Where is the passing lane on a multilane California road?
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A.
The far right lane, next to parked cars
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B.
The middle lane on any three-lane road
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C.
The far left lane, closest to the center divider Correct
The answer is "The far left lane, closest to the center divider"
The passing lane on a multilane road is the far left lane, closest to the center divider. Drivers who split the difference on a three-lane freeway and treat the middle as the passing lane pick option B. That reflects a gut habit, not the manual's positional definition.
The traps in the wrong answers
A. The far right lane, next to parked cars
This describes the slow lane where drivers keep right, not the passing lane. This answer comes from drivers used to contexts where slower traffic sits on the left, flipping California's orientation.
B. The middle lane on any three-lane road
The middle lane on a three-lane freeway is a through lane, not the designated passing lane. This answer splits the difference between the slow right and the fast left as if the middle were the passing lane, a habit the manual does not sanction.
This question tests your knowledge of Passing in California. Source: California Driver Manual, "Passing Lanes," p.15..
Related California questions
- A vehicle behind you signals to pass. What should you do? →
- A motorcycle is ahead of you in the same lane. May you pass it in that lane? →
- Before passing on a two-lane road, how far ahead should any hill or curve be? →
- Where does the California manual forbid passing? →
- You are driving slowly on a two-lane road where passing is unsafe. When must you use a turnout to let others pass? →
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