A 'Skeleton Doll' in the Passenger Seat to Use the Exclusive Lane... Police Say "It's Creative"

Carpool Lane Use Requires Passengers: 'Loophole'
Police Say "Creative but Wrong Attempt"

A driver in the United States was caught after requesting to have a skull doll seated in the passenger seat of their vehicle. It is known that the driver used this trick to utilize the carpool lane (HOV).

On the 26th, foreign media including The New York Times and The Guardian reported that the California Highway Patrol recently caught a vehicle driving in the carpool lane in the San Jose area of California with a plastic skull doll seated in the passenger seat.

According to the patrol, the vehicle had placed a ghost face mask on the plastic skull doll and secured it to the seat to make it look like a human figure. The appearance resembled the masked killer from the movie "Scream."

The driver committed this act to use the high-occupancy vehicle lane, commonly known as the carpool lane.

California introduced the carpool lane to encourage ride-sharing, alleviate traffic congestion, and reduce emissions of air pollutants. Only buses, other public transportation vehicles, motorcycles, and vehicles with two or more occupants are allowed to use this lane.

[Image source: Provided by California Highway Patrol]

The California Highway Patrol stated on Facebook, "This is a very creative but wrong attempt," and added, "Please remember that decorations carried in the passenger seat do not meet the carpool requirements."

According to the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, the fine for violating the carpool lane is at least $490, and the fine can increase if caught again. Approximately 50,000 drivers are caught violating the carpool lane each year.

This is not the first time a trick like the skull model has been caught.

In 2021, a driver seated a doll wearing a checkered shirt, a Cleveland Indians baseball cap, and a mask in the passenger seat.

At that time, the police seemed impressed by his clever idea and joked on their official Instagram, "One of the dumbest people we've ever seen," adding, "At least he wore a mask and followed COVID-19 prevention guidelines. So we decided to give him a fine notice as a gift."

In 2020, a 62-year-old man in Arizona was caught driving in the carpool lane with a skull wearing a hat, and in 2019, a driver was caught using a similar method with a mannequin wearing sunglasses.