18 Days in Jail for Taking the Lane

This is the story of my man ChipSeal from Texas. No offense to all my nice Texan cyclist readers (of which there are a few), but if I ever visit Texas, I'll fly there on a plane and drive a car. I pretty much never swear on this blog, but Holy Shit! 18 days in jail, springing from the simple fact that you pissed off some drivers and cops by taking the lane somewhere they didn't figure you should?

Use my donate button. Bail was originally set at $5,000! It was for some form of not attending court charge (I think) that is nonsense because my man ChipSeal craves his day(s) in court. Thank goodness it was dropped to $300 and some good people who know ChipSeal made a trip and got him the **** out of there.

Right now, details are scarce, (latest here) but the big court date is July 29. I will publish more details as I am able. I have passed from disdain to disbelief to speechless consternation on this one. What the hell is going on when a dude like this can get treated this way for riding his bike "wrong"? Grrr.

Yer Pal,

R A N T W I C K

Chip In for ChipSeal

I recently posted something about being and staying a "lightweight" when it comes to bike advocacy on this blog. That remains my intention. I just ride the way I think best knowing that I have a legal right to do so and leave it at that.


When I heard that my online friend ChipSeal was being denied that same right in Texas despite the fact that he is entitled to it under the law, it made me angry. For me, this isn't about cycling advocacy. It is about a friend getting screwed over. My friend wants to fight for his legal rights by appealing recent court decisions. When I put myself in his place I would want to fight too, but I wouldn't have the money to mount a good defense and neither does he. I want my friend to be able to effectively fight for his (and every other cyclist's) right to travel on the road, and that is going to cost a fair chunk of money.

It is hard for me to help out directly from way up here in Canada, but that doesn't mean I can't help. I have posted the Donate button you can see on the right side of this page.
You can use it to contribute to something that I think is worthy of every cyclist's attention. If you have a blog or website where you would like to display the same widget, please email me for the code.
The way it works is that people can use it to securely contribute using PayPal or a credit card. That money goes into a PayPal account that is linked to a bank account set up specifically for ChipSeal's legal expenses. Please note that contributions are not tax-deductible.
There are lots of places online that people are talking about what's been going on with ChipSeal and his local law enforcement community. Visit some of the links below to find out more about this wrong situation:
For the short version try, In a Nutshell
ChipSeal's blog.
DFW point-to-point.
Commute Orlando


Be sure to read the comments... there is a lot to be found in them.


If you can't afford or don't want to chip in, that's cool too. You can help by raising this topic with the people you know online or off, cyclists or not. I want news of this piece of badness to spread as far and as wide as possible. If you have media connections, use 'em! With some luck it will get so much attention that grassroots fundraising will no longer be required.

Thanks for Reading This,

R A N T W I C K

Ennis, Texas: Shame On You

Early reports seem to indicate that our man ChipSeal AKA Ennis the Menace has lost his first court case. It would seem that if you are slow, you lose. Wait a sec, you have to be on a bicycle. Then you lose. Otherwise you're good.

I wanted to write something clever and angry, but all I've got is a kind of sullen disappointment going on. Way to go, Ennis Texas. Lookin' good.

Hey ChipSeal: Chin Up, Man. We know you were in the right. Which is why this sucks.

R A N T W I C K

Civil Obedience

There's this other blog and online friend of mine called ChipSeal. Other than blog comments and the odd email, ChipSeal and I don't really know each other. ChipSeal has always been very kind in his comments on this blog and civil in every way otherwise. Anyway, ChipSeal rides a bike everywhere - no car for him.

This dude knows Texas traffic law backwards and forwards, particularly when it comes to bicycles. He chooses to ride in the left hand tire track of country highways because he deems it the safest place to be. He has every right to do so under the law. Motorists don't like it, and lately the police have been backing them up, despite the fact that ChipSeal has broken no law. Some might say that ChipSeal has been asking for it... in some ways I think he has in that he has remained steadfast in asserting his road rights fully in the face of much antagonism. The question is how or why obeying all laws can be considered "asking for it" in the first place, I guess.

ChipSeal seems to be without fear when it comes to police officers since he knows that he is on solid legal ground. He's been posting on some of his recent adventures with police officers from two counties. In every instance he praises officers for their kindness and consideration while they proceed to jail him for riding his bike. I don't know how he manages to remain so civil in recounting episodes that would leave most of us screaming blue bloody murder.

Hats off to you ChipSeal, you madman. I know I wouldn't have the stones to do what you do. I would do as I was told in the interest of making my life easier despite the fact that I would be facing greater risk on the road and failing to stand up for my rights and those of cyclists everywhere. I sincerely hope that the letter of the law prevails for you and for all of us.

If you want to read a little about ChipSeal's recent encounters with the law, you should probably start with this.

Yer Pal,

R A N T W I C K