Rick Perry’s Frontier Justice Doesn’t Apply to Those Who Kill Cyclists
from Streetsblog Capitol Hill by Angie Schmitt
What’s the penalty for killing a cyclist on a Texas roadway? Effectively nothing. You can thank Governor Rick Perry for that.
Gregory and Alexandra Bruehler were killed while riding a tandem cycle four months after Rick Perry vetoed a law that would have established some basic protections for them. No charges were filed. Photo: Biking in Dallas
In 2009, cycling advocates in the Lone Star State put together a package of legal protections for cyclists, pedestrians and other vulnerable road users. The legislation sailed through the House and Senate and seemed to be as good as law, according to Christopher Curnutt at Network blog Biking in Dallas.
All that was needed was Rick Perry’s signature. It was a done deal, everyone thought. After all, Perry not only prides himself as a dispenser of justice, he’s also known as a cyclist and runner.
But to the surprise and dismay of cyclists across the state and legislators from both sides of the aisle, Perry vetoed the bill, citing esoteric language concerns. Now justice for vulnerable users killed on Texas roadways remains elusive, says Curnutt:
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