PA Motorcycle Permit Test​: Visibility & Positioning

Lane Positioning for Maximum Visibility

Pick a lane track on purpose. Always. In Pennsylvania, most lanes give you three basic choices: left, center, or right. Your job is to choose the one that helps you see ahead, helps other drivers notice you, and keeps you away from the worst road hazards.

Left track works well when you want to be more visible to oncoming traffic and to drivers ahead of you. It can also help you see around a car in front. On I-76 near Philadelphia or on I-376 near Pittsburgh’s tunnels, that extra sight line matters. A lot.

Center track is not automatically “best.” It’s often where oil drips, where wet leaves collect, and where debris ends up. Sometimes it’s still the right choice, like when you need maximum buffer from cars on both sides. But don’t live there by habit.

Right track can give you more space from oncoming traffic and can set you up for an exit, like on US-22 around Allentown or the PA Turnpike ramps. It can also make you less visible if a driver is scanning the left side of the lane. So you adjust.

• Left track for sight lines and presence
• Center track only when it truly buys you space
• Right track to avoid hazards or prep for turns
  This one trips people up.

Also remember surface conditions. Wet paint, metal plates in work zones, and trolley tracks in Philadelphia can all change traction fast. Short moment. Big consequence.

---

Avoiding Blind Spots

Blind spots are where motorcycles disappear. It happens constantly around large vehicles, especially trucks on I-78, I-80, and I-81. You don’t “hang out” next to them. You pass or you fall back. Simple.

When you’re behind a vehicle, don’t ride directly in the center of the lane if it blocks your view. Shift to the left or right track so you can see through windows or around the vehicle’s edge. If you can’t see the driver’s mirrors, assume they can’t see you. That’s a good test rule and a good life rule.

In Reading or Erie, you’ll often be near SUVs and delivery vans with limited rear visibility. Give them room. If you’re next to a bus or box truck, stay out of the zone where they might drift. Wind buffeting can push you too, especially on bridges and open stretches.

Use lane position to communicate. If you’re going to pass, move to a track that makes you obvious in the other driver’s mirror, then pass at a steady pace. Don’t race. Don’t creep.

• Don’t ride beside a truck for more than a moment
• Ride where you can see mirrors and be seen in them
• Create space before you change lanes
  This one trips people up.

And yes, PennDOT test questions love this topic. They’ll ask what you should do near a large vehicle, and two options will sound “safe.” Choose the one that gets you out of the blind spot.

---

Intersection Positioning Strategies

Intersections are where a lot of crashes start. Fast. The Motorcycle Permit Test will expect you to know how to set up a safe stop, keep an escape route, and avoid being trapped between cars.

Approach with a plan. As you slow, pick a lane track that increases your view of cross traffic and makes you visible to left turners. In Pittsburgh, drivers may try a quick left on green. In Philly, someone may roll through late. You can’t control them. You can control your position.

At a stop, don’t stop too close to the vehicle ahead. Leave room to move. Keep your bike in gear, clutch in, eyes up. Look for gaps. If a car is coming up behind you fast, you want an out.

When you’re first in line at a red light, avoid parking yourself in the dead center where you’re boxed in. Angle slightly within your lane so you have an escape path to the left or right track if needed. Not dramatic. Just ready.

When turning left, don’t cut the corner. Stay in your lane. When turning right, watch for pedestrians, bikes, and curbside hazards. Pennsylvania drivers must give bicycles four feet when passing, and you’ll share space with cyclists in cities like Philadelphia and Bethlehem. Give them room. Always.

• Stop with space in front for an escape route
• Watch left turners and late cross traffic
• Choose a track that keeps you visible at the light
  This one trips people up.

One more thing. Read every word on the exam. “Best position” depends on the situation, and that’s the point. You’re learning to think, not just to memorize.