There’s something enduringly human about trying to outsmart the system, but only a particular stripe of commuter attempts to do it with a side of performance art. This week, Washington’s high-occupancy vehicle lanes played host to two unconventional carpoolers—drivers accompanied by mannequin companions—each attempting to bypass congestion with the help of a decidedly inanimate passenger.

Dummies Riding Shotgun

According to UPI, the Washington State Patrol reported stopping two different vehicles along I-5, both within days of each other, for this time-tested HOV shortcut. In the first case near Shoreline, a trooper stopped a driver after noticing that the only passenger lacked the usual telltale signs of life—because it was a mannequin. This passenger was described as wearing a brunette wig, plaid shirt, and scarf. The driver reportedly admitted to officers that the sole purpose was to use the HOV lane and even confirmed he hadn’t gone so far as to name the mannequin.

KIRO 7 News notes that in the second incident, just two days later, another driver was stopped on I-5 near Federal Way for speeding—clocked at 92 MPH in a 60 zone—and suspicion over his carpool credentials. Upon closer investigation by troopers, the “backseat passenger” was revealed to be a dummy doll decked out in a bright neon yellow windbreaker and baseball cap, seatbelt securely fastened for show. The driver received a citation for both speeding and misusing the HOV lane.

The Art of (Not-So) Subtle Subterfuge

KIRO 7 also highlights that the sightings were nearly back-to-back, both on the same stretch of interstate. UPI details that drivers who incorrectly use HOV lanes in Washington face a $186 fine; however, if found using a dummy or mannequin as a passenger, another $200 is tacked on—a costly penalty for a bit of high-occupancy theatrics.

Photos reviewed by both sources show the lengths some will go to in their attempts at carpool camouflage. Wigs, scarves, seatbelts—the commitment to detail is almost admirable, if not entirely effective. One might expect a little more subtlety; instead, the maneuvers veer into the kind of territory you’d see on a sitcom, with a straight-faced state trooper as the only appropriate audience. The cited drivers owned up to their strategies—one even clarifying that, for all the effort, his dummy passenger didn’t merit a name.

A Certain Absurd Brilliance

What stands out is how routine this all seems. No dramatic chase, no elaborate ruse beyond some thrift store tailoring and clever seat placement—just a moment when the mundane rhythm of commuting is disrupted by the discovery that a supposed carpooler is actually plastic. Both sources suggest this is not a new genre of infraction; perhaps there’s something about the crawl of I-5 traffic that tempts drivers to embrace low-stakes rebellion.

There’s an inevitable question: with the risk of an extra $200 fine, why not invest in a little more convincing backstory for the mannequin? Or at least a nameplate? Even amidst the absurdity, the incidents serve as reminders of the inventiveness that boredom—and maybe a dash of mischief—can provoke.

While the mannequins in question may remain silent, the message seems unmistakable: for every rule, there is someone thinking just a little outside the carpool box, willing to chance a fine for the fleeting luxury of the open lane.