Carpool Counterfit: Mannequin Does Not Count As Passenger, State Police Say

A wig, glasses, and mask do not a passenger make, but it didn't stop one driver from trying so they could ride an HOV lane in South Boston. Though, one Massachusetts State Trooper was able to spot the lack of life in the multiple-passenger lane.

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Photo Credit: *State Police Association of Massachusetts*

Morgan Gonzales

08/10/2023 4:45 p.m.

The trooper stopped the driver of a Mercedes-Benz who was driving in an HOV lane in South Boston and revealed that her co-pilot was, in fact, a dressed-up mannequin, according to a post made by the State Police Association of Massachusetts on Thursday, Aug. 10.

"Let this post serve as a reminder that the HOV lane is reserved for vehicles with two or more HUMAN passengers (mannequins, dogs and imaginary friends don’t count) in order to keep our roads safe and traffic regulations respected," the post read.

Another driver had the same idea in 2017. A man from Reading was driving on I-93 in Charlestown when he was caught with a dead-to-the-world passenger decked out in a high-visibility vest, hat, and sunglasses, and made entirely of plastic.

The man was given a citation and state police again reminder commuters to ensure their passengers are human before hopping over to the carpool lane.

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