How do you turn left if you're riding in the bike lane?

On a bike, you should always be in the rightmost lane consistent with your direction of travel. If the bike lane turns into a right-only lane and you want to go straight, you need to move to the rightmost straight lane. If your state allows lane-straddling, you can be on the line between the right-only and the rightmost straight lane. In some places, though, it's safer to take up a lane than to get sideswiped. If you're going to turn left, then you need to do it from the rightmost left turn lane. If there's no left turn lane, then you need to be in the leftmost lane.

what everyone else said be *a vehicle* be predictable be visible look to see if it;s safe signal get in left lane [[rightmost, if there is more than one]] for the turn itself, take the whole lane-be in the middle as you approach your new road, you can move back to your regular lane position then wave 'thanks' to all the "little people" in cars, who assisted you in your worthy project of turning left :) wle.

signal your intent to turn, and get in the left lane (when it is safe to do so). you need to gain confidence riding in traffic. it's a bit hairy at first..

It's all about being visible and signaling your intentions. Stick your left arm out straight to the left, pointing with your fingers well before leaving the bike lane. When there is an opening, move to the left and occupy the left lane of the road. Get in the center of the lane where everyone will see you. Smile and wave "hello" to all the cars around you. You really don't care if they smile or wave back, you just want them to notice you. Keep your left arm signal out straight to signal your intention. Move out promptly when you get a left turn opening and get to the right as soon as you can after turning. It takes time to get comfortable doing this in traffic, but it does work. HTH

IMHO bike lanes don't work as intended. They give beginner cyclists the false impression that they're safe from being hit from behind, they put cyclists out of the traffic flow and make them invisible, and they often disappear when the cyclist needs the most: at intersections, where most accidents happen. You raise a very good question. My answer would be to ignore the bike lane and act as if you were a car: change lanes when it is safe to do so, and work you way to the left-most or left-turn lane. Take the middle of each lane in succession as you move over; you don't want to share a lane in this circumstance! This probably means starting to maneuver for your turn a block or two in advance. Another bad situation caused by bike lanes is bus stops. Does the bus stop in the bike lane (illegal since it's not a bike,) or does it unload passengers from outside the lane, into the cyclists' path? Again, the safest way to handle it is often to act like a car and pass the bus on the left when it is safe to do so. Of course, if you do this, you're taking a chance that the bus will take off, leaving you trapped in the left lane! If it's not safe, then just like a car would, you should stop & wait.

Hi: I live in New York City. I ride my bike to work a few days a week. I cross a bridge to get to work (on a secure bike path). And I deal with all kinds of road conditions along my route to get to work: Marked bike lanes, secure bike paths and open streets filled with traffic. The trick is to ride the same way as if you're driving a car. The old rule about hand signaling was to use only your right arm to make all turn signals. The safer way to go now is to use whichever arm you need to tell drivers how you are turning. Stick out your left arm to show a left turn; your right arm to show a right turn. It's good to be as safe as possible when riding on the roads no matter where you live. Always wear a helmet. Have blinking lights on the front and rear of your bike and on the back of your helmet. Wear a reflective vest or bright clothing. Have mirrors on both handles so you can see both sides of the road as you ride. I'm happy to say that I haven't had an accident since I've been practicing these safety measures. But you should always be careful when riding. Take care. :-)