Pregnant Texas woman fighting HOV lane violation

Pregnant Texas woman fighting HOV lane violation



“One law is saying that this is a baby and now he’s telling me this baby that’s jabbing my ribs is not a baby. Why can’t it all make sense?” she mentioned.

COLLIN COUNTY, Texas — Brandy Bottone was 34 weeks alongside when she alone took the excessive occupancy car lane, or HOV lane, on Central Expressway in Dallas County.

She felt it was proper to assume the kid she’s carrying is a passenger in a lane designed for automobiles with two or extra passengers.

When pulled over by a Texas DPS officer on June 29 at 8:15 a.m. she was requested who else was within the automotive. 

“I was like, ‘Uh, this!,'” pointing to her stomach. “I was like, ‘Right here, here she is.’ He just looked at me, ‘How do I answer this?'” Brandy recalled.

Bottone of Plano tells WFAA that within the second she wasn’t making an attempt to take a stand however solely making an attempt to battle a ticket. For context Roe v. Wade had simply been overturned a number of days earlier than, and Texas has an impending ban on abortions. 

“One law is saying that this is a baby and now he’s telling me this baby that’s jabbing my ribs is not a baby. Why can’t it all make sense?” she posed rhetorically.

The officer wasn’t shopping for her rationalization, and she or he was handed a $275 ticket for an HOV violation.

“‘Ma’am, it’s two people outside of the body,’ which is a weird way of wording it,” she recalled the officer telling her on the time. 

The Texas Department of Transportation’s on-line description of the HOV rule is not completely clear. It reads merely, “A vehicle occupied by two or more people.” 

Even the officer admitted she might battle the ticket and lots of, even 1000’s, of individuals on social media really feel that, too.

“Just the outpour of support from women all over the world… all sorts of emotions. I’m trying to keep my blood pressure down, let’s not go into labor yet,” Brandy laughed.

The mom of three is taking a impartial stance politically. In the final a number of days, she’s heard from either side of the abortion debate.

But, what she is going to say is, “If there’s a pro-women category, that’s my stance.”

Now at 36 weeks alongside, Bottone has employed an lawyer and has a courtroom date in late July to battle her ticket. 

That is, if her daughter does not come first.



story by The Texas Tribune Source link