Step 3 » GENERAL learning environment Category C (C, C1)

When overtaking bicycles or electric scooters there is a risk that those who drive these vehicles may lose balance or turn suddenly to the left without making sure. Therefore the traffic legislation imposes, starting from the end of 2021 the following rules for overtaking bicycles and electric scooters.

To ensure an adequate lateral safety distance, the drivers of motor vehicles (except motor vehicles with two wheels) will perform the maneuver of overtaking bicycles or electric scooters respecting, in addition to the obligations regarding the maneuver of overtaking, 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 up to 50 km/h, they are obliged to perform the maneuver of overtaking by crossing the longitudinal marking separating the directions of travel or that 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 maneuver of overtaking by passing with at least half of the width of the motor vehicle over the longitudinal marking separating the directions of travel or that separating the lanes on the same direction of travel.

In conclusion, if you move 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 pass with half of the width of the motor vehicle over the marking. It must be noted that the above are not just recommendations, these are obligations, and their non-compliance is sanctioned according to the law.

It must be noted that if a road sector has this marking made with a continuous line overtaking bicycles or electric scooters can no longer be performed, because 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 may be crossed and the overtaking of these vehicles may be performed in compliance with the rules.

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

The correct answer is: B

Recommendations:

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

Defensive driving course --> Defensive driving course

Regulation** - Article 118

(1) The driver of a vehicle who performs overtaking is obliged:
a) to make sure that the one who follows him or precedes him has not signalled the intention to start a similar maneuver and that he can overtake without endangering or hindering the traffic from the opposite direction;
b) to signal the intention to perform the overtaking;
c) to keep during overtaking a sufficient lateral distance from the overtaken vehicle;
d) to return to the lane or in the initial line of traffic after he has signalled and 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 moving on two wheels, perform this maneuver by passing over the longitudinal marking separating the directions of travel or separating the lanes on the same direction, with at least half of the width of the motor vehicle when its travelling speed is greater than 50 km/h, or at least by crossing these markings when the travelling speed is at most 50 km/h. (Paragraph (2) was modified and updated on www.scoalarutiera.ro on 06-10-2021)

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