Reed Bates (AKA ChipSeal) has been found guilty in Ellis County Court No. 2 on a charge of reckless driving for not riding as far right as possible (as stated by the prosecutor instead of the word 'practicable') in a 12' lane with 70 mph tractor-trailer trucks, and for not riding on an inconsistent, broken, and even nonexistent shoulder when directed to ride there by local law enforcement officers, contrary to the requirements of Sec. 551.103 of the Texas Transportation Code. Oddly, the fact that other vehicles were being allowed to exceed the posted speed limit was considered a reason to force a lawfully operating vehicle off the roadway.& then there is this statement:
The judge agreed that the act of riding in the center of the lane makes a cyclist more visible and safer, the prosecutor agreed that the action was entirely legal, and then they found Reed guilty of reckless driving. Let me re-iterate that:THE JUDGE AND THE PROSECUTOR AGREED THAT WHAT REED WAS DOING WAS SAFER AND ENTIRELY WITHIN THE LAW AND THEN FOUND HIM GUILTY OF RECKLESS DIVING! Or yes you were following the written laws, but you broke the unwritten laws.I admit there are some cyclists who break the laws... Those of us who cycle need to ride as if we are invisible. There are too many drivers out there who don't see bicycles or stop signs or pedestrians or red lights or...
But when judges make dumb [that's the nicest word I can come up with for this decision] judgments like this it burns me. I trust this ruling will be appealed and this judge is repromanded.
All the more reason to attend Orillia Bicycle Rally or it's equivalent in your city.
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