A Los Angeles driver has been caught trying to cheat the carpool lane by propping up a jacket in the passenger seat with a seat belt over it to make it look like someone else was along for the ride.
The passenger was spotted on March 3 as the car cruised in the HOV lane — a high-occupancy vehicle lane reserved for vehicles carrying at least two people — on the 10 freeway near West Covina.
A driver in LA County was caught using phony passenger while in the carpool lane. But a California Highway Patrol officer quickly noticed something wasn’t quite right about the supposed rider sitting shotgun.
“At first glance, it appeared the driver had a passenger,” CHP said. “Upon closer inspection … that ‘passenger’ turned out to be a jacket carefully wrapped around the front seat with the seat belt fastened across it to resemble a person.”
The driver in West Covina was ticketed for trying to use a jacket in place of a passenger, the CHP said. CHP shared the bizarre bust on social media, reminding drivers that clothing doesn’t qualify as a second occupant.
“The Carpool Lane is reserved for vehicles that actually meet occupancy requirements,” CHP said. “Fictitious friends and mannequin copilots won’t cut it.”
The driver was cited for illegally using the HOV lane — a violation that carries a minimum fine of $490 in California.
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