A motorcycle ahead of you at an intersection has its turn signal flashing. What does the manual tell you to do?
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A.
Pull out right away, since the rider has signaled the turn.
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B.
Sound your horn to confirm the rider sees you before you go.
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C.
Wait until the motorcycle actually starts turning before you pull out. Correct
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D.
Assume the rider changed their mind and treat the signal as off.
The answer is "Wait until the motorcycle actually starts turning before you pull out."
Wait until you see the motorcycle actually begin the turn before you pull out. Choice A is the car-driver habit of trusting a flashing signal to mean a turn is imminent, but motorcycle signals often stay on from an earlier lane change and do not self-cancel.
The traps in the wrong answers
A. Pull out right away, since the rider has signaled the turn.
Motorcycle signals often do not cancel on their own, so a flash may be left over from an earlier maneuver. This answer treats a motorcycle signal like a car signal that self-cancels after a turn.
B. Sound your horn to confirm the rider sees you before you go.
The manual tells you to wait for actual movement, not to prompt the rider with a horn. This answer applies the courtesy-horn habit drivers use in parking lots to a rule that instead calls for silent observation.
D. Assume the rider changed their mind and treat the signal as off.
Ignoring the signal is not the fix; waiting for the actual turn is. This answer overcorrects on the signals-can-lie idea by discarding the signal entirely instead of waiting for actual movement.
This question tests your knowledge of Sharing the Road in Pennsylvania. Source: Pennsylvania Driver Manual, "Sharing the Road with Pedestrians, Bicyclists, and Motorcyclists and Moped Drivers - Motorcyclists and Moped Drivers," p.56..
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