You are driving in the middle lane on a three-lane expressway. A car begins to pass you on the right. The actions of that driver are:
- Wrong because “pass to the left” is a firm rule.
- Wrong because they are passing you in your blind spot.
- Fine, as long as it is done on a limited-access highway.
- Fine, as long as no signs forbid passing on the right. ✓
Answer: D. Fine, as long as no signs forbid passing on the right.
Passing on the right is fine as long as no signs forbid it.
Why this is the answer
The handbook says you can pass on the right only in listed conditions and only when it is safe. For multi-lane roads like expressways, it tells the passing driver to check mirrors, signal, and look over the right shoulder before moving right. The listed conditions include that passing is not prohibited by signs. So a car passing you on the right on an expressway is not automatically wrong; what matters is whether signs forbid it and whether the driver does it safely.
Why the other answers are wrong
- A. Wrong because “pass to the left” is a firm rule. — Right-side passing is not a firm always-wrong rule, because the manual lists situations where passing on the right is allowed when signs do not prohibit it.
- B. Wrong because they are passing you in your blind spot. — The manual tells the passing driver to check over the right shoulder, but being in a blind spot does not by itself make the pass illegal.
- C. Fine, as long as it is done on a limited-access highway. — The passages do not make limited-access highway status the test; they tie right-side passing to listed conditions and signs.
Remember it
Think signs first, then safety: a right-side pass is not banned just because it is on the right.