When crossing railway tracks
- speed up and cross straight as quickly as possible.
- cross at an angle of less tha 45 degrees.
- cross straight on and slow down if the track is very angled and you think it could trap your wheels.
- cross as close as possible to a 90 degree angle. ✓
Answer: D. cross as close as possible to a 90 degree angle.
Cross railway tracks as close as possible to a 90-degree angle, especially when the track is angled enough to catch your wheels.
Why this is the answer
The handbook says railway tracks can jar or trap your wheels and cause you to lose traction. It first advises riding straight across within your lane. When the track is angled too much and might trap a wheel, it says to slow down and angle the bike so you meet the track near 90 degrees, with 45 to 90 degrees described as safe. That makes a near-right-angle crossing the correct choice.
Why the other answers are wrong
- A. speed up and cross straight as quickly as possible. — Speeding up is not what the handbook advises; for an angled track it tells you to slow down and adjust your angle.
- B. cross at an angle of less tha 45 degrees. — The handbook treats 45 to 90 degrees as safe, so crossing at less than 45 degrees falls below that range.
- C. cross straight on and slow down if the track is very angled and you think it could trap your wheels. — Slowing down can be part of the response, but the handbook adds that you should angle the bike toward 90 degrees rather than stay straight on when the track could trap your wheels.
Remember it
Think right angle first: meet the rail as squarely as you can, and slow down when the track's angle threatens to catch a wheel.