Motorcycles, bicycles and truck no zones

Key points

1. Avoid driving right next to other vehicles on multi lane roads. Move ahead or drop back.

   Source: Handbook p. 51

   “Avoid driving right next to drivers on multi-lane roads. Move ahead or drop back from other vehicles.”
   Wisconsin Motorists' Handbook, Handbook p. 51

2. Motorcycles can stop faster than most vehicles, so give extra room when following one.

   Source: Handbook p. 51

   “Motorcycles are a lightweight vehicle and can stop faster than most vehicles. Make sure to give motorcyclists extra room especially when you are following one.”
   Wisconsin Motorists' Handbook, Handbook p. 51

3. Bicyclists can use the whole lane. Do not share a lane with them.

   Source: Handbook p. 52

   “Bicyclists can use the whole traffic lane. Do not share a lane with bicyclists.”
   Wisconsin Motorists' Handbook, Handbook p. 52

4. Wait for oncoming traffic to clear before passing a bicyclist.

   Source: Handbook p. 52

   “Wait for oncoming traffic to clear before passing a bicyclist.”
   Wisconsin Motorists' Handbook, Handbook p. 52

5. Give bicyclists at least three feet of room when you pass.

   Source: Handbook p. 52

   “Give bicyclists at least three feet of room when you pass.”
   Wisconsin Motorists' Handbook, Handbook p. 52

6. A large truck's no zone is about 200 feet behind and 20 feet in front of it.

   Source: Handbook p. 52

   “This area is about 200 feet behind and 20 feet in front of large trucks.”
   Wisconsin Motorists' Handbook, Handbook p. 52

7. Speed up or drop back so the truck driver can see you, and pass out of blind spots quickly.

   Source: Handbook p. 52

   “Either speed up or drop back so that the other driver can see you. If you want to pass a vehicle, get out of their blind spot quickly.”
   Wisconsin Motorists' Handbook, Handbook p. 52

Numbers to know

3 questions from the Wisconsin practice test

1. 1. Why should Wisconsin drivers give motorcycles extra room when following them?

   1. Motorcycles cannot use regular traffic lanes
   2. Motorcycles are required to travel below 25 mph
   3. Motorcycles always have two riders
   4. Motorcycles can stop faster than most vehicles
   Show answer

   Motorcycles can stop faster than most vehicles. Wisconsin notes that motorcycles are lightweight and can stop faster than most vehicles, so drivers following them need extra space. A motorcycle may slow suddenly without the same visual cue a large vehicle gives. The 25 mph statement is not the handbook rule, and the number of riders does not explain following distance. Motorcycles use traffic lanes like other road users. Leave a larger cushion, check blind spots carefully, and wait until passing can be done safely.

2. 2. Where is a large vehicle's no-zone located according to the Wisconsin handbook?

   1. Only in the lane directly to the truck's left
   2. Only immediately beside the driver's door
   3. Exactly 50 feet behind every vehicle
   4. About 200 feet behind and 20 feet in front of the truck
   Show answer

   About 200 feet behind and 20 feet in front of the truck. The handbook places the large-vehicle no-zone about 200 feet behind and 20 feet in front of a truck. Those areas are difficult for the truck driver to see, so a nearby car should speed up or drop back rather than linger there. The driver's-door and left-lane descriptions are too narrow, and 50 feet is not the stated rear distance. The practical cue is to pass a large vehicle decisively when safe, then leave enough space before returning to its lane.

3. 3. How should a Wisconsin driver handle a bicyclist's lane position?

   1. Tap the bumper lightly to signal passing
   2. Crowd the bicyclist only when oncoming traffic appears
   3. Do not share the lane with the bicyclist
   4. Assume the bicyclist must stay on the shoulder
   Show answer

   Do not share the lane with the bicyclist. Wisconsin says bicyclists can use the whole traffic lane and drivers should not share that lane with them. Crowding a bicycle because oncoming traffic appears is exactly when waiting becomes more important. Contacting a bicycle or assuming shoulder use can create a crash. The safe cue is lane width: if you cannot pass with a separate, clear path, remain behind the bicyclist until oncoming traffic clears and the maneuver can be completed with room.

Source: the Wisconsin Motorists' Handbook, Section 10: Sharing the Road. This lesson is a plain English summary, not the law itself; where it differs, the manual and the statute govern. Last checked 2026-09-27.