Bike Lane Sign: Meaning and What to Do
The black rectangle with a white bicycle above the words BIKE LANE marks a lane reserved for bicycles. Motor vehicles may not drive in it, and in most places may not park or stop in it, though drivers may cross it to turn or to reach a driveway or the curb where the markings permit.
Bike Lane Sign
The lane is usually marked with a solid white line and a bicycle symbol on the pavement. Near intersections the line often becomes broken to show where turning drivers should merge across before turning, rather than cutting across a cyclist at the corner.
What to do when you see the bike lane sign
Stay out of the bike lane while driving. Before a right turn, check your mirror and blind spot for a cyclist coming up beside you, signal, and where the line is broken, merge into the bike lane close to the intersection so no cyclist can pass on your right as you turn. Never park in it.
The signs it is confused with
Tests pair it with the yellow Bicycle Crossing warning diamond, which warns of cyclists crossing rather than reserving a lane, and with the Bicycles May Use Full Lane sign, which tells you cyclists are allowed to take a regular travel lane. Black and white means regulation.
Signs are one topic of ten on every test
Every state practice test covers signs, signals, and markings among its ten topics, with every answer explained. Pick your state and see how its exam asks about signs like this one; it is free, with no sign-up.
Choose your stateQuestions about the bike lane sign
What does the bike lane sign mean?
The marked lane is reserved for bicycles. Drivers may cross it to turn or reach the curb where allowed, but may not drive or park in it.
How do I turn right across a bike lane?
Check for cyclists, signal early, and where the lane line is broken near the intersection, merge into the bike lane before turning. Do not turn across a cyclist beside you.
Can I park in a bike lane to run into a store?
No. Stopping or parking in a bike lane forces cyclists into traffic and is prohibited nearly everywhere.
What is the difference from the bicycle crossing sign?
The yellow diamond warns that bicycles cross the road ahead. The black and white Bike Lane sign regulates a lane along the road.
How does this sign appear on the written test?
In right-turn scenarios that ask what to do about a cyclist in the bike lane beside you, and as a recognition question in the sharing-the-road section.