I have been driving in Japan for about three years and I have seen my fair share of people overtaking on the left side (and yes, I may or may not have done that too). Due to reasons, I am forced to get a Japanese driver's license from scratch. I've just finished up my second attempt at the honmen and failed because I hit a pole when performing the directional turn special maneuver at the driving center. The examinor mentioned that my on-the-road driving was really good and I would have passed for sure had I not fucked up at the end.
But one other situation arose during the test that I still have not been able to find a satisfactory answer for. I was driving on a 60km/h road. My lane, the left lane, was completely clear. On the right was a train of vehicles all driving under the 60 km/h speed limit. Afraid that I was going to overtake them on the left -- to my knowledge a traffic violation and probably an instant fail -- I slowed down, but my examiner just said: "you need to speed up".
Eventually the situation resolved itself, because before I could catch up and overtake them, the train of cars turned right and made a turn. At this point, overtaking is fine of course, so I just went about my way. However, had this continued, what is the correct play here? Do you slow down to not overtake? Do you overtake? Do you join the right lane?
My instinct says 'stay in your lane and slow down to not overtake', but if this is not the correct answer, please do let me know.
Before responding to this post, please note that participation in this subreddit is reserved exclusively for actual residents of Japan. If you are not currently residing in Japan (including former residents, individuals awaiting residency, or periodic visitors), please refrain from commenting.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
The passing only on the right is an expressway thing. Regular roads, there is no such rule. Just think, what would you do if the cars on the right were slowing to make a right turn. Do you slow down to not overtake them and come to a complete stop until they turn?
Not even remotely true.
The law stipulates two different terms here: 追い抜き and 追い越し.
https://www.zurich.co.jp/carlife/cc-noovertaking-sign-violation/
Overtaking 追い越し (I.E passing and then returning into your previous lane) is illegal to do on the left of a vehicle, regardless of what lane and what type of street they are in.
追い抜き, overtaking a vehicle without changing course (i.e not changing lanes) is perfectly acceptable to do on the left.
The difference is whether you return to your original lane after overtaking or not.
What you described is completely different from 追い抜き or 追い越し in that you are merely avoiding an obstable in your lane. It is permitted in the law, but that does not mean the overtaking on the left is okay.
Please dont open your mouth if you dont actually know what you're talking about, youre going to end up getting people in trouble with the police.
[removed]
Its the proper attitude to have with people who are confidently incorrect with things that can lead to trouble with the law.
Perfectly acceptable to give advice and be incorrect with things that arent serious. Not acceptable to falsely claim things that could end with a ticket.
Warning them about it isnt being on a high horse. I suggest looking in the mirror first.
And you clearly did not read OPs post. He stated:
So he was in a clear left lane with slow cars on the right. He though he needs to slow, when in fact there is no need even according to your post.
Maybe you should not open your mouth unless you actually read the related posts and understand what is being asked.
I did read the post. What you wrote is disingenuous and prone to misinterpretation. I was merely correcting you. Which is important because in English we use overtake interchangeably in these cases. Whereas in Japanese they are completely different words and are legally codified as different things.
If you really meant that, why did you even mention anything about passing on the right being only an expressway thing? Completely irrelevant.
If thats not what you meant than perhaps edit your comment?
Doubling down to make it look like you werent incorrect is pathetic. Just admit that you were wrong.
Which specific bit of the original comment are you taking umbrage with? Doesn't your link support the comment?
My link states the exact opposite. When passing (overtaking is what OP used to describe it) you need to pass on the right. This above part of the comment makes it seem like you only need to legally pass (overtake) on the right on the highway. I.E: on surface streets its legal to overtake on the left.
Which isnt true. Its possible that the commentor didnt mean it that way, but the words they used leads to confusion. Which is what I took umbrage with.
The comment says "passing" now so it must have been edited.
But the sentiment with regards to real world driving was correct though, right? On a dual carriageway with a slow right lane, you don't have to slow to yield to the slower traffic and avoid undertaking. This (i.e., OP's original question) isn't explicitly cover in you link but is partly addressed by "右側追越しと右側通過の例外
車は、他の車を追い越すときは、その右側を通行しなければいけません。ただし、前の車が右折するために道路の中央（一方通行の道路では右端）に寄って通行しているときは、その左側を通行しなければいけません。".
Which is what I wrote in my reply to the original comment, no?
Its important to dictate that the only time you can overtake on the left is when the right lane is waiting to turn right. (As you quoted above).
The original comment makes it seem like you can overtake on the left on dual carriageways regardless and that the overtaking law only applies to expressways.
Feels like this could’ve easily been a good discussion without having to resort to name-calling.
I never called them a name though. At no point did I ever do that. Nor did I "degrade" them.
Was my tone quite strong? Yes. Intentionally, to get across the point that they shouldnt be giving advice that will get people in trouble with the law. (This happens a lot on this subreddit).
afaik important part of the distinction is whether you changed lane before passing someone or not. and its irrelevant if you change back to the previous lane or not
https://preview.redd.it/uydlgwmqe9cg1.png?width=640&format=png&auto=webp&s=5fbe74c07fa1681033522f19bd61fded7cae544f
AFAIK there are different interpretations of the law regarding that part. The link I posted shows an additional line after.
Edit (Just because you changed the picture): Yes you are correct, the important part is if you change langes before passing the vehicle in front. There is a gray area in regards to if you dont return back to the previous lane as technically you could just be changing lanes (which is perfectly acceptable to do). The law doesnt really distinguish this maneuver though so police wont really do anything unless you move back into your previous lane (or intent was obviously to overtake → excessive speed for example)
What constitutes this is the big issue: 抜くとき車線変更
If you can clearly see down the road that someone is slower than you and you change lanes a few 100m before catching up, its not really overtaking. If you get behind them and slow down and then change lanes to pass it is. (This is the real hard part of applying this part of the road traffic act in reality)
https://preview.redd.it/ufocqhaqe9cg1.png?width=1382&format=png&auto=webp&s=54d507d31b02695b1bfafc0ba9f6190f921398de
You should not do 追い抜き on the left especially in the highway as much as possible. Drivers will expect slower cars on the left when they return to their lane after overtaking or just changing lanes to go to the exit. If you are faster than the right side lane, that's an accident waiting to happen.
Not an authoritative answer but I do think overtake and just simply passing on the left are 2 different things.
Yeah, overtake means you swerve to the left, pass, and swerve back to the right.
If you are in your lane and the other cars are in some other lane, it’s fine.
You should study for the written exam better. The rule book and one of the question on the written test said that ```you can only overtake from the left if car on the right lane make a right turn```. May be the gray zone that confuse you is that they are not turn right immediately, but are lining up to turn right, probably you can undertake them too.
"The examinor mentioned that my on-the-road driving was really good", probably just to cheer you up. I have sat in the same car with two other students in my driving school, they jerk the car a lots when they clutch out, but still pass with high score. Probably good in the sense that you completed all checking procedure that has been taught in the lessons.
That'should be followed more in highways. The rule is not strictly followed in the city because of right turns, as you have seen. Not every car wants to be in the left most lane too because of parked cars, and that lane sometimes turns into left turn only lane. Just drive at a safe speed and use the lane that makes sense for the situation.
When driving by myself, I would absolutely do this. It's different when there is an examinor next to you that will fail you if you break the law.
If you are on a city road you should be going the speed limit as long as traffic allows in your lane.
The traffic in the right lane might backup if someone is turning right so cars in left will pass. The traffic in the left lane might backup if people are turning left so the cars in the right will pass. There is no passing lane. You are not "overtaking" if you drive passed someone.
Even if you are driving in the right then -> change to left to go around someone who is making a right turn then once passed -> back into right because there are slower traffic waiting to turn left now in front of you is not considered "overtaking".
That is only the expressway where the right lane has no obstacles. Usually no cars merging coming from the right, so the right lane is always clear. You should keep it that way, which means going to the left if you are not passing.
But you can always ask your instructor before the test.
That is not true. While yes you can overtake on the left when a vehicle is turning right, that isnt strictly classed as overtaking. Its switching lanes to avoid and object in your lane.
You CANNOT overtake on the left, regardless of surface streets or highway. What I mean is that, if a car is not turning right you cannot change lanes to pass them on the left and then return to the right lane. That is an illegal overtake. 追い越し
You can switch lanes to pass and then continue in the left lane though. That is classed as 追い抜き and is perfectly acceptable.
I think that is what I am saying. If the car in the right lane is slowed due to some thing in that lane (turning right, or behind a row of cars waiting to turn right, etc.) Making lane changes to keep the flow of traffic moving. If the cars in that lane are going below the speed limit, and you move into the left lane and are going speed limit and naturally pass them, it is not an overtake.
It could be something going slow for whatever reason, but they are in the right lane because they will be turning four blocks later and want to be prepared. You do not have to keep speed the same as the car in the right lane - even if they do not have their turn signal on. As for returning to the right lane, you can do that. You have to if you are supposed to turn right at some point.
I don't think anyone is talking about being a dickhead driver just swerving in and out of traffic faster than the speed limit. OP knows that is not OK.
Your example is correct, its written in the Road Traffic Act that someone that is turning right is an exception. Thats not what I was commenting on though.
This is a misunderstanding though. If you intentionally switch lanes with the intent to pass the vehicle ahead (if they are not in the process of getting ready to turn) its classified as a left hand overtake and is not legal according to the Road Traffic Act because it doesnt meet the requirements for the exception for right hand turning vehicles.
Now obviously, you can 1. switch lanes well before you catch up with the car, 2. pass on the left. That is 追い抜き. The issue comes down to in what circumstances you switch lanes and when.
Simply put: If you catch up to a car in the right lane and then switch lanes to the left to pass the vehicle its not a legal overtake.
Currently going through the whole driving school process now, and there is a new rule about staying in the left lane (even when not on the highway) that virtually no one who already has a license knows about or is going to observe. If they were, the instances where you'd even be tempted to overtake on the left would be much less prevalent.
Just one of those cases where you have to nod and follow the official line, even if it makes little sense.
That is not overtaking (or rather, English doesnt have separate words for that action), but rather an instance of 追い抜き. Which is perfectly acceptable.
What you are confusing is 追い越し on the left, which means you change your direction of travel (lane) to overtake a vehicle via the left lane and then returning to the right lane. This is illegal overtaking.
Merely continuing in your lane and passing vehicles in the right lane is not illegal overtaking.
After undertaking a passing procedure in the left lane (追い抜き) is there a time or distance limit before one can move to the right lane? Obviously it must be possible.
There isnt one defined in the Road Traffic Act.
It basically comes down to intention (also I would imagine speed is a pretty decent factor in deriving intention).
Are just a few easy to understand scenarios I can think of.