The location: Southbound Westlake Boulevard at Triunfo Canyon Road in the Thousand Oaks portion of Westlake Village. The location falls under Caltrans' jurisdiction.

The problem: A bike lane edges southbound Westlake Boulevard, and when motorists want to make a right turn at Triunfo Canyon Road, they must cross the bike lane to reach a right turn lane--a very dangerous situation, according to at least one reader.

Possible solutions: Caltrans should relocate the bike lane so that it's to the far right of vehicular traffic lanes.

Immediate action: Caltrans won't take any action on the matter because the agency believes the layout is safe, according to Caltrans spokesperson Jeanne Bonfilio.

"We've been doing (that type of layout) for about 10 years now," Bonfilio said. "The reason we've been doing this is because it actually makes it safer for the motorist and safer for the bicyclist."

Intersections often don't even have a right-turn lane and motorists must enter the bike lane to make a right turn.

BIKERS BEWARE-Motorists must cross over the bike lane to make a right turn from Westlake Boulevard onto Triunfo Canyon Road. The situation has drivers concerned. BILL SPARKES/Acorn Newspapers According to Sgt. Philip Brooks of the Lost Hills Sheriff's Station, motorists are supposed to be closest to the road's right-hand side when making right turns. When a bike lane is laid out on the right side of vehicle lanes and no right-turn lane exists at an intersection, motorists are required to enter the bike lane to turn right, even if the bike lane isn't marked with painted dashes, Brooks said.

"When cars and bikes share the road, there will always be the issue of cars turning right at every intersection," Bonfilio said.

If the bike lane were to be to the right of a right-turn lane, bicyclists going straight through the intersection run the risk of hitting vehicles making a right. The photo above illustrates the dilemma.

When laid out to the left of a right turn lane, the bike lane allows cyclists to continue straight ahead with other traffic crossing through the intersection.

Have a traffic-related question or concern? Send it to "Acorn Traffic Man" in care of the address on page 4 or by e-mail to pic@theacorn.com. We'll try to respond as soon as possible.