Step 3 » GENERAL learning environment Category B (B, B1)

When you want to perform the overtaking maneuver, you have the following obligations:

• to make sure that the vehicle in front and the one behind have not signaled the start of a similar maneuver and that you can overtake without endangering or without obstructing the traffic coming from the opposite direction;
• to signal the intention to perform the maneuver;
• to keep during the overtaking a sufficient lateral distance from the overtaken vehicle;
• to return to the initial line of vehicles after you have signaled and you have made sure that you can perform the maneuver in safety conditions for the overtaken vehicle and for the other traffic participants.

To ensure an adequate lateral safety distance, the drivers of motor vehicles (with the exception of motor vehicles with two wheels), will perform the overtaking maneuver of bicycles or electric scooters respecting, in addition to the obligations regarding the overtaking maneuver, also the following obligations, depending on the speed with which they move (art. 118 paragraph 2 of the Regulation):

• when they move at a speed of up to 50 km/h, they are obliged to perform the overtaking maneuver by crossing the longitudinal marking separating the directions of traffic or the one separating the lanes on the same direction of travel;
• when they move at a speed greater than 50 km/h, they are obliged to perform the overtaking maneuver by crossing with at least half of the width of the motor vehicle over the longitudinal marking separating the directions of traffic or the one separating the lanes on the same direction of travel.

In conclusion, if you move with up to 50 km/h you are obliged at least to cross the marking, and if you move with more than 50 km/h you are obliged at least to cross with half of the width of the motor vehicle over the marking. It must be remembered that those above are not only recommendations, these are obligations, and their non-compliance is sanctioned according to the law.

It must be remembered that in the case where a road sector has this marking made with a continuous line the overtaking of bicycles or electric scooters can no longer be performed, because the crossing or passing over this continuous line marking is prohibited, and for overtaking these vehicles it is mandatory to cross or pass over this marking. The only regulatory option is to drive behind these vehicles until the end of the continuous line marking and the beginning of the discontinuous line marking which can be crossed and the overtaking of these vehicles can be performed in compliance with the rules.

These legislative provisions related to the overtaking of bicycles or electric scooters were added in 2021 in the road legislation.

The correct answer is: C

Recommendations:

Rules regarding the performance of the overtaking maneuver - Audio-Video Lesson --> Road Traffic Code - Overtaking

Regulation** - Article 118

(1) The driver of a vehicle who performs the overtaking is obliged:
a) to make sure that the one who follows him or precedes him has not signaled the intention of starting a similar maneuver and that he can overtake without endangering or without obstructing the traffic coming from the opposite direction;
b) to signal the intention of performing the overtaking;
c) to keep during the overtaking a sufficient lateral distance from the overtaken vehicle;
d) to return to the lane or to the initial line of traffic after he has signaled and has made sure that he can perform this maneuver in safety conditions for the overtaken vehicle and for the other traffic participants.

(2) To ensure the lateral safety distance, when overtaking a bicycle or an electric scooter the drivers of motor vehicles, other than those which move on two wheels, perform this maneuver by crossing the longitudinal marking separating the directions of traffic or separating the lanes on the same direction, with at least half of the width of the motor vehicle when its movement speed is greater than 50 km/h, or at least by crossing these markings when the movement speed is at most 50 km/h. (Paragraph (2) was amended and updated on www.scoalarutiera.ro on 06-10-2021)

Regulation** - Article 119

The driver of a vehicle who is about to be overtaken is obliged:
a) not to increase the travel speed;
b) to drive as close as possible to the right edge of the carriageway or of the lane on which he moves.

** Regulation = REGULATION for the implementation of OUG 195/2002 updated (Road Traffic Code Regulation)