Road Signs

Study questions with answers

8 sample Road Signs questions with the correct answer, a short explanation, and the official handbook reference. Read through them, then take the quiz above.

1. 1. On a rectangular detector loop, a motorcycle is best positioned:

   Correct answer: Up front, in the middle

   For rectangular loops, the most sensitive area is up front, in the middle.

   Source: Oregon Motorcycle & Moped Manual, Section Five - Traffic Signals

2. 2. For a diamond-shaped detector loop, the most sensitive place to stop your motorcycle is:

   Correct answer: Just inside one of the points

   On a diamond-shaped loop, the most sensitive spot is just inside one of the points.

   Source: Oregon Motorcycle & Moped Manual, Section Five - Traffic Signals

3. 3. Many traffic signals detect waiting vehicles using:

   Correct answer: Wire loops buried in the pavement

   Many signals use inductive wire loops buried under the pavement; a vehicle's metal disrupts the current and triggers the signal to change.

   Source: Oregon Motorcycle & Moped Manual, Section Five - Traffic Signals

4. 4. At a blind intersection with a stop sign or stop line, you should:

   Correct answer: Stop at the line, then edge forward and stop again before the cross lane

   Come to a halt at the sign or line, creep ahead, and halt once more just before the crossing traffic, keeping the front tire clear of the cross lane as you look.

   Source: Oregon Motorcycle & Moped Manual, Section Five - Blind Intersections

5. 5. Besides buried loops, traffic signals may also detect vehicles with:

   Correct answer: Cameras, infrared, or microwave sensors

   Certain systems rely on cameras, infrared, or microwave technology to notice that a vehicle has arrived.

   Source: Oregon Motorcycle & Moped Manual, Section Five - Traffic Signals

6. 6. How can a rider spot where a signal's detector loop is buried?

   Correct answer: By tar-filled cuts in the pavement

   Watch for a tar-sealed slot in the road surface, which shows where the sensing wire lies.

   Source: Oregon Motorcycle & Moped Manual, Section Five - Traffic Signals

7. 7. For a circular detector loop, the most sensitive spot is about:

   Correct answer: One-quarter of the way in

   On circular loops, the most sensitive point is roughly one-quarter of the way in.

   Source: Oregon Motorcycle & Moped Manual, Section Five - Traffic Signals

8. 8. If a signal controlled by a vehicle detector never turns green for your motorcycle, Oregon law lets you:

   Correct answer: Proceed with caution through the intersection after a full cycle

   If the device fails to detect your motorcycle and stays red through one full cycle, you may proceed with caution after waiting the cycle and yielding to people walking or rolling.

   Source: Oregon Motorcycle & Moped Manual, Section Five - Traffic Signals