Overtaking

Overtaking
Purple car overtakes grey car

Overtaking or passing is the act of one vehicle going past another slower moving vehicle, travelling in the same direction, on a road. The lane used for overtaking another vehicle is almost always a lane further from the road shoulder — that is, to the left in places that drive on the right, and to the right in places that drive on the left.

Contents

Rules of overtaking

No overtaking sign from Austria.
No overtaking sign from Japan.

Note: In British English the meanings of inside and outside lanes are the reverse of US English. So in Britain, overtaking is performed using the outside lane, in the US it is termed the inside lane. In both cases, it is a lane further from the shoulder of the roadway.

In some countries, including Australia, passing has a distinct meaning of passing a vehicle that is travelling in the opposite direction. In Australia, a narrow bridge may be signposted No overtaking on bridge, meaning that vehicles can pass in opposite directions but not overtake, or may be signposted No overtaking or passing on bridge, in which case one end of the bridge will have a give way sign on the approach.

On a single carriageway/undivided carriageway road, the lane used for overtaking is often the same lane that is used by oncoming traffic, and it is often only advisable to overtake on long straightaways with plenty of visibility. In some jurisdictions, the "overtaking zone" is indicated by a single broken centerline (yellow or white in most countries) if overtaking is allowed in either direction, or paired with a single solid line beside it to indicate there is no overtaking from the solid side. In the UK, the format of the centerline is not used to regulate overtaking, only to indicate whether crossing of the line is prohibited or permitted.

In the Republic of Ireland, many national primary roads were upgraded in the 1990s and 2000s to wide two lane road (two lane road with space for three lanes, in addition to hard shoulders) to allow more space for overtaking (a very common manoeuvre in a country that had little dual carriageway until the early 2000s). However, due to the deceptive perception of safety given by such roads, future upgrade projects are likely to be 2+1 road where traffic volume suits (a successful pilot installation was used on the N20 near Mallow). This form of road is of similar profile to wide two lane, but includes a central crash barrier, and has three lanes, with an overtaking lane on one side or the other, alternating every 2 km. It has been used in Denmark and Sweden since the 1990s.

On a dual carriageway/divided carriageway highway/motorway or arterial road, any lane can be an overtaking lane though in many places (including Germany) undertaking (overtaking on the side furthest from the road centre line) is prohibited. Lanes are normally separated by broken lines (usually white) but may be a single solid white to indicate lane-changing is allowed but discouraged. Double lines indicate that lane-changing (for example to overtake) is prohibited, such as in tunnels or sometimes for HOV lanes and HOT lanes.

Overtaking in an HOV or HOT lane is usually illegal for cars that do not meet the HOV/HOT criteria, except when directed by police due to a car accident or other obstruction.

A few places also use the one-broken/one-solid marking at entrance ramps, to indicate to highway drivers that the new lane merges and does not continue, so they do not attempt to overtake in a lane that ends shortly. This is also used at other points where lanes merge.

Overtaking in racing

Nico Rosberg overtaking Nick Heidfeld in the 2007 Brazilian Grand Prix - a Formula One race.

In racing, the rules allow overtaking from either side. Generally, the sides are classified as inside and outside overtaking, depending on the position of the overtaking car at the next curve since start of overtaking. The defending car usually blocks inside overtaking, because outside overtaking is riskier than inside overtaking.

See also

References

External links

v · d · eTraffic law and safety
Rules of the road
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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Overtaking — Overtake O ver*take , v. t. [imp. {Overtook}; p. p. {Overtaken}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Overtaking}.] [1913 Webster] 1. To come up with in a race, pursuit, progress, or motion; also, to catch up with and move ahead of. [1913 Webster +PJC] Follow after… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • overtaking — noun Overtaking is used before these nouns: ↑lane …   Collocations dictionary

  • overtaking — noun going by something that is moving in order to get in front of it she drove but well but her reckless passing of every car on the road frightened me • Syn: ↑passing • Derivationally related forms: ↑overtake, ↑pass (for: ↑passing) …   Useful english dictionary

  • overtaking vessel — A vessel approaching another vessel from astern which continues to be an overtaking vessel until she has passed clear of the vessel overtaken. The Lackawanna (CA2 NY) 119 F2d 666. See overtaking and passing …   Ballentine's law dictionary

  • overtaking lane — /ˈoʊvəteɪkɪŋ leɪn/ (say ohvuhtayking layn) noun the outside lane on a road which has more than one lane, to be used only for overtaking …  

  • overtaking and passing — A manipulation of a motor vehicle whereby, upon coming up behind another vehicle, the former is turned into another lane of traffic, preferably a lane to the inside of the other vehicle, and additional motive power applied to enable the one… …   Ballentine's law dictionary

  • overtaking — o·ver take || ‚əʊvÉ™(r)teɪk v. catch up to; pass; surpass; come upon suddenly, attack suddenly …   English contemporary dictionary

  • overtaking — The action of your passing a vehicle which is going in the same direction you are …   Dictionary of automotive terms

  • overhauling — Overtaking. Examining completely to determine needed repairs. See reconditioning …   Ballentine's law dictionary

  • List of Statutory Instruments of Scotland, 2008 — This is an incomplete list of Scottish Statutory Instruments in 2008.1 100* Individual Learning Account (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2008 S.S.I. 2008/1 * Public Service Vehicles (Traffic Regulation Conditions) Amendment (Scotland) Regulations …   Wikipedia

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