Alabama ALEA Motorcycle Practice Test 21
- Questions30
- Correct to pass24
- Passing score80%
- Minimum age16 years
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1. An arrow panel at a work zone displays a flashing arrow pointing to the left. What does it require?
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Answer C: Move out of the closed lane into the lane on the left
A flashing or sequential arrow on an arrow panel directs traffic out of a closed lane and into the lane the arrow points to.
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2. You need to leave the road and pull onto the shoulder. What should you check first?
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Answer A: Whether the shoulder surface is firm enough to support the motorcycle
Soft or loose shoulder material can grab the wheels or let the side stand sink, so confirm the surface is firm, signal, and then pull well clear of traffic.
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3. You are wearing a high visibility jacket. How should that change the way you ride?
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Answer B: You still ride as though drivers have not seen you
Bright gear improves your odds of being noticed but guarantees nothing, so keep the lane position, space cushion and escape routes that protect you anyway.
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4. Which item of clothing does Alabama law specifically require when operating or riding a motorcycle?
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Answer C: Shoes
Alabama law states that no person may operate or ride upon a motorcycle or motor driven cycle without wearing shoes, while jackets and gloves are only encouraged.
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5. Which sign shape is reserved for one message only, the requirement to stop?
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Answer A: The octagon
The octagon is used for the stop sign and for no other message, so the outline alone identifies the requirement even when the legend is hard to read.
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6. What should a rider look for in rain gear?
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Answer A: A riding rain suit that fits close and will not balloon or tear at speed
Rain gear designed for riding stays sealed and stays put in the airstream, while loose garments can flap, tear or interfere with the controls.
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7. You are approaching a refuse collection truck working along your street. What should you expect?
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Answer D: Workers stepping into the road around the truck
Collection crews move constantly between the truck and the curb, often from where you cannot see them, so slow right down and pass only when the whole area is clear.
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8. A bicycle symbol topped by two chevrons is painted in the middle of a travel lane. What does that marking indicate?
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Answer D: Bicyclists share the lane with motor vehicles and may ride away from the curb
A shared lane marking shows drivers where bicyclists are likely to ride in a lane used by both bicycles and motor vehicles.
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9. In the T-CLOCS pre-ride inspection, what does the first item cover?
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Answer C: Tires and wheels
T stands for tires and wheels, where the rider checks pressure, tread, damage, rims, spokes and bearings before anything else.
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10. You are traveling at 55 mph and see a vehicle ahead moving at about 15 mph. What is the hazard?
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Answer A: You reach it far sooner than you expect
At a 40 mph difference you cover the gap in a few seconds, which is why drivers strike slow vehicles they saw in plenty of time.
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11. A yellow sign reading DEAD END is posted at the entrance to a street. What does it mean?
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Answer D: The street ends and there is no way through
A dead end street stops at its far end, so a driver who enters must come back out the same way.
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12. Two solid white lines are painted between your lane and the lane beside it. What do they mean?
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Answer D: Crossing from one lane to the other is prohibited
Double solid white lines separate lanes of traffic going the same way and may not be crossed.
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13. On the Interstate system, what do the odd-numbered one and two digit routes have in common?
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Answer D: They run mainly north and south
Odd numbers are given to north and south Interstates and even numbers to east and west ones, with the numbers rising toward the north and the east.
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14. Why is dusk one of the harder times of day to drive?
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Answer B: The failing light blurs shapes into the background
In fading light there is not enough contrast to pick objects out, yet it is not dark enough for headlights to do the work, so pedestrians and cyclists disappear.
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15. What is the proper use of the horn?
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Answer C: To give a brief warning when another road user may not have seen you
The horn is a warning device meant to alert someone to your presence when a collision is possible, and using it in anger tends to escalate conflict rather than prevent crashes.
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16. Why is it worth planning your route before a long drive?
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Answer B: So that you are not reading a map or a screen while the car is moving
A driver who knows the route is not navigating at the wheel, which is one of the commonest sources of distraction.
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17. A sign showing a walking figure inside a red circle with a diagonal slash stands at the start of a bridge. What does it mean?
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Answer C: People on foot may not use that roadway
The no pedestrians sign excludes people on foot from that roadway altogether, which is common on high-speed bridges and freeways.
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18. You have just ridden over a large object lying in the road. What should you do next?
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Answer A: Pull over when it is safe and check the tires and rims for damage
An impact can cut a tire, dent a rim or bend a fork without giving any immediate change in how the machine feels, so it deserves a look.
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19. What is the correct order of a pass on a two-lane road?
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Answer A: Check ahead and behind, signal left, move out, accelerate past, signal right and return
A pass begins with the decision that the road is clear and ends with a signaled return, and each step warns other drivers before the vehicle moves.
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20. A yellow sign reads SOFT SHOULDER. What is it telling you?
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Answer C: The shoulder may not carry the weight of a vehicle
A soft shoulder is unpaved and can let a wheel sink, so a driver who leaves the pavement there may lose control or become stuck.
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21. A farm implement ahead of you on a two-lane road is wider than its own lane. What should you do?
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Answer D: Hang back until you can see past it and pass only with a clear road
Wide equipment hides the road ahead and may extend farther across the center line than it appears, so the pass needs more room and a much better view.
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22. Alcohol is classified as which kind of drug?
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Answer B: A depressant that slows the central nervous system
As a depressant, alcohol slows the brain and nervous system, which lengthens reaction time and dulls the coordination that driving depends on.
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23. You approach a one-lane bridge and there is a yield sign facing your side of it. What does that mean?
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Answer B: Oncoming traffic crosses the bridge first and you wait at the approach
At a one-lane bridge the yield sign tells one direction to give way, so you wait clear of the bridge until oncoming traffic has crossed.
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24. How should a riding jacket fit?
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Answer B: Snug at the neck, wrists and waist so that it cannot balloon open
A jacket closed at the openings stays in place in a fall and does not flap in the wind, which is both tiring and distracting.
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25. Where should a rider keep the knees while riding?
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Answer B: Against the fuel tank
Knees held against the tank anchor the rider to the motorcycle and improve balance, which matters most in turns.
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26. Why is hearing protection recommended even under a full face helmet?
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Answer D: Long term exposure to wind and road noise can cause permanent hearing damage
Airflow around a helmet produces high noise levels, and good hearing protection lowers that noise while still letting the rider hear horns and sirens.
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27. You park at the roadside on a hill, facing downhill. What keeps the motorcycle from rolling away?
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Answer D: Leaving it in first gear with the front wheel turned toward the curb
A motorcycle has no parking brake, so the transmission left in gear stops the wheel turning and the front wheel turned into the curb blocks any roll.
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28. What does a light drag of the rear brake do during a slow, tight turn?
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Answer C: It steadies the motorcycle and smooths out the power reaching the rear wheel
Working the rear brake against a slipping clutch takes the jerkiness out of the drivetrain and holds the machine steady through the turn.
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29. How can the vehicle ahead of you help you read the road at night?
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Answer A: Its headlights light the road further ahead than yours can reach
The lights of the vehicle ahead reach beyond your own beam, so its brake lights and the way it moves warn you about holes, turns and hazards you cannot yet see.
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30. What marking identifies an Alabama STAR ID driver license or identification card?
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Answer A: A gold star in the upper left corner
Alabama prints a gold star in the upper left corner of a STAR ID so that it is recognizable as a REAL ID compliant credential.