KIRO NEWSRADIO OPINION

Dave Ross dedicates one of his hits to the commuter caught with a dummy

Jul 5, 2024, 7:14 PM

Image: A driver used a fake "dummy" passenger so he could drive in the HOV lane on I-405 in June 20...

A driver used a fake "dummy" passenger so he could drive in the HOV lane on I-405 in June 2024. (Photo courtesy of WSP Trooper Rick Johnson/@wspd2pio on X)

As a Chokepoints story on MyNorthwest recently explained, it happened again last month: A commuter was caught in the carpool lane with a very lifelike dummy. Although, it was not quite lifelike enough to fool the police.

On June 19, Washington State Patrol (WSP) ticketed a man for driving in the High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes with a fake “dummy” passenger, a sight not too uncommon for patrol officers in the state.

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A WSP District 2 motorcycle trooper spotted an Acura with a dummy in the passenger seat of his car to use the HOV lane, stopping the driver on Interstate 405 (I-405) heading south near Interstate 90 (I-90).

According to WSP Trooper Rick Johnson, the driver said he had been using the dummy for a long time “due to carpooling being so screwed up.”

The dummy can be seen adorned with glasses and a goatee while wearing a Columbia zip-up and appropriately wearing a seatbelt.

Dave Ross content: We built it, and they had better come

As a result, this commuter will be paying hundreds of dollars into the state treasury, which I have no doubt will be spent on making our highways even better.  And so, as a tribute, I dedicate one of my biggest hits to you, sir:

Editors’ note: Editors Frank Sumrall and Steve Coogan of MyNorthwest provided some of the background information to go with this Dave Ross commentary. 

Listen to “Seattle’s Morning News” with Dave Ross and Colleen O’Brien weekday mornings from 5-9 a.m. on KIRO Newsradio, 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.

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Dave Ross dedicates one of his hits to the commuter caught with a dummy