Can the orange car overtake the black one?
Look closely at this scene.Rent a Car Autos& Vehicles
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Two cars are traveling on a two-lane road.
The black car is in the left lane.
The orange car arrives behind, in the right lane.
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The question seems quite simple:
Can the orange car overtake the black car?
At first glance, some will immediately answer “yes”.
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After all, the two cars are traveling in two different lanes and the orange car apparently has enough space to move forward.Discover Mobiles Autos& Vehicles
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But be careful.
It’s not enough to just look at the position of the cars.
You must also observe the direction of the lanes, the arrows on the ground and the traffic rules. Vehicle& Traffic Safety
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So, in your opinion: A) Yes or B) No?
Don’t choose too quickly.
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A situation that can easily deceivePiloting a Prestige
The first reflex is to look only at the distance between the two vehicles .
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The orange car is behind.
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The black car is in front.
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And since the right lane seems clear, one might think that the orange car simply needs to continue to pass in front of the black car.
But this reasoning overlooks a crucial element.
On a road, a car cannot overtake another vehicle simply because a neighboring lane is available.
The position of the lane used to overtake is important.Highway Codes and Road Safety Rules
And in this image, it is precisely this detail that should attract your attention.
Now look at the large white arrows drawn on the road.
They are not oriented in exactly the same way.
For what ?
This is probably the first clue.
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Observe the arrows on the ground
The black car is on a lane with an arrow indicating a forward direction.
The orange car, meanwhile, is on a lane heading to the right.
This difference is important.
Therefore, it is not simply a matter of two parallel lanes allowing cars to continue straight ahead.
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The orange car’s path seems destined to follow a different trajectory.
This is a detail that can easily be overlooked when primarily looking at vehicles.
Take a few more seconds.
Look at the markings on the ground.
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Then look at the position of the two cars.
Finally, ask yourself this question:
Is the orange car actually using an overtaking lane?
Or is she simply on a track that suits another direction?
A second observation
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Go back to the beginning of the image.
Don’t look at the cars.
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Food recipesJust look at the road.
You see two trajectories.
The black car follows the trajectory corresponding to its lane.
The orange car is on a road where the arrow indicates a fork to the right.
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This completely changes the way we interpret the scene.
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If you answered “yes” only because the orange car is in a clear lane, then your first answer deserves to be checked.
Overtaking rules must also be taken into account.
In normal traffic, overtaking is usually done on the left.
Passing in front of a vehicle on the right is not considered an ordinary, permitted overtaking maneuver.
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This is an important distinction.
One vehicle may end up in front of another because the lanes follow different trajectories.
This does not automatically transform this situation into an overtaking maneuver.
In the image, the orange lane is heading to the right.
The black car continues on a different trajectory.
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The two vehicles are therefore not simply engaged on two parallel lanes intended to go in the same direction.
Take a few more seconds to look at the arrows.
You may be starting to see the trap.
Perform a third check
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Before discovering the answer, check three things.
Initially: where is the orange car?
She is to the right of the black car.
Secondly: what does the right lane do?
The arrow indicates a trajectory to the right.
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That’s precisely what makes the question interesting. AccessWriting Tools
Thirdly: what would a genuine overtaking by the right mean?
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In a normal situation, this does not correspond to the usual rule of exceeding.
These three elements help to understand why the answer is not as obvious as it initially seemed.
So, have you changed your mind?
Did you choose A or B?
The correct answer is…
The correct answer is: B) No.
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Try Science KitsIn the situation shown, the orange car cannot simply use its position on the right to overtake the black car.
In France, overtaking is normally done on the left. Therefore, having a clear lane on the right does not automatically give you the right to pass a vehicle traveling in the left lane.
But above all, we need to look at the configuration of this image.
The lane of the orange car is marked with an arrow indicating a trajectory to the right.
Therefore, it is not simply a parallel lane intended to allow the orange car to overtake the black car.
The orange car is following a different trajectory.
That is why it would be incorrect to interpret the scene as a classic overtaking maneuver on the right.
The trap lies in the position of the cars
What makes this image misleading is that our gaze naturally focuses on the vehicles. AccessWriting Tools
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Try Science KitsWe can see the black car in front.
We can see the orange car behind.
So, you decided you chose B from the start?
Or did you initially think that the orange car might have overtaken on the right?
In any case, this image shows why it is important to look at the whole scene before making a decision.
Show this image to your loved ones and ask them to choose A or B without giving them any clues.
Then compare their answers.
You’ll quickly know who’s really looking at the details of the itinerary!
