Motorcycle Overtaking: Rules to Follow

When you ride a motorcycle, the rules of the road impose certain rules on you as a biker. For example, you must wear a helmet, know how fast to ride, which side to ride on, and understand the rules to follow when overtaking on a motorcycle.

All of these rules are designed to ensure the safety of the driver and other road users. What are the correct rules for overtaking on the road? How not to put yourself in danger? In this article, we will discuss rules to follow when overtaking on a motorcycle. 

Overtaking conditions and signs regulating overtaking on a motorcycle

To ride a motorcycle, certain rules must be followed. In addition to these conditions, there are signs on the roads that also regulate the various overtaking on a motorcycle.  

Exceeding conditions

There are five basic conditions for overtaking a motorcycle. 

• The first condition: make sure that no markings on the ground or panel prohibit overtaking.
• The second is to have good visibility forward, not less than 500 meters outside settlements. 
• The third one is use mirrors to make sure that no other vehicle starts overtaking. It should be noted that as soon as the car turns on the direction indicators, it takes precedence over your motorcycle. 
• The fourth condition requires sufficient speed and significant acceleration reserve so that overtaking does not take time... Note, however, that even while driving, you are not allowed to accelerate beyond the permitted maximum speed. 
• The fifth and final condition is to have the ability to find your place on the right without endangering yourself or endangering others. To help you when overtaking a motorcycle, there are overtaking signs.  

Signals regulating overtaking

There are two types of signs that regulate overtaking on a motorcycle: vertical signs and horizontal signs. 

Concerning vertical pointers, you are prohibited from overtaking for all vehicles, except for two-wheeled vehicles, the overtaking prohibition, when the pointer indicates the end of the overtaking window, and the overtaking prohibition cannot end before the narrowing of the road. 

Concerning horizontal signboards, you have a dotted line indicating that you can overtake; a mixed line indicating that overtaking is possible in your direction of travel; the containment line, which allows slow moving vehicles, and finally the drawdown arrows, which indicate a continuous line. Priority visibility and full compliance with R416-17 of the Road Traffic Regulations are also required for riding a motorcycle.

Priority visibility and full compliance with article R416-17 of the Road Code. 

For overtaking on a motorcycle, visibility is an absolute priority. It is also important that the rider strictly observes R416-17 of the Road Traffic Regulations. 

Priority visibility when overtaking a motorcycle

When going to overtake a motorcycle, it is best to have good visibility. In other words, overtaking should be done while the view is clear. Be careful not to ever try to get around when you are in the blind spot of the vehicle. Once you have prioritized visibility, you must fully comply with Article R416-17 of the Road Traffic Code. 

Full compliance with article R416-17 of the Road Code.

Article R416-17 of the road code clearly states thatthe biker must use low beam headlights... And this is a precaution that must be observed both day and night. To reinforce this article of the road code, decree No. 2015-1750 of 23 December 2015 specifies the caution to be observed when climbing between two rows of vehicles. 

For such a maneuver, the rider must keep the speed below 50 km / h in addition, the required safety distance must be observed. Passing a car that has stopped on the side of the road, you risk opening the door unexpectedly.

It is true that overtaking is necessary to save time, but there are times when overtaking on a motorcycle is strictly prohibited. 

Cases in which overtaking on a motorcycle is prohibited and exceptions 

As with all areas, there are bans on overtaking on a motorcycle. In other words, in certain cases, you are strictly prohibited from overtaking a motorcycle. However, there are exceptions to these prohibitions, even if they occur in extremely rare cases. 

Cases when overtaking on a motorcycle is prohibited

Riding a motorcycle is prohibited in the cases described below.

First, the when approaching an intersection where space and visibility are not enough. But you can go through if you have a right of way at the intersection. 

Secondly, it is better to refuse overtaking if the car approaches the carriageway where overtaking is taking place. 

Third, do not overtake when approaching a pedestrian crossing, if a pedestrian entered it. 

Fourth, we must interrupt overtaking on an overpass without a barrier and on the flyover, if the markings on the ground allow it and if the lights are on. 

You also won't be able to bypass multiple vehicles on a motorcycle at the same time if the lane is in both directions.

Despite all these prohibitions, there are still exceptions that allow overtaking from the right. 

Exceptions

Although the general rule is that overtaking must be done on the left, there are certain exceptional situations in which overtaking on the right is possible.

When a vehicle in front of you signals its intention to turn left and provided that you have enough space to drive through. If the car in front of you is not moving very fast and you are in the acceleration lane, you can go around on the right.

A detour on the right is also possible if you are stuck in a traffic jam, so you can bypass the left lane on the right if the latter is slow, keeping your lane. Or, finally, when the tram travels in the middle of a two-way road.