8.1.38. Is the driver of the red car allowed in this situation to overtake the truck on the left side?
UAЧи дозволено водієві червоного автомобіля в даній ситуації виконати випередження вантажного автомобіля з лівого боку?
This exam question from the Traffic Rules of Ukraine concerns the safe execution of maneuvers on a multi-lane road where one of the lanes operates in a reversible mode. Such sections require special attention, as a mistake during lane changing can lead to entering oncoming traffic. For the theoretical exam, it is important to understand that a reversible lane is not an “ordinary” left lane for overtaking or passing, and its use is strictly tied to the signals of a special traffic light.
The question tests knowledge of the section of the traffic rules regarding traffic light signals, in particular the use of reversible traffic lights (paragraph 8.7.4 of the Traffic Rules of Ukraine) and the related road marking 1.9. The key idea: if a maneuver requires entering a lane with reversible traffic, the driver may do so only when movement in this lane is permitted by the reversible traffic light signal. If the signals are off, entry into the lane marked on both sides by marking 1.9 is strictly prohibited, so any overtaking on the left that involves entering such a lane is unacceptable.
The “allowed” option seems logical only for a standard road without a reversible lane, where there is an ordinary lane to your left in your direction of travel. In this situation, this is incorrect, because the maneuver actually means using the reversible lane without a permissive signal. Accordingly, the correct answer is “prohibited”: this knowledge helps in practice to avoid dangerous entries into a lane that at another time may be used for oncoming traffic, and is a typical check in the theoretical exam on traffic rules.
Clause 8.7.4
To regulate the movement of vehicles on streets, roads, or on lanes of the carriageway where the direction of movement can be changed to the opposite, reversible traffic lights with a red X-shaped signal and a green signal in the form of a downward-pointing arrow are used. These signals prohibit or allow movement on the lane above which they are located. The main signals of the reversible traffic light may be supplemented by a yellow signal in the form of an arrow slanted diagonally down to the right, the activation of which prohibits movement on the lane marked on both sides by road marking 1.9, and informs about a change in the signal of the reversible traffic light and the need to change to the right-hand lane. When the signals of the reversible traffic light located above a lane marked on both sides by road marking 1.9 are off, entry onto this lane is prohibited.
Application to the situation: to overtake on the left, the driver needs to enter the reversible lane. Since the reversible traffic light is off, entry onto such a lane is directly prohibited.
Clause 34.1 — 34 "Road Markings", 1 "Horizontal Markings", marking 1.9
Marking 1.9 — indicates the boundaries of the lane(s), the direction of movement on which can be changed to the opposite (reversible lane), and is used to separate traffic flows of opposite directions on roads with reversible traffic.
Application to the situation: the presence of marking 1.9 confirms that the left lane is reversible, and its usage mode is determined precisely by the signals of the reversible traffic light (clause 8.7.4).
That is, the correct answer is "Prohibited.", given that according to the Traffic Rules, when the signals of the reversible traffic light are off, entry onto the lane marked with marking 1.9 is prohibited, and to overtake on the left, it is necessary to enter this lane.
In this situation, there is a central lane with reversible traffic on the road. Its boundaries are marked with special road marking 1.9, and the rules for using such a lane are determined by a reversible traffic light installed above it.
Overtaking the truck on the left for the driver of the red car means that they must change lanes specifically to the reversible lane. That is, the maneuver is directly related to entering the lane, the direction of movement on which may change depending on the signals of the reversible traffic light.
According to clause 8.7.4 of the Traffic Rules of Ukraine, movement on the reversible lane is allowed or prohibited by the signals of the reversible traffic light. An important point is that when the reversible traffic light above such a lane is turned off, entry into this lane is prohibited. That is, in the absence of an illuminated green arrow pointing downward, the driver is not allowed to use this lane for driving, bypassing, or overtaking.
Therefore, the correct answer is "Prohibited.", since when the reversible traffic light is off, entry into the reversible lane (and it is exactly there that you need to go to overtake on the left) is prohibited by clause 8.7.4 of the Traffic Rules of Ukraine.