Let's just call the lanes what they are: Suicide Lanes. There has to be a better system out there...

Most states the law is almost opposite(because you can use it but not for acceleration) of Michigan:
 
TURNING FROM OR INTO A CENTER TURN LANE
 
If you see a lane in the middle of a two-way street marked on both sides by two (2) lines — one (1) solid outer line and one (1) broken inner line — it means this lane may only be used for left turns. Drivers traveling in either direction must use this lane to begin their left turns, and drivers entering the road may also use this lane to end their left turn from a cross street before entering the traffic stream.

To a cop, everything is illegal, and there are no victims, only suspects. Wrong person to ask. Also, this is largely a fault of the poor road designs used in Michigan. Boulevards divided by a raised bed with vegetation and LEGAL U-turns at the lights, combined with smart light technology, are the way to go. No way to make a left except at a light. It improves traffic flow and safety dramatically. Of course, Michigan is 50-years behind the times in traffic light technology, and it takes 5-10 years of fine tuning to get smart lights working perfectly, so, maybe in 100 years we'll see some improvement.

It is very unnerving for me to make a left on these busy multi lane streets , so unless there is a big hole were I can make hard left I try to avoid it . I have been known to go right , then left ,then back right , now.... some may think I am a doddering old man for doing this but I keep up with traffic once I get going in the direction I want to go.

It is called a LEFT TURN LANE---- for a reason.

Ok, we'll see. I've never heard of anyone being cited. I'll take the chance and save a lot of time, for myself and for everyone behind me. I've done that "stunt" thousands of times with no problems.

i find an easy way to look at it is ; it is a left turn lane, if you aren't making a left-turn then keep out of it . . .

Greeby, you put a lot a faith in other drivers that may or may not come from out of nowhere when you perform that stunt. when you get ticketed for improper lane use, don't cry. with arrows clearly showing "left turn" along with that little sign that says "center lane left only", you're are wrong and I hope you get cited and don't hurt anyone in the process of you ignorance.

Nice to see our laws are clearly written and accessible to the people whose behavior they regulate.

There should be a distinction between using the left turn lane for ACCELERATING and merging into traffic, and merely sitting there waiting for traffic to clear up so you can merge right. It sounds the like expert in the article says that it is illegal because you aren't allowed to DRIVE in that lane. Cruising down the lane at full speed waiting for an opening seems like a terrible idea, but sitting there waiting for an opening seems fine to me.

That's because "Lazy Lefts" are MOST hazardous when the merging car is in motion and therefore warrant the most attention. However, sitting there with your right turn signal on also represents a hazard and is also illegal in Michigan. The problem in both cases is that the primary concentration of the merging driver is at their rear when the center left turn lane is used for bi-directional traffic. There have been plenty cars of executing a legal left turn out of the center lane get nailed by a stopped merging car in the center lane who, seeing the same opening, guns it while still concentrating over their shoulder.

The bottom line is that it's a "Left Turn Only" lane in Michigan and not a "Mostly Left Turns, But If You're In a Hurry and Need To Pull Out and Stop and Merge Right Then That's OK Too" lane.

"Why is it so unclear?"

I agree, and I don't understand the sentiment that this law can only be known if you know the MDOT "secret handshake" or went to law school.

I enjoy the comments from people saying that using the center left turn lane is the ONLY way to make a left onto a busy street. I can't say I've never violated traffic laws, but this is one area that I won't make an exception on. I don't do it, and I've never been stuck for more than a couple of minutes waiting for traffic to clear. You can tell yourself there's no other way, but it's not true. You're just impatient.
 
Oh, how about using the center left turn lane as a passing lane? Over the weekend, I had a FIP (F#ing Illinois Person) pass me using the center left turn lane. If I only had an RPG.........

I think that the communities have a responsibility, then, to make sure that the roads and signals increase as traffic flow increases so that people CAN make a left turn. In some roads, there is literally NO opportunity to get a clearing because of the way traffic control devices are set up.

This is a no-brainer. When crossing traffic to make a left turn is difficult, time-consuming, or dangerous, it is obvious that an alternative should be selected. Turn right, drive until a safe, and legal 180 can be made. Sometimes, in life, you have to go backward to go forward and vice versa. How many times have we seen idiotic drivers try to cross a road, stop in the middle with the rear end of the car blocking through traffic? These people are simply too lazy, impatient, inconsiderate, or stupid to go a few extra feet rather than create a potential accident situation..........And many driving schools need to go to school.........Driving techniques are very poorly taught in most driving schools...........

this is my biggest pet peeve ever, it is illegal because it causes accidents, its actually quite simple to explain to the morons that dont understand why they cant do it

Using the left turn lane as a merge lane from making a left turn is not legal, end of story. That isn't to say that it isn't done. However, ask any police officer what would happen if said person from said left turn lane were to cause an accident by either merging at the wrong time or attempting to curse to get up to speed and running into a motorist who is making a legal left turn. I can tell you that I know for sure who's going to get a ticket out of that incident every single time.

The left hand turn lane is for turning left. Simple as that.

This is so typical. Why can't they write laws in easy to understand straight forward language. What should be so simple; center turn lane can not be used as a merge or ecceleration lane, is instead buried in an engineers manual. They say ignorance of the law is no excuse but if you give me a driving manual, tell me to learn it and then write me a ticket for not following a rule written in another code book I don't even have access to is a bit unfair.

It isn't "buried"... If you look on page 70 of the "What Every Driver Must Know" booklet published by the SoS's office for people wishing to get a MI driver's license it addresses this issue: "Never use a turning lane as a merge lane to pull out into traffic or to overtake and pass other vehicles."

"The hard part is explaining why it is not legal." Really? Visualize someone using it illegally as acceleration/merging lane meeting up with a car heading in the opposite direction trying to use the lane to make a legal left turn. Don't see a problem there? Or, how about a car wanting to merge into the lane to make a legal left turn but cannot because some schmuck next to them is using it as their own personal acceleration lane?

Many other thoughtful comments are posted on the original site for this article:

http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2011/07/traffic_talk_can_drivers_use_t.html