Do Your Part With Civil Disobedience

Civil disobedience is the assertion of a right which law should give but which it denies. – Gandhi

Under a government which imprisons any unjustly, the true place for a just [person] is also a prison. – Henry David Thoreau

We are fighting a national battle to clarify transportation laws so that pregnant women can claim their right to use carpool lanes, and have their unborn children counted as passengers, without legal penalty or harassment. But until clearer laws are on the books, pregnant women must press on with this battle by asserting this right, even if it means risking being cited. Such acts of civil disobedience are part of what has made our country great.

Every woman carrying a child in her womb has the right to use HOV lanes, whether or not it is recognized legally in her area. However, if you try to assert this right, you can expect to be pulled over and harassed or cited by law enforcement or toll agents. Be prepared with Proof of Pregnancy, such as your pregnancy test results, a letter from your doctor, or a copy of your ultrasound, to present to any officials who question you.

We believe that women at any stage of pregnancy should get a carpool lane allowance, so we encourage all pregnant women to engage in civil disobedience to win this legal right. However, women in an advanced stage of pregnancy are more persuasive to law enforcement and more likely to win public support and sympathy. It’s hard to argue with a pregnant woman’s 8-month belly. Likewise, if you’ve been blessed with twins or more in your pregnancy, it’s important for you to make a public statement, since you far exceed the usual two-or-more-persons per vehicle requirement.

We believe in strength in numbers, so we encourage you to get together with your pregnant friends and neighbors and stage “carpool convoys” or “civil disobedience drive-thrus”. Get a group of several vehicles, each driven by a solo pregnant woman, and assert your rights by using a carpool lane or HOV toll lane, preferably during peak commute hours.

Whether you are traveling alone or in a convoy, make sure your vehicle is clearly marked with signs and stickers proclaiming the carpool right-to-ride cause. You want law enforcement officers, and your fellow drivers, to know that you are a pregnant woman making a statement and performing an act of civil disobedience, not just a lone driver trying to cheat and save a few minutes of drive time.

If you are cited, remain courteous and nonconfrontational, but firm. Stand by your convictions that you are doing the right thing. Remember that even if you are cited and your appeal is denied, you are making an important contribution by standing up for your rights and the rights of other pregnant women. Every time we get on the news or get another appeal on the public record, we’re continuing to raise awareness of this important issue and are that much closer to getting the laws amended.