Hey, Thanks! Now Do More.

Check out the donation meter at let-him-ride.com. People who have used my donate button and other donation buttons sprinkled around the web have raised just over two grand for ChipSeal's legal costs. I just wanted to thank everybody who clicked from here, and ask everybody else to do the same, because the way things are going there is every chance that the target of 5K may not be enough.

If you want the donate button code for your web site, shoot me an email.

I also wanted to re-ask everybody to keep talking, emailing and generally circulating the news of what's going on in Ennis and the county of Ellis in Texas. I mean, multiple trips to jail for riding in the lane? Huh? If this dude was some local rich guy you can bet he wouldn't be getting hauled in by the cops for riding on the road. Tell your friends. And strangers. And web geeks like me. And politicians. You get the idea.

Speaking of how things are going, let-him-ride.com was created by people who care about ChipSeal and cycling in Texas as a central place for news and information. Check it out if you get a second, link to it yourself in emails and web pages, all that good stuff.

I'll be off my soap box and on something else next time, I promise.

R A N T W I C K

Ennis Texas - What Are You Playin' At?

Go here for some detail, but my man ChipSeal has been held in jail again for riding in the lane by Ennis police. They held him for 27 hours, and this isn't the first time he's been jailed. Since when does a fake traffic violation, let alone a real one, warrant jail time? This place blows my mind.

It seems to me that this small town is aiming to run this poor guy right out of town, come hell or high water. I've never even been to Texas and I am developing a deep dislike for Ennis. For once, I'm speechless! I can't believe this is happening anywhere in North America, let alone the Land of the Free.

Please donate to ChipSeal's legal fund. This is getting much worse.

Sheesh!

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