60.5. In which direction is the tram allowed to move in this situation?
UAУ якому напрямку дозволено рух трамвая в даній ситуації?
This exam question from the Traffic Rules of Ukraine tests the ability to safely pass an intersection when a traffic controller is present. Such situations are critical for road safety, as a tram has limited maneuverability and moves along rails, so an error in choosing the direction can create a conflict with oncoming or cross traffic flows.
The question belongs to the section of the Traffic Rules regarding traffic regulation, specifically the signals of the traffic controller (points 8.3 and 8.8 b)). The theoretical exam often focuses on the priority of the traffic controller's signals over traffic lights, signs, and road markings: according to point 8.3, the driver is obliged to follow the commands of the traffic controller, even if other means of traffic organization indicate otherwise. Then, a specific gesture applies: according to point 8.8 b), when the right arm is extended forward, for a tram approaching from the left shoulder of the controller, only one direction of movement is allowed, so other maneuvers are considered violations.
Options that allow movement straight or to the right, as well as "in all directions," are incorrect because they mix the rules for non-rail vehicles with the rules for trams and ignore the special provision of point 8.8 b). The only correct answer option corresponds to the requirements of this signal specifically for trams, so the correct one is the one that provides for movement in only one direction. In practice, this helps during the exam to quickly distinguish the permissions for trams from those for cars and to avoid common mistakes when passing regulated intersections.
Clause 8.3
The signals of the traffic controller take precedence over traffic lights, road signs, and road markings; road users are required to obey the signals of the traffic controller.
Explanation of application: in the given situation, the direction of the tram's movement is determined specifically by the signal of the traffic controller, regardless of other means of traffic organization.
Clause 8.8 b)
Right arm extended forward: from the left shoulder side of the traffic controller, trams are allowed to turn left, non-rail vehicles are allowed to go straight and right; from the chest side, movement of all vehicles is prohibited; from the back and right shoulder side, movement of all vehicles is prohibited.
Explanation of application: when the traffic controller stands with the right arm extended forward, the tram from the left shoulder side of the controller is allowed only one direction — to the left.
That is, the correct answer is "To the left.", given that according to the controller's signal "right arm extended forward" the tram from the left shoulder side of the controller is allowed to move only to the left.
In this situation, the tram driver should be guided not by the signs or the traffic light, but primarily by the commands of the traffic controller. This directly follows from clause 8.3 of the Traffic Rules of Ukraine: if a controller is operating at an intersection, it is their signals that determine who is allowed to move and in which direction.
Next, we apply the rules for interpreting the specific gesture of the controller. According to clause 8.8 (b) of the Traffic Rules of Ukraine, when the controller's right arm is extended forward, a separate order of movement is established for trams: they are allowed to move only in one specific direction relative to this signal. In this position of the controller, the tram may continue moving only by turning left, and movement straight ahead or to the right is not permitted by this signal.
In practice, this means that even if moving straight seems possible or the lanes allow for another maneuver, the tram driver does not have the right to choose the direction at their own discretion. They must perform exactly the maneuver permitted by the controller's signal for the tram in this position, that is, turning left.
Therefore, the correct answer is "To the left," since according to the controller's signal with the right arm extended forward, the rules allow the tram to move only to the left.