When you are studying for the car theory test you will need to study and practice 14 car theory test subjects. These subjects range from your attitude towards road users around you to the rules regarding the motorway.
Other Types of Vehicle – this car theory test subject has only 22 questions ranging from being aware of motorcyclists to keeping the right distance from long vehicles. Below is a list of two common questions that are found on the car theory test.
You’re following a long vehicle as it approaches a crossroads. What should you do if it signals left but moves to the right?
- Get closer in order to pass it quickly
- Stay well back and give it room
- Assume the signal is wrong and that it’s turning right
- Overtake it as it starts to slow down.
The three most common chosen answers to this car theory test question is ‘stay well back and give it room’, ‘assume the signal is wrong and that it’s turning right’ and ‘overtake it as it starts to slow down’. ‘Assume the signal is wrong and that it’s turning right’ may work some of the time but long vehicles like lorries and especially articulated lorries (lorries that have a joint, so like two parts) need a lot of room when they turn, more than cars do. If they turn into a tight road then they may need to take up the whole of the road before starting their turn so if you as a driver notices that a long vehicle is signalling one way and moving the other, do understand that it is likely they will be turning in the same direction as the signal once they have adjusted their road position. The next incorrect answer is ‘overtake it as it starts to slow down’ the problem with doing this is that as it starts to slow down, that’s probably because they are trying to get into position and thus its always best to leave the long vehicle as much space as possible as you may not be able to see if it’s completely safe to overtake. Hence, the correct answer to this car theory test question is of course ‘stay well back and give it room’. By giving the lorry plenty of room, you are allowing it to perform its manoeuvre without adding pressure or danger to the situation.
The next question on the theory test for cars that often causes confusion is listed below:
Which vehicles are least likely to be affected by side wind?
- Cyclists
- Motorcyclists
- High-sided vehicles
- Cars
A little bit of a double negative, this car theory test question seems to confuse many learner drivers. Many learners seem to think that this question is ‘which vehicles are likely to be affected by side wind’ either not noticing the least likely part or being confused by that. Unfortunately, double-negative questions seem to cause a lot of confusion especially more so in the Deaf, Autistic, Dyslexic community, and those with English as a secondary language. Now, looking deeper into the question we need to look at which vehicles are likely to be affected the least by side winds. ‘Cyclists?’ Hmm, pretty sure they would be affected quite considerably by winds. ‘Motorcyclists?’ not as much as cyclists as they are heavier but still not heavy enough so not the correct answer. ‘High-sided vehicles?’ many think that this is the correct answer but I am afraid its not. High-sided vehicles (tall lorries) are easy to blow over than shorter more squatter lorries so the correct answer to this theory test question has to be ‘cars.’ Cars are short and heavy which makes it a lot more difficult to blow over by side winds compared to the three other types of vehicle listed earlier.