Overtaking & Position on the Road

No, a tractor is a motor vehicle. A supplementary plate permitting overtaking tractors can create an exception for overtaking that tractor. It does not generally permit the tractor to overtake you. Even with that plate, markings, visibility and safety must allow the manoeuvre.

F1 prohibits motor vehicles from overtaking one another. You may not overtake a motorcycle or tractor either. Article 2a also applies the motor-vehicle rules to a microcar. F1 alone does not prohibit overtaking, for example, a cyclist, moped rider or disabled vehicle; other rules and safety may still prevent it. F2 ends this prohibition.

For car drivers there are five usual situations: traffic queues, just before or on a roundabout, to the right of block markings past traffic on their left, a tram, and a vehicle ahead positioned left and indicating left. The route must always be safe and permitted. An open rush-hour lane or a slow driver staying left gives no extra exception.

There is no general overtaking prohibition at every junction. Overtaking there is often unsafe because the vehicle ahead hides crossing traffic and pedestrians. Do not overtake with insufficient visibility or space, and follow priority rules, signs and markings. Just before or on a zebra crossing, an express overtaking prohibition does apply.

You may use a cycle lane with a broken boundary line provided you do not hinder cyclists or other authorised users. You do not have to. Check mirrors and your blind spot first. You may not use a solid-line cycle lane in a car. Do not confuse a cycle lane on the carriageway with a separate cycle path.

Read the arrows and signs and choose the rightmost lane permitting your direction in good time. Going straight does not automatically mean using the middle lane. Just before and on roundabouts, exceptions to keeping right apply; follow the lane guidance there. When changing lanes, let all other traffic go first and indicate.