A ford is a crossing over a stream that's shallow enough to drive or ride through. After you've gone through a ford or deep puddle, your brakes will be wet and they won't work as well as usual. To dry them out, apply a light brake pressure while moving slowly. Don't travel at normal speeds until you're sure your brakes are working properly again.

The yellow boxes filled with criss-crossing yellow lines are known as box junctions. Although you must not enter the box until your exit road is clear, you may wait in one if you want to turn right and are only stopped by oncoming traffic or other vehicles waiting to turn right.

This light allows pedestrians already on the crossing to get to the other side in their own time, without being rushed. Don't rev your engine or start to move off while they're still crossing.

When you ride with a pillion passenger, your motorcycle may feel unbalanced and its acceleration and braking distance may also be affected. Make sure your passenger knows they must lean with you while cornering. If they don't, they could cause the motorcycle to become unstable and difficult to control.

Be particularly careful when approaching horse riders - slow down and be prepared to stop. Always pass wide and slowly, and look out for signals given by the riders. Horses are unpredictable: always treat them as potential hazards and take great care when passing them.

Never overtake on the left, unless the traffic is moving in queues and the queue on your right is moving more slowly than the one you're in.

The law says that the entire original tread must be visible, with a depth of at least 1 mm in a continuous band across at least three-quarters of the breadth of the tread. However, your tyres are your only contact with the road, so it's recommended that you replace them before they get to this level.

Any load will affect the handling of your motorcycle by changing its centre of gravity. When using panniers, spread the weight evenly on each side. Avoid carrying heavy items in a top box, as this could make your steering dangerously light.

You should give way to pedestrians crossing or waiting to cross the road into which or from which you're turning. Be patient if they're cautious and take their time checking that it's safe before they step into the road.

The engine cut-out switch is used to stop the engine in an emergency. In the event of a crash, this may help to reduce any fire risk.

This sign indicates that vehicles transporting explosives are prohibited from travel along the roadway behind it.

With-flow bus lane which pedal cycles and taxis may also use ahead.

This sign indicates that the road will bend sharply to the left. Slow down in plenty of time and select the correct gear before you start to turn. Braking hard and late, while also sharply changing direction, is likely to cause a skid.

Your headlights must be properly adjusted to avoid dazzling other road users. You'll probably need to do this when carrying a heavy load or the extra weight of a pillion passenger. You may also need to adjust the tyre pressures and the suspension.

After carrying out drive-chain adjustment, you should always check the rear wheel alignment. Many motorcycles have alignment guides stamped onto the frame to help you do this correctly.

You should check that all your lights work properly before every journey. If you aren't sure whether your signals can be seen, you can use arm signals as well to make your intentions clear; avoid this if you're riding at speed because it can upset your stability.

Road humps are used to slow down traffic.They're found in places where there are often pedestrians, such as

• shopping areas
• near schools
• residential areas.

Watch out for people close to the kerb or crossing the road.

Make allowances for cyclists, and give them plenty of room. Don't overtake and then immediately turn left. Be patient and turn behind them when they've passed the junction.

When turning right at this crossroads, you should keep the oncoming car to your right. This will give you a clear view of the road ahead and any oncoming traffic.

Even a small amount of alcohol will impair a person's judgement. It can increase confidence to a point where a person's behaviour may become 'out of character'. Someone who normally behaves sensibly may take risks and could endanger themselves and others. Don't drink and ride, or accept a lift from anyone who's been drinking.

If fuel, especially diesel, is spilt on the road, it will make the surface very slippery. In wet weather, it can be seen as a rainbow-coloured pattern on the road.

The most immediate danger is further collisions and fire. You could warn other traffic by displaying an advance warning triangle or sign (but not on a motorway), switching on hazard warning lights or by any other means that does not put you or others at risk.

When traffic travels at a constant speed over a longer distance, journey times normally improve. You may feel that you could travel faster for short periods, but this generally leads to bunching and increased overall journey time.

Riding while under the influence of drink or drugs can invalidate your insurance. It also endangers yourself and others. The risk isn't worth taking.

A long vehicle may have to straddle lanes either on or approaching a roundabout so that the rear wheels don't hit the kerb. If you're following a long vehicle, stay well back and give it plenty of room.

Drinking even the smallest amount of alcohol can affect your judgement and reactions. The safest and best option is to avoid any alcohol at all when riding or driving.

Buses which carry children to and from school may stop at places other than scheduled bus stops. Be aware that they might pull over at any time to allow children to get on or off. This will normally be when traffic is heavy during rush hour.

TCS helps to prevent the rear wheel from spinning, especially when accelerating on a slippery surface.

The engine cut-out switch is used to stop the engine in an emergency. In the event of a crash, this may help to reduce any fire risk.

Various factors - such as weather and road conditions, vehicle condition and loading - affect how long it takes you to stop. You also need to add reaction time to this. The overall stopping distance at 50 mph includes a thinking distance of 15 metres (the reaction time before braking starts) plus your braking distance of 38 metres, giving a typical overall stopping distance of 53 metres (175 feet) in good conditions.