It is illegal to drive in a bicycle lane unless you are:
- in need of the space and the bike lane is empty.
- Passing another vehicle
- Parking (where permitted), entering or leaving the road, turning (within 200 feet of an intersection). ✓
Answer: C. Parking (where permitted), entering or leaving the road, turning (within 200 feet of an intersection).
You may drive in a bicycle lane only for parking where allowed, entering or leaving the road, or turning within 200 feet of an intersection.
Why this is the answer
The handbook describes bike lanes as reserved for bicyclists. It lists only three situations where a driver may be in one: parking where it is allowed, getting into or out of the road, and making a turn within 200 feet of an intersection. The right-turn section repeats that you may use a bike lane within that distance when turning. Using the lane because you need room or because it looks empty does not fit those exceptions.
Why the other answers are wrong
- A. in need of the space and the bike lane is empty. — Needing the space and seeing an empty bike lane is not one of the handbook's exceptions; the lane stays for bicyclists unless a listed situation applies.
- B. Passing another vehicle — Passing another vehicle is not among the listed reasons a driver may enter a bicycle lane.
Remember it
Think of a bike lane as a bike's space, not extra car space.
Official handbook: California Driver Handbook (DL 600), Section 6: Navigating the Roads, p. 17