Pet dinosaur does not count as passenger in the HOV lane


As the world gets weirder, so do the faux passengers that unscrupulous drivers employ to gain access the HOV lane. Washington State Patrol officer Rick Johnson pulled over a speeding driver and discovered that the gentleman's only passenger was a stuffed dinosaur. Fortunately, the dinosaur was wearing a safety belt.


According to a UPI report, "The driver could be facing a hefty fine thanks to a law that took effect last summer that adds a $200 fine to the $186 base fine for a HOV violation if a driver is caught 'using a dummy, doll, or other human facsimile to make it appear that an additional person is in the vehicle.'"