Speed Limits, Overtaking and Lane Discipline
Speed limits set the maximum permitted speed, not a target. You must always be able to stop within the distance you can see to be clear, so in rain, fog, at night or near schools and pedestrian areas you should drive well below the posted limit. Bahrain's default urban limits are typically in the range of 40 to 60 km/h on city streets, with higher limits on major arteries and highways; always obey the posted sign, because limits change by road and by section.
Overtaking is one of the highest-risk manoeuvres. Before overtaking, confirm it is legal (no solid centre line, no prohibited zone), that the road ahead is clear for a long enough distance, that no one is overtaking you, and that you have enough power to complete the move quickly. Signal, check mirrors and blind spot, move out, pass decisively, and return to your lane only when you can see the overtaken vehicle in your interior mirror. Never overtake at junctions, pedestrian crossings, bends, hill crests, or where visibility is limited. Never overtake on the left in a right-hand-drive-on-the-right country; you overtake on the right.
Lane discipline means keeping right except when overtaking, using the correct lane for your intended direction, and not weaving. Undertaking (passing on the left) is generally prohibited and dangerous. Traps include questions that treat the speed limit as a safe speed in all conditions, and questions implying you may cross a solid line to overtake a slow vehicle.
Worked example: on a two-lane highway you wish to pass a lorry travelling slowly. You check that the centre line is broken, that no vehicle is approaching, that no one is overtaking you, signal, move to the left lane, pass promptly, and return right only when the lorry appears in your interior mirror. If a solid line appears, you abandon the overtake.
Rule of thumb: if you have to ask whether the overtake is safe, it is not.