In S-turns, a slower rate of bank increase during the latter part of the turn would most likely lead to which pattern?

• A. A smaller half circle on one side before crossing the road
• B. A larger half circle on one side after crossing the road
• C. A perfectly symmetric pattern
• D. No crossing of the reference line

Answer: (A)

In S-turns, how quickly you increase bank determines the turn’s radius: a quicker, stronger bank produces a tighter turn (smaller radius), while a slower bank increase produces a looser turn (larger radius). If the latter half of the turn has a slower rate of bank increase, the second half stays looser and wider, while the first half—where the bank rose more quickly—becomes tighter and forms a smaller semicircle. Since the first semicircle occurs before you cross the road, you would observe a smaller half circle on that side, with the second half being wider after crossing. This creates an asymmetric pattern, which is why the described scenario points to the smaller semicircle before crossing.