Originally posted by ChezJfrey
I've read the text, but no one treats it as a "lane." They indicate that drivers must yield to a bicycle, but most often, drivers cut across it when turning. They don't merge, so to speak. . . well, except for the occasional driver in a compact vehicle that uses it to skip by some congestion - for several blocks.
I agree with what you're saying. I was just pointing out that it is mentioned in driver's handbooks. It's just that like many other things mentioned in the driver's handbooks, it is often ignored/forgotten/overlooked by the general driving public.