• Do not get too close to the vehicle you want topass while you are awaiting an opportunity. For onething, following too closely reduces your area ofvision, especially if you are following a largervehicle. Also, you will not have adequate space ifthe vehicle ahead suddenly slows or stops.Keep back a reasonable distance.• When it looks like a chance to pass is coming up,start to accelerate but stay in the right lane and donot get too close. Time your move so you will beincreasing speed as the time comes to move into theother lane. If the way is clear to pass, you will have a“running start” that more than makes up for thedistance you would lose by dropping back. And ifsomething happens to cause you to cancel yourpass, you need only slow down and drop back againand wait for another opportunity.• If other vehicles are lined up to pass a slow vehicle,wait your turn. But take care that someone is nottrying to pass you as you pull out to pass the slowvehicle. Remember to glance over your shoulder andcheck the blind spot.• Check your mirrors, glance over your shoulder, andstart your left lane change signal before moving outof the right lane to pass. When you are far enoughahead of the passed vehicle to see its front in yourinside mirror, activate your right lane change signaland move back into the right lane. (Remember thatyour right outside mirror is convex. The vehicle youjust passed may seem to be farther away from youthan it really is.)• Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time ontwo-lane roads. Reconsider before passing the nextvehicle.• Do not overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly.Even though the brake lamps are not flashing, it maybe slowing down or starting to turn.• If you are being passed, make it easy for thefollowing driver to get ahead of you. Perhaps you canease a little to the right.4-15
