Sharing the Road: Cars, Trucks, and Vulnerable Road Users
What this domain tests
Sharing the road means understanding the limits of large trucks, the unpredictability of pedestrians and cyclists, and the ways a motorcycle can be hidden in traffic.
Trucks
Large trucks have deep blind spots directly behind, directly in front, and along both sides. If you cannot see the truck driver's mirror, the driver probably cannot see you. Trucks need more room to stop and swing wide when turning; never pass a truck on the right as it prepares to turn. Do not linger alongside a truck. Pass promptly and leave space.
Vulnerable road users
Pedestrians, cyclists, road workers, and motorcyclists are unprotected. New Jersey's safe-passing law requires drivers to give vulnerable road users at least four feet when passing, and to slow to 25 mph if a safe four-foot gap is not possible. Scan for cyclists at intersections, especially before a right turn; a cyclist may be coming straight through. Give pedestrians time and space, and never pass a vehicle stopped at a crosswalk.
Motorcycle-specific sharing
Ride where drivers expect to see vehicles, avoid blind spots, and use the left portion of the lane when it improves sight distance. At intersections, position yourself to be visible and have an escape path. Do not assume a driver has seen you just because you can see the driver.
Worked example
A rider wants to pass a cyclist on a two-lane road, but an oncoming car leaves less than four feet. The correct choice is to wait behind the cyclist until the oncoming lane is clear, then pass with at least four feet. Squeezing through is a violation and a crash risk.
Traps
Riding beside a truck's cab, passing a cyclist too closely, assuming a right-turning car will wait for a cyclist, and forgetting that a stopped vehicle may be hiding a pedestrian.