What is the recommended following distance behind a motorcycle?
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A.
One second
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B.
Ten seconds
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C.
Three seconds Correct
The answer is "Three seconds"
The California manual sets a three-second following distance behind a motorcycle so you can react if the rider brakes suddenly or falls. The one-second gap in A is the tight city-traffic cushion drivers use behind other cars, standing in for the dedicated motorcycle figure the manual prints.
The traps in the wrong answers
A. One second
One second is not the following distance the manual prescribes for a motorcycle. This answer carries over the tight city-traffic gap drivers use behind other cars, ignoring the dedicated motorcycle figure the manual prints.
B. Ten seconds
Ten seconds is the scanning distance ahead of your vehicle, not the following distance behind a motorcycle. This answer swaps in the 10-second scanning figure from a nearby section of the manual, treating two different numbers as one.
This question tests your knowledge of Defensive Driving in California. Source: California Driver Manual, "Motorcycles," p.44..
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