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Difficulty: Very hardOvertaking Rules

You are driving along a two-way residential street at a speed of 25 mph25\text{ mph}. Ahead of you, a cyclist is riding in the centre of your lane, approaching a continuous line of parked vehicles on the left. You intend to overtake the cyclist. At this exact moment, an oncoming vehicle in the opposite lane flashes its headlights. According to the Highway Code, what is the most appropriate evaluation of the hazards and the correct course of action?

  1. A
    Interpret the flashing headlights as a clear signal that the oncoming vehicle is giving you priority, and proceed to carefully overtake the cyclist alongside the parked vehicles, provided you signal clearly.
  2. B
    Check your mirrors and accelerate to overtake the cyclist immediately before they reach the parked vehicles, ensuring you leave a lateral clearance of approximately 0.5 metres0.5\text{ metres} to avoid crossing into the path of the oncoming vehicle.
  3. Check your mirrors and blind spots, reduce your speed to hold back, and wait until the cyclist has safely cleared the parked vehicles; you must anticipate sudden hazards like opening doors and remember that flashing headlights merely indicate presence.Answer
  4. D
    Maintain your speed and overtake the cyclist while they are alongside the parked vehicles, focusing your observation solely on the oncoming traffic since the stationary vehicles present no active danger.

Answer

You should check your mirrors, reduce your speed, and hold back behind the cyclist until they have passed the parked vehicles, while interpreting the flashing headlights only as an indication of the oncoming vehicle's presence.
The legally compliant action requires holding back. A safe driver must anticipate that the cyclist might swerve outward to avoid opening doors from the parked vehicles. Furthermore, flashing headlights only signify the oncoming vehicle's presence and must never be interpreted as an invitation to proceed with an unsafe manoeuvre in a narrow space.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the static hazard ahead.
Identify that parked vehicles present a severe risk of doors opening unexpectedly into the carriageway.
Anticipating this hazard means recognizing the cyclist may need to swerve outward to avoid a collision.
2
Evaluate the oncoming vehicle's signal.
Determine that the flashing headlights solely indicate the oncoming vehicle's presence on the road.
The Highway Code explicitly states drivers must not assume flashing headlights are an invitation to proceed or a concession of right of way.
3
Determine the safe overtaking protocol.
Decide to hold back and reduce speed, delaying the overtaking manoeuvre until the cyclist clears the static hazard.
Attempting to overtake would either force you to pass too closely to the cyclist (violating the minimum 1.5 metres1.5\text{ metres} clearance rule) or force you into conflict with the oncoming vehicle.

Key Concept

Synthesizing Overtaking Clearances with Static Hazard Anticipation
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Topics

Overtaking Rules

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