A pregnant lady who was ticketed for using the HOV lane on a Texas highway is contending that her unborn baby must be considered a person and that she should be allowed to use the lane ordinarily intended for multiple passengers.
Brandy Bottone, 34, of Plano, Texas, was racing to pick up her kid from school when she was pulled down by police.
When an officer queried why she was utilising the high occupancy vehicle lane, she tried to exploit the reversal of Roe v. Wade and the state’s prohibition on abortions to her benefit. However, she was advised that being pregnant did not qualify her.
‘She was on her way to pick up her son. She couldn’t be more than a minute late, so she used the HOV lane. There was a checkpoint at the end of the exit when she departed the HOV. She slammed on her brakes and was stopped by cops. According to Bottone, an officer leaned in and said, ‘Is there anyone else in the car?’
She exclaimed, pointing to her tummy, ‘My baby girl is right here. She is a real person.’
But the police did not have it. He replied saying there must be two people outside of the body.
According to everything that’s going on with the overturning of Roe v. Wade, one officer kind of blew her off when she emphasised this is a living child.
Bottone explained that he doesn’t want to deal with this. He said, ‘Ma’am, that signifies two people outside the body.’ He waved her on to the next officer, who issued her a citation and told her, ‘If you fight it, it will probably be dismissed.’
She stated that nonetheless, they issued her a ticket. So her $215 ticket was written to cause her trouble? This is making her blood boil. How can this be considered fair? This is life, as per new legislation!
In order to use the HOV lane, two people must be riding in the vehicle at the same time.
Vehicles that do not seem to be carrying two individuals are randomly halted.
The sheriff’s department has declined to comment, but Bottone’s viewpoint is clear: ‘If a fetus is recognised a life before birth, why doesn’t it qualify as a second passenger?’
The issue emerges since, while Texas criminal code recognises an unborn child as a person, Texas Transportation Code does not.
Moreover, because an unborn kid in the womb does not require an extra seat, the vehicle would not fit the criteria for driving in the HOV lane.
Bottone says she plans to contest the ticket in court later this month.
Abortions have become nearly hard to procure in Texas after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last month.
Abortions are banned in Texas after six weeks of pregnancy.
There are no exceptions for rape or incest, but there is one for women who are at danger of ‘significant impairment of major physiological function.’
