14 JAN 2005: Lawson "No Bicycle Zone" case moves ahead

[2nd UPDATE: The judge handed down his decision and found Ed guilty of pushing his bicycle in the "no bicycle zone" in Lawson. Due to a huge amount of national publicity for the case, however, the Lawson city council is considering an update to the law. Contact info for Lawson Mayor/city council is here.]

[UPDATE: Court met January 3rd--read the MoBikeFed News story about the trial. The judge took the case under advisement and will give a decision within 10 days.]

Summary: Ed Chasteen will be going to court in Lawson, Missouri, this coming Monday, January 3, at 6 PM to fight a ticket he received for bicycling in a "no bicycle" zone. He would welcome any of you who might be able to come.

Court meets in Lawson City Hall, 103 W 3rd St, Lawson, 64062 [map], (816) 580-3217.

In September, Ed Chasteen and a group of friends were turned away from the business district in Lawson, MO, by the Lawson Police Chief. The group had been riding to the same restaurant in Lawson for many years.

Ed, who has MS and can ride his bicycle 100 miles in a day but has great difficulty walking half a block, was given a ticket for riding his bicycle in a "no bicycle" zone. After discussing and explaining the issue to the police chief, who refused to make any exception for Ed because of his disability, Ed refused on principle and because of the actual great difficulty it would cause with his disability, to obey the law and so he was cited.

Ed and his lawyer have been in negotiations with Lawson, both to change the underlying law and to deal with the ticket that was given to Ed. Ed has said that he will not pay any fine associated with the ticket and will, if necessary, go to jail.

Ed had a court date in October that was called off at the last minute as negotiations continued.

Here is the latest installment in this story:

My lawyer just told me that the city of Lawson fired their city prosecutor because he didn't want to prosecute me for my biking ticket. Lawson hired a new prosecutor. I am scheduled to appear in court in Lawson this coming Monday, January 3, at 6 PM. I would welcome any of you who might be able to come. Court meets in Lawson City Hall.

More than 100 times I have ridden my bicycle to Lawson for breakfast at Catrick's. Beginning in 1990. Every time I propped my bicycle on the sidewalk by Catrick's front door. In every season and all kinds of weather I came. I met old friends and made new ones. Then in the summer of 2004, a Lawson policeman gave me a ticket for riding my bicycle to Catrick's. No new laws had been passed. For doing what I had been doing for 14 years, I was given a ticket. I will not pay the ticket. I will go to jail if Lawson says I must. And from jail I will tell my story to all who might be interested.

I have been invited by governors and mayors to come on my bicycle to their states and cities so I can help them face down hate when it appears and help their people learn to like one another. The National Multiple Sclerosis Society gave me their Achievement Award for my work with them. I wrote to the Lawson mayor and city council members to suggest an amicable resolution of our misunderstanding. I thouight we were getting there. Now I don't know.

Many people in many places will have much interest in what happens. I'll make sure they know.

Ed Chasteen

Contact info for Lawson officials:

John Tracy, City Manager
City of Lawson
PO Box 185
Lawson, MO 64062
Phone: 816-580-3217
Fax: 816-296-4013
Email: lawsoncityclerk@aol.com

George Green, Mayor
City of Lawson
PO Box 185
Lawson, MO 64062