A solid line at the left of your lane means…?
- Pass only when no traffic is sight
- It is unsafe to pass ✓
- Pass at your discretion
- Overtake and pass with caution
Answer: B. It is unsafe to pass
A solid line at the left of your lane means it is unsafe to pass.
Why this is the answer
A solid line on the left side of your lane is the handbook's sign that passing is not safe there. The same section contrasts it with a broken line on your left, which means you may pass if the way is clear and you have enough broken line ahead to finish the pass safely. So when the line beside you is solid, you should not treat it as permission to pass, even if the road looks empty. It is a pavement marking that tells you where passing is unsafe.
Why the other answers are wrong
- A. Pass only when no traffic is sight — Passing only when no traffic is in sight is not what a solid line means; the handbook ties that permission to a broken line when the way is clear.
- C. Pass at your discretion — Passing at your discretion is wrong because a solid line marks a place where passing is unsafe, not a place where you decide freely.
- D. Overtake and pass with caution — Overtaking and passing with caution is wrong because a solid line does not invite cautious passing; it indicates that passing is unsafe.
Remember it
Picture a solid line as a closed door on your left.
Official handbook: Official MTO Driver's Handbook, Pavement markings