Overtaking a tractor near a hidden junction
You are on a narrow two-lane rural road with a 70 km/h limit. A tractor with a wide implement is doing 25 km/h ahead of you. You have been following for 2 km. The road curves gently right, then there is a side road entering from the left about 120 m ahead; a hedge blocks your view of that side road. There is a solid white line on your side for the next 80 m, then a broken line. A car is 200 m behind you. Your bike accelerates strongly in second and third gear.
1. Can you overtake now, and what must be true before you start?
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No, not now. The solid white line on your side prohibits crossing or straddling it, and the hidden side road from the left is a serious hazard: a vehicle could emerge without seeing you, and the tractor's wide implement may swing out. The hedge blocks your view, so you cannot confirm the road is clear.
Before overtaking you need: a permitted road marking, a clear view well beyond the tractor and the junction, no oncoming traffic, no vehicle emerging from the side road, and enough space to complete the manoeuvre and return to your lane with a safe margin. The car 200 m behind is not the main issue, but check it is not already overtaking you. Wait until you are past the junction and the broken line begins, then reassess.
2. Once past the junction and on the broken line, how do you plan and execute the overtake?
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First, confirm the view: look far ahead for oncoming traffic and for any vehicle waiting at the side road. Check mirrors and blind spot, and signal. Drop a gear to get strong acceleration without exceeding the limit. Move out with a clear margin, pass the tractor decisively but not at excessive speed, and watch the implement for swing.
Leave enough room when returning to the lane: do not cut in front of the tractor, because it may need to brake or turn. Cancel the signal and resume a normal position. If anything changes, such as an oncoming vehicle appearing or the tractor moving left, abort by braking and tucking back in behind.
3. What if the tractor signals left just as you begin to pass?
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Abort. A tractor signalling left may turn into a field entrance or the side road, and its wide implement can swing across your path. Brake firmly but progressively, return to your lane behind it, and wait. Do not try to squeeze past on the left or right. Once it has turned, reassess the road and only then continue.