What happens if the car door suddenly opens? The bike lane dissappears. If a rider thinks they belong only in a bike lane, they either run into the door or have to swerve left into the traffic lane. If I were to ride on this street, I would be at least two feet to the left of the bike lane. That way a motorist would not be surprised by me suddenly appearing (out of nowhere) in front if him.

Also notice the left-turn lane. There's a potential for a serious accident if a bike , a car, and a a left-turning vehicle were all in the same place at the same time, and the car door opened. You might say that the odds of that happening are pretty remote, but I'll ride a little farther out into the lane and keep the car behind me for a few seconds rather than take the risk. Riding a little further into the lane also makes me more visible to the left-turning vehicle.