Roadworks flagger versus permanent no-overtaking sign
You drive a 26-tonne tipper on a two-lane regional road outside Bitola. A permanent circular sign shows a red truck symbol on a white background with a red border, and beneath it a supplementary plate says 'NO OVERTAKING FOR GOODS VEHICLES OVER 3.5 t'. Then a temporary yellow sign warns 'ROADWORKS 200 m' and a temporary 30 km/h limit. At the works, one lane is closed. An authorised flagger in high-visibility clothing waves your truck into the opposite lane. As you begin to move, an oncoming car appears around the bend at about 60 km/h. The flagger keeps waving. The road marking on your side is a solid white line, but the temporary lane shift has worn away part of it. You must decide whether to obey the flagger immediately, how the signs rank, and what to do about the oncoming car.
1. Which signal or sign takes precedence in this roadworks zone, and does the flagger's wave give you an absolute right to enter the opposite lane?
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A properly authorised traffic controller's signal takes precedence over permanent signs and road markings. Temporary roadworks signs also take precedence over permanent signs for the duration of the works. So the flagger can authorise you to use the opposite lane despite the permanent no-overtaking sign and the solid line.
However, the wave is an instruction to proceed only when it is safe; it does not create an absolute right of way or override the oncoming car's physical presence. You must still check that the opposite lane is clear, that the lane shift is passable for a 26-tonne vehicle, and that the flagger's position is visible. If an oncoming car is approaching at 60 km/h, entering the lane would create a head-on risk. The correct action is to stop and wait until the flagger stops the oncoming traffic or the car passes.
2. What should you do about the worn marking and the oncoming car?
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The worn solid line does not cancel the flagger's authority, but it removes a visual guide. Treat the temporary lane as a single lane controlled by the flagger. Do not straddle the line or use the shoulder. Stop before the works, switch on hazard lights if appropriate, and watch the flagger and the oncoming driver.
Do not follow the flagger's wave blindly; wait for a clear gap. If the oncoming car does not slow, remain stopped and sound a brief horn warning if it continues toward the works. Once the oncoming car has passed, move into the opposite lane at walking pace, keep a safe distance from workers and plant, and return to your lane only when the flagger or temporary signs indicate it. This is a judgement about conflicting instructions, not a race to obey the first signal.