Chapter 13 — Quiz

Try the whole quiz before checking the key.

Multiple choice

1. Which countries drive on the LEFT side of the road? - A) US, Canada, Germany - B) UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand - C) France, Spain, Italy - D) all of the West

2. "Right on red" (a US rule) means: - A) you must stop forever at red - B) you may turn right at a red light after stopping, if clear - C) right turns are banned - D) you may go straight on red

3. When a US school bus stops with red lights flashing, traffic must: - A) speed past - B) stop in both directions - C) honk - D) only slow down

4. Drink-driving (DUI/DWI) in the West is: - A) a minor issue - B) a serious crime with heavy penalties (and possible visa damage) - C) legal under one drink - D) ignored by police

5. Car insurance in the West is: - A) optional - B) mandatory to drive legally - C) free - D) only for new cars

6. In much of the US (outside big cities), public transit is: - A) excellent everywhere - B) poor or absent — a car is often near-essential - C) free - D) the main way everyone travels

7. Jaywalking (crossing outside a crosswalk/against the signal): - A) is legal everywhere - B) is illegal/ticketable in many US cities, but normal in the UK/Europe - C) is illegal in the UK only - D) is encouraged in the US

8. Which has the strongest cycling culture and infrastructure? - A) the US suburbs - B) the Netherlands and Denmark - C) rural Australia - D) none of the West

9. To drive legally after the grace period, a newcomer usually must: - A) do nothing - B) convert to a local license (possibly with written/road tests) - C) buy a new car - D) get a passport

10. Casual honking (to express impatience) in the West is generally: - A) friendly - B) considered rude/aggressive - C) required - D) a greeting

11. (new) A "cheaper" far-out suburb without transit can actually be more expensive because: - A) rent is always higher there - B) the full cost of a required car (payment, insurance, fuel, parking) is added - C) it's illegal to live there - D) there's no reason

12. (new) For an experienced driver, switching which side of the road they drive on is: - A) trivial and instant - B) a genuine, temporary hazard as deep instincts recalibrate - C) impossible - D) only a problem at night

True / False

13. You should sort out your license conversion early, before the grace period ends. (True / False)

14. US car-dependence is purely a benefit with no downsides. (True / False)

15. Distances in the US/Canada/Australia can be far larger than they appear. (True / False)

16. It's fine to drive after "just a couple" of drinks if you feel okay. (True / False)

17. (new) As a pedestrian in a country that drives on the opposite side, you should consciously retrain which way you look first. (True / False)

Short answer

18. Name two driving rules that commonly surprise international drivers in the US.

19. Why should you check a neighborhood's transit/walkability before choosing where to live?

20. Give one genuine downside of US car-dependence (the Honesty Box).

21. (new) Why is "the West drives on two different sides" a good example of the book's "not monolithic" theme?

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Answer Key

  1. B. 2. B. 3. B. 4. B. 5. B. 6. B. 7. B. 8. B. 9. B. 10. B. 11. B (the car's full cost). 12. B (a real, temporary hazard).
  2. True. 14. False. 15. True. 16. False — never drink and drive; there's no safe "small" amount. 17. True.
  3. Any two: right-on-red; four-way stops; school-bus stop laws (stop both directions); speed cameras; pedestrian right of way; switching to the right side of the road.
  4. Model: Car-dependence varies enormously; a cheap far-out area may have no usable transit or sidewalks, leaving you stranded without a car — so transit/walkability should shape the decision.
  5. Model (any): expensive (car payments/insurance/fuel/parking); isolating; environmentally damaging; excludes those who can't drive (poor, disabled, elderly, newcomers).
  6. Model: Even within the Anglophone West, the UK/Australia drive on the left and the US/Canada on the right, with different rules — so "Western driving" isn't one thing; you must learn the specific country.