You're approaching a slower vehicle on a two-lane Oregon road. The centerline is broken yellow on your side now, but you can see it changes to solid yellow on your side a few hundred feet ahead. May you start the pass?
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A.
The pass is permitted only if you can complete it and return to your lane before the solid yellow begins. Correct
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B.
The broken yellow on your side at this moment is enough on its own to authorize starting the pass.
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C.
Starting the pass is fine, and crossing into the solid-yellow zone to finish the pass is allowed if needed.
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D.
Absence of currently visible oncoming traffic is enough on its own to authorize starting the pass.
The answer is "The pass is permitted only if you can complete it and return to your lane before the solid yellow begins."
On a two-lane Oregon road, a pass may not begin before the passing zone starts and must be completed before you enter a no-passing zone. Broken yellow on your side as you pull out is necessary but not sufficient; you also have to be able to return to your lane before the solid yellow begins. If you cannot, do not start the pass. The pull toward B comes from fixating on the centerline under the wheels at the moment of pulling out and reading that alone as authorization, overlooking the requirement to finish before the no-passing zone begins.
The traps in the wrong answers
B. The broken yellow on your side at this moment is enough on its own to authorize starting the pass.
The starting line being broken on your side is necessary but not sufficient; you must also be able to complete the pass before the no-passing zone begins. This answer treats the centerline at the moment of starting as the only condition, ignoring the rule that the pass must be completed before you enter a no-passing zone.
C. Starting the pass is fine, and crossing into the solid-yellow zone to finish the pass is allowed if needed.
Crossing the solid yellow on your side to finish a pass is not permitted; the pass must complete before that line begins. This answer permits the pass to overflow into the no-passing zone, contradicting the requirement that the pass be completed before you enter it.
D. Absence of currently visible oncoming traffic is enough on its own to authorize starting the pass.
Visibility is necessary but not sufficient; the centerline rule still governs whether you can complete the pass in time. This answer substitutes momentary clear visibility for the completion rule, ignoring that the pass must be completed before the no-passing zone begins.
This question tests your knowledge of Passing in Oregon. Source: Oregon Driver Manual, "Passing," p.31..
Related Oregon questions
- You're making an ordinary pass of another vehicle on a two-lane Oregon road. On which side do you pass? →
- There's a solid yellow line on your side of the centerline. Are you allowed to pass? →
- You're passing a slower vehicle on a two-lane Oregon road posted at 55 mph. When may you exceed 55 mph during the pass? →
- In Oregon, under which condition may you legally pass another vehicle on the RIGHT? →
- You're driving on an Oregon two-lane road in a no-passing zone. Are there ANY circumstances in which you may legally cross the center line? →
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