Hazard Perception and Risk Management
Hazard perception is about seeing trouble before it reaches you. Scan far ahead, not just the vehicle in front, and build a mental map of escape routes. The core skill is identifying the 'hazard' - anything that could force you to change speed or direction - and deciding early whether to adjust. Common hazards for riders include vehicles emerging from driveways, cars turning across your path, doors opening, gravel or oil on corners, and animals.
Riders are less visible than cars, so assume you have not been seen. Position yourself where other drivers' mirrors will catch you, avoid sitting in blind spots, and make eye contact where possible. In rain, reduce speed and increase gap; painted lines, manhole covers and tram tracks become slippery. At night, ride within the range of your headlight.
Traps in questions: options that describe 'accelerating to get through' a developing hazard; assuming a driver who indicates will actually turn; and treating a green light as an unconditional right to proceed. The correct answer is almost always the one that buys time and space.
Worked example: approaching an intersection where a car waits to turn across you - cover the brakes, reduce speed slightly, and be ready to stop. If the driver's wheels begin to move, you already have a plan. Rule of thumb: if you cannot stop within the distance you can see to be clear, you are riding too fast for the conditions.