33.4.7. On which road are you permitted to drive?
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This exam question from the Traffic Rules of Ukraine concerns the safe bypassing of obstacles on the carriageway and the ability to correctly interpret mandatory road signs. Such situations often occur near safety islands, road narrowings, or temporary obstacles, and the correct choice of trajectory directly affects safety and the prevention of accidents both during the theoretical exam and in real traffic.
The question tests knowledge of Section 33 of the Traffic Rules, specifically mandatory signs (item 33.4) and the meaning of sign 4.9 “Bypass the obstacle on the right or left side.” This sign explicitly allows bypassing the obstacle from either side, meaning the driver has the right to choose the direction that is safer and more convenient in the specific road situation, while complying with the requirements of the sign (as well as the general obligation to follow the Traffic Rules under item 1.3).
If the diagram offers two routes: one corresponding to bypassing the obstacle on the right, the other on the left, both options are consistent with sign 4.9. That is why the options “only the right” or “only the left” road unnecessarily limit the permitted choice, since in this situation the traffic rules allow bypassing on both the right and left. In practice, this means: focus primarily on the meaning of the sign, and choose the direction taking into account safety, road markings, other signs, and the real possibility of bypassing without violations.
Clause 33.4 — 33 "Road signs", 4 "Mandatory signs", sign 4.9 "Passing an obstacle on the right or left side"
Sign 4.9 "Passing an obstacle on the right or left side" — allows passing safety islands and other obstacles on the carriageway from either the right or the left side.
Clause 1.3
Road users are required to know and strictly comply with the requirements of these Rules.
That is, the correct answer is "On any road.", given that according to the definition of the Traffic Rules, sign 4.9 directly allows passing an obstacle from both the right and the left side, and the driver is obliged to comply with the requirements of the Rules and road signs.
In this situation, you should primarily focus not on the directions shown in the diagram, but on the requirement of the road sign installed before the obstacle. Mandatory signs are obligatory to follow, and it is they that determine how this section may be passed.
According to Section 33 of the Traffic Rules of Ukraine, sign 4.9 "Bypass the obstacle on the right or left" means that an obstacle on the carriageway (for example, a safety island or another element) may be bypassed either on the right or on the left. That is, the sign does not "tie" the driver to one particular side, but directly gives the choice of bypassing option.
Therefore, if the diagram shows two possible directions of movement (conditionally the right road or the left road), both options comply with the requirements of sign 4.9: the obstacle may be bypassed either on the right or on the left side. The only important thing is that the chosen route truly provides bypassing the obstacle from one of the permitted sides and does not contradict any other prohibitions, which are not mentioned in this question.
Thus, the correct answer is "On any road," since sign 4.9 allows bypassing the obstacle both on the right and on the left, meaning the driver may choose any of the proposed directions.