Section 3: Other types of vehicles

Question 1

You are travelling behind a bus that pulls up at a bus stop. What should you do?

• *_{Mark two answers}
  a) Accelerate past the bus sounding your horn**

b) Watch carefully for pedestrians

c) Be ready to give way to the bus

d) Pull in closely behind the bus

Answer 1

• *b) Watch carefully for pedestrians
  c) Be ready to give way to the bus**

As part of their routine to assess the hazards ahead, good drivers will look to see how many people are waiting at a bus stop and how many passengers are going to get off a bus pulling up at the stop in front of them.

Question 2

When follwoing a large vehicle you should keep well back because

a) It allows the driver to see you in his mirrors

b) It helps the large vehicle to stop more easily

c) It allows you to corner more quickly

d) It helps you keep out of the wind

Answer 2

a) It allows the driver to see you in his mirrors

When you are following a large vehicle and especially when you are intending to overtake it, make sure that your position and speed allow the driver to see both you and your signal.

Question 3

You are following a long vehicle approaching a crossroads. The driver signals right but moves close to the left-hand kerb. What should you do?

a) Warn the driver of the wrong signal

b) Wait behind the long vehicle

c) Report the driver to the police

d) Overtake on the right-hand side

Answer 3

b) Wait behind the long vehicle

Question 4

Which vehicle might have to use a different course to normal at roundabouts?

a) Sports car

b) Van

c) Estate car

d) Long vehicle

Answer 4

d) Long vehicle

Remember that long large vehicles and articulated lorries are slower and far more difficult to manoeuvre than cars and motorcycles.

Question 5

Why is passing a lorry more risky than passing a car?

a) Lorries are longer than cars

b) Lorries may suddenly pull up

c) The brakes of lorries are not as good

d) Lorries climb hills more slowly

Answer 5

a) Lorries are longer than cars

When you overtake a long lorry your car is likely to be further across on the wrong side of the road and for a longer time than it would be when you overtake another car. Two cars coming towards each other at 60mph will be closing the gap between them at 120mph and get 54m (176ft) closer together every second. If you need only 4 extra seconds to overtake a lorry, you would need to be at least an extra 50 car lengths away from the oncoming car.

Question 6

Before overtaking a large vehicle you should keep well back