Speed Limits & Following Distance — New York
New York motorcycle permit practice test: 84 free practice questions (Based on the official driver handbook). Official test format: 20 Q, pass 14 incl. >=2 of 4 sign Qs. Speed Limits & Following Distance: 4 questions.
Posted speed limits, school and construction zones, stopping and following distance.
This topic page is still being reviewed against the official handbook. Until review is finished it is hidden from search engines.
| Topic / Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Topic | Speed Limits & Following Distance |
| License test | New York Motorcycle permit test |
| Topic questions | 4 (5% of 84 total) |
| Review status | This topic page is still being reviewed against the official handbook. Until review is finished it is hidden from search engines. |
Official handbook
NY Motorcycle Operator's Manual (MV-21MC) ✓ Verified from official source
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Questions (4)
1. Taking a turn too fast:
- Is acceptable as long as you stay under the speed limit.
- Is safer on a motorcycle than in a car.
- Is acceptable as long as no vehicles are near you.
- Can cause you to end up in another lane or leave the road. ✓
Answer: D. Can cause you to end up in another lane or leave the road.
Taking a turn too fast can cause you to end up in another lane or leave the road. The manual says riders often enter turns and curves too fast. When the motorcycle cannot hold the turn, the rider may cross into another lane of traffic or go off the road. The same passage adds that a rider may react by braking too hard, which can cause a skid and loss of control. The answer matches that direct warning about what happens when speed is too high for the turn.
2. When riding at night, how should your following distance compare to your following distance during the day?
- You should allow a longer following distance when following another vehicle at night. ✓
- You should allow a shorter following distance when following another vehicle at night.
- You should always maintain the same following distance regardless of the time of day.
- Following distance really doesn’t matter.
Answer: A. You should allow a longer following distance when following another vehicle at night.
At night you should allow a longer following distance than you do during the day. The manual says that at night it is harder for you to see and be seen, and that distances are harder to judge because your eyes depend on shadows and light contrasts. To make up for that, it tells riders to open up a three-second following distance or more, which is longer than the two-second minimum described for normal daytime following. It also says to allow more room when passing and being passed. So the night rule is built around giving yourself extra space, not the same space or less.
3. To reduce the amount of time you need to react to a hazard, you should:
- Always ride under the speed limit.
- Cover the clutch and brakes. ✓
- Shift into neutral when slowing.
- Pull the clutch when turning.
Answer: B. Cover the clutch and brakes.
Cover the clutch and both brakes so you're ready to act the moment something develops. The manual tells riders that in potential high-risk areas — intersections, shopping areas, school and construction zones — you should cover the clutch and both brakes. Having your hands and foot already in position on the controls shortens the time it takes you to respond when a hazard appears. The same page of the manual asks directly how to reduce reaction time and gives covering the clutch lever and brakes as the answer, so this is the manual's own rule rather than a guess.
4. The best way to handle tailgaters is to:
- Change lanes and let them pass. ✓
- Use your horn and make obscene gestures.
- Speed up to put distance between you and the tailgater.
- Come to a complete stop.
Answer: A. Change lanes and let them pass.
Change lanes and let the tailgater pass, so the person following too closely ends up in front of you. The manual says that speeding up to lose a close follower can just leave you being tailgated at a higher speed, and that a better approach is to get that rider in front of you. Moving to another lane and letting them go by does exactly that. If you cannot let them pass, the manual suggests slowing down and leaving extra room ahead so both you and the tailgater have space to stop, which also nudges them to pass. Turning off the road or pulling into a parking area and coming back later are other options it lists.
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Source
Last checked: 2026-10-17 · Verified from official source
Updated: · Based on the official driver handbook