There’s been some misinformation being shared on social media from bicyclists saying that motorists should be “adjacent to the curb, and sometimes that means entering what’s been striped as the ‘bike lane'”.
That’s not correct.
The cite Michigan Motor Vehicle Code, which says:
(1) The driver of a vehicle intending to turn at an intersection shall do so as follows:
(a) Both the approach for a right turn and a right turn shall be made as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway.
MCL – Section 257.647
The law says the curb or the “edge of the roadway.” The Vehicle Code defines the “roadway” as that portion of a street that’s “improved, designed, or ordinarily used for vehicular travel.” Bikes are not vehicles in Michigan, therefore bike lanes are not part of the roadway. Neither are parking lanes, shoulders or striped buffer areas.
MDOT’s “What Every Michigan Drive Should Know About Bicycle Lanes” provides this clear graphic showing how to properly make a legal right turn at the edge of the roadway.
In fact, driving in the bike lane to make a turn is a misdemeanor under the Michigan State Police’s Uniform Traffic Code Rule 322, which most Michigan cities, townships, villages, and counties adopt as local ordinances.
(1) A person shall not operate a vehicle on or across a bicycle lane, except to enter or leave adjacent property.
Uniform Traffic Code Rule 322
(2) A person shall not park a vehicle on a bicycle lane, except where parking is permitted by official signs.
(3) A person who violates this rule is guilty of a misdemeanor.
The big takeaways are don’t drive in the bike lane and don’t believe everything you read on social media.