Carpool lane motorist caught driving Miss Dummy
Photo courtesy of the Minnesota State Patrol
Sometimes you have to wonder if it's worth the effort to game the system.
Today the Minnesota State Patrol caught a woman driving in a MnPASS lane with a mannequin in her backseat. The special lanes are open only to drivers who pay an electronic toll -- or to those who carpool.
Create a More Connected Minnesota
MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.
This backseat companion, along for the ride down Interstate 35W south of Minneapolis, was decked out in a comfy hooded sweatshirt and neon orange sunglasses.
The driver claimed someone dared her to do it, according to the Minnesota State Patrol's Facebook page.
Cheaters in the MnPASS lane are nothing new. As many as nine of 100 cars are running afoul of the rules, state transportation officials told the Star Tribune last year. The newspaper reported that mannequin sightings in the special lanes were especially common when only carpoolers used them.
Today's scofflaw was driving on a suspended license and received two citations, the state patrol said.