An overtake needs more than a faster vehicle. You need legal permission, a clear view and enough space to complete the whole movement without forcing another road user to react.
Make three separate checks
First read signs and markings. Then assess visibility ahead and behind. Finally identify where you can return to a safe position. Passing the first check does not mean the other two are satisfied: the absence of a prohibition sign is not an invitation to overtake.
A bend, crest, junction or line of parked vehicles may hide the very road user who makes the manoeuvre unsafe. Do not start a movement that depends on the hidden space being empty.
Be especially careful near crossings
Do not overtake a motor vehicle with more than two wheels, or an animal-drawn vehicle, approaching or stopped before an uncontrolled pedestrian or cycle crossing. It may be hiding someone about to cross. Your view can remain blocked until you are already too close to stop.
In a practice image, treat the stopped vehicle as information. Ask why it might have stopped before deciding how to pass it.
Plan for the person you pass
Cyclists can need room to avoid a drain, a door or a damaged surface. Leave the legally required lateral clearance and extra margin when conditions demand it. If oncoming traffic or a narrow road prevents adequate space, wait. Staying behind temporarily is a valid decision, not a failed manoeuvre.
Check mirrors and the blind spot before moving out. Signal without treating the indicator as priority. Return only when you can do so without cutting in.
Check your reasoning afterwards
For each practice question, say which sign or marking matters, what you can see, and where you would finish the overtake. If any answer is uncertain, identify what new information you need. This approach helps you distinguish “not forbidden in principle” from “safe to do here and now”.
Official sources
Rules and procedures checked on 21 September 2026. Follow the linked authority for later changes; rules announced for a future date are not yet in force.
