Dave Ross dedicates one of his hits to the commuter caught with a dummy
Jul 5, 2024, 7:14 PM
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.
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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.
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