{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/46.2-839.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/46.2-839.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/46.2-839.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/46.2-839.html"}],"law_id":76605,"edition_id":1,"section_id":76605,"structure_id":14283,"section_number":"46.2-839","catch_line":"Passing bicycle, electric personal assistive mobility device, electric power-assisted bicycle, moped, animal, or animal-drawn vehicle","history":"1981, c. 585, \u00a7 46.1-208.1; 1989, c. 727; 1999, c. 999; 2001, c. 834; 2002, c. 254; 2004, cc. 947, 973; 2014, c. 358; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 462.","full_text":"Any driver of any motor vehicle overtaking a bicycle, electric personal assistive mobility device, electric power-assisted bicycle, moped, animal, or animal-drawn vehicle proceeding in the same direction shall pass at a reasonable speed at least three feet to the left of the overtaken bicycle, electric personal assistive mobility device, electric power-assisted bicycle, moped, animal, or animal-drawn vehicle and shall not again proceed to the right side of the highway until safely clear of such overtaken bicycle, electric personal assistive mobility device, electric power-assisted bicycle, moped, animal, or animal-drawn vehicle. If the lane of travel is not wide enough to allow the overtaking motor vehicle to pass in the manner required in this section while in the same lane as the overtaken vehicle, the overtaking vehicle shall change lanes.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":275014,"text":"Any driver of any motor vehicle overtaking a bicycle, electric personal assistive mobility device, electric power-assisted bicycle, moped, animal, or animal-drawn vehicle proceeding in the same direction shall pass at a reasonable speed at least three feet to the left of the overtaken bicycle, electric personal assistive mobility device, electric power-assisted bicycle, moped, animal, or animal-drawn vehicle and shall not again proceed to the right side of the highway until safely clear of such overtaken bicycle, electric personal assistive mobility device, electric power-assisted bicycle, moped, animal, or animal-drawn vehicle. If the lane of travel is not wide enough to allow the overtaking motor vehicle to pass in the manner required in this section while in the same lane as the overtaken vehicle, the overtaking vehicle shall change lanes.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":14283,"edition_id":1,"name":"Passing","identifier":"4","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12875,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:47:36","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:47:36","permalink":{"id":230801,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14283,"identifier":"4","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/4","url":"\/46.2\/III\/8\/4\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12875,"edition_id":1,"name":"Regulation of Traffic","identifier":"8","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12827,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:58","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:58","permalink":{"id":230189,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12875,"identifier":"8","token":"46.2\/III\/8","url":"\/46.2\/III\/8\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12827,"edition_id":1,"name":"Operation","identifier":"III","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12770,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:55","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:55","permalink":{"id":228597,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12827,"identifier":"III","token":"46.2\/III","url":"\/46.2\/III\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12770,"edition_id":1,"name":"Motor Vehicles","identifier":"46.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:52","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:52","permalink":{"id":225289,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12770,"identifier":"46.2","token":"46.2","url":"\/46.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":66732,"structure_id":14283,"section_number":"46.2-837","catch_line":"Passing vehicles proceeding in opposite directions","url":"\/46.2-837\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/4\/46.2-837","metadata":false},{"id":55642,"structure_id":14283,"section_number":"46.2-838","catch_line":"Passing when overtaking a vehicle","url":"\/46.2-838\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/4\/46.2-838","metadata":false},{"id":76605,"structure_id":14283,"section_number":"46.2-839","catch_line":"Passing bicycle, electric personal assistive mobility device, electric power-assisted bicycle, moped, animal, or animal-drawn vehicle","url":"\/46.2-839\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/4\/46.2-839","metadata":false},{"id":63992,"structure_id":14283,"section_number":"46.2-840","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/46.2-840\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/4\/46.2-840","metadata":false},{"id":57236,"structure_id":14283,"section_number":"46.2-841","catch_line":"When overtaking vehicle may pass on right","url":"\/46.2-841\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/4\/46.2-841","metadata":false},{"id":55552,"structure_id":14283,"section_number":"46.2-842","catch_line":"Driver to give way to overtaking vehicle","url":"\/46.2-842\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/4\/46.2-842","metadata":false},{"id":81994,"structure_id":14283,"section_number":"46.2-842.1","catch_line":"Drivers to give way to certain overtaking vehicles on divided highways","url":"\/46.2-842.1\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/4\/46.2-842.1","metadata":false},{"id":67851,"structure_id":14283,"section_number":"46.2-843","catch_line":"Limitations on overtaking and passing","url":"\/46.2-843\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/4\/46.2-843","metadata":false},{"id":69210,"structure_id":14283,"section_number":"46.2-844","catch_line":"Passing stopped school buses; prima facie evidence; penalty","url":"\/46.2-844\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/4\/46.2-844","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":55642,"structure_id":14283,"section_number":"46.2-838","catch_line":"Passing when overtaking a vehicle","url":"\/46.2-838\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/4\/46.2-838","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":63992,"structure_id":14283,"section_number":"46.2-840","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/46.2-840\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/4\/46.2-840","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/46.2-839\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1981. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 585 of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. Unfortunately, the 1981 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 6 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1989, chapter 727; in 1999, chapter 999<\/a>; in 2001, chapter 834<\/a>; in 2002, chapter 254<\/a>; in 2004, chapters 947<\/a> and 973<\/a>; in 2014, chapter 358<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":230811,"object_type":"law","relational_id":76605,"identifier":"46.2-839","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/4\/46.2-839","url":"\/46.2-839\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/46.2-839\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/4\/46.2-839","dublin_core":{"Title":"Passing bicycle, electric personal assistive mobility device, electric power-assisted bicycle, moped, animal, or animal-drawn vehicle","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 46.2-839","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

Any driver<\/span> of any motor vehicle<\/span> overtaking a bicycle, electric personal assistive mobility device<\/span>, electric power-assisted bicycle<\/span>, moped<\/span>, animal, or animal-drawn vehicle proceeding in the same direction shall pass at a reasonable speed at least three feet to the left of the overtaken bicycle, electric personal assistive mobility device<\/span>, electric power-assisted bicycle<\/span>, moped<\/span>, animal, or animal-drawn vehicle and shall not again proceed to the right side of the highway<\/span> until safely clear of such overtaken bicycle, electric personal assistive mobility device<\/span>, electric power-assisted bicycle<\/span>, moped<\/span>, animal, or animal-drawn vehicle. If the lane<\/span> of travel is not wide enough to allow the overtaking motor vehicle<\/span> to pass in the manner required in this section while in the same lane<\/span> as the overtaken vehicle, the overtaking vehicle shall change lanes<\/span>.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nPASSING BICYCLE, ELECTRIC PERSONAL ASSISTIVE MOBILITY DEVICE, ELECTRIC\nPOWER-ASSISTED BICYCLE, MOPED, ANIMAL, OR ANIMAL-DRAWN VEHICLE (\u00a7 46.2-839)\n\nAny driver of any motor vehicle overtaking a bicycle, electric personal\nassistive mobility device, electric power-assisted bicycle, moped, animal, or\nanimal-drawn vehicle proceeding in the same direction shall pass at a reasonable\nspeed at least three feet to the left of the overtaken bicycle, electric\npersonal assistive mobility device, electric power-assisted bicycle, moped,\nanimal, or animal-drawn vehicle and shall not again proceed to the right side of\nthe highway until safely clear of such overtaken bicycle, electric personal\nassistive mobility device, electric power-assisted bicycle, moped, animal, or\nanimal-drawn vehicle. If the lane of travel is not wide enough to allow the\novertaking motor vehicle to pass in the manner required in this section while in\nthe same lane as the overtaken vehicle, the overtaking vehicle shall change\nlanes.\n\nHISTORY: 1981, c. 585, \u00a7 46.1-208.1; 1989, c. 727; 1999, c. 999; 2001, c. 834;\n2002, c. 254; 2004, cc. 947, 973; 2014, c. 358; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 462.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}