John David Galt wrote:
I take it that Europe does not allow the car driver to take the bike
lane a few metres before the intersection, thus preventing this
conflict? (In California this is not only allowed, it is compulsory.)

Marc wrote:
Why bother to call it a bike lane if cars are required to drive in it?

The same reason the smoking section of a restaurant (in places that still
allow such a thing) is open to nonsmokers. The point of a bike lane is
to improve traffic flow by keeping bikes in, not cars out.