if the driver ahead might stop suddenly and you may need to stop or swerve?

   Correct answer: Four or more seconds

   Allow four or more seconds of space to stop or swerve safely if the vehicle ahead should stop suddenly.

   Source: Maryland Motorcycle Operator Manual (DL-001) — Keeping Your Distance: Following Another Vehicle

3. 3. What are the four steps for safely taking a turn?

   Correct answer: Slow, Look, Press, Roll

   The manual teaches SLOW, LOOK, PRESS, ROLL: slow before the turn, look through it, press the handgrip to lean, then roll on the throttle.

   Source: Maryland Motorcycle Operator Manual (DL-001) — Ride Within Your Abilities: Turning

4. 4. The manual describes the best protection around your motorcycle as what?

   Correct answer: A cushion of space

   A cushion of space all around the motorcycle gives you time to react and room to maneuver if someone else makes a mistake.

   Source: Maryland Motorcycle Operator Manual (DL-001) — Keeping Your Distance

5. 5. Why should you roll on the throttle through a turn?

   Correct answer: To stabilize the suspension and keep the bike stable

   Rolling on the throttle through the turn stabilizes the suspension and helps keep the motorcycle steady as you maintain or gradually increase speed.

   Source: Maryland Motorcycle Operator Manual (DL-001) — Ride Within Your Abilities: Turning

6. 6. When cornering with no traffic present, where can you start to improve your line of sight?

   Correct answer: At the outside of the curve

   With no traffic near, begin at the outer edge of the curve to open up your view and enlarge the turn's working radius, then cut toward the inside and drift back out to exit.

   Source: Maryland Motorcycle Operator Manual (DL-001) — Crash Avoidance: Cornering

7. 7. When carrying a passenger, how should you adjust your following and gap decisions?

   Correct answer: Keep a larger cushion and wait for bigger gaps

   With a passenger the bike responds more slowly, so ride a little slower, start slowing earlier, keep a bigger cushion, and wait for larger gaps.

   Source: Maryland Motorcycle Operator Manual (DL-001) — Carrying Passengers and Cargo: Riding With Passengers

8. 8. What minimum following distance does the manual recommend behind the vehicle ahead in normal conditions?

   Correct answer: At least two seconds

   Keep at least a two-second following distance in normal conditions; this gives you time to react to what the vehicle ahead does.

   Source: Maryland Motorcycle Operator Manual (DL-001) — Keeping Your Distance: Following Another Vehicle

9. 9. What most often causes single-vehicle motorcycle crashes in turns?

   Correct answer: Too much speed

   Too much speed is usually the cause of single-vehicle crashes in turns, leading riders to cross into another lane or run off the road.

   Source: Maryland Motorcycle Operator Manual (DL-001) — Ride Within Your Abilities: Turning

10. 10. In the SLOW-LOOK-PRESS-ROLL sequence, when should all braking be done?

    Correct answer: Before leaning the motorcycle

    All braking should be completed before you lean the motorcycle into the turn, so you reduce speed first and then lean.

    Source: Maryland Motorcycle Operator Manual (DL-001) — Ride Within Your Abilities: Turning

11. 11. At night, how much following distance should you keep because distances are harder to judge?

    Correct answer: Three seconds or more

    Open up a three-second or greater following distance at night, and allow more room to pass and be passed, since contrasts that reveal distance are missing.

    Source: Maryland Motorcycle Operator Manual (DL-001) — Riding at Night

12. 12. How do you measure a two-second following distance?

    Correct answer: Count seconds from when the vehicle ahead passes a fixed marker

    Choose a fixed marker; as the vehicle ahead passes it, count off two seconds. If your bike reaches that marker before you finish counting, you are too close.

    Source: Maryland Motorcycle Operator Manual (DL-001) — Keeping Your Distance: Following Another Vehicle