Arizona man ticketed for driving in the HOV lane with an inflatable Grinch in the passenger seat

(CNN) -- An Arizona man driving in the high-occupancy vehicle lane was ticketed after a police officer realized his passenger wasn't a person at all. It was an inflatable Grinch. The man was spotted by an Arizona state trooper last week, according to a Tuesday tweet from the Arizona Department of Public Safety. The driver and his "Seusspicious-looking 'passenger'" were driving on Interstate 10 at 8 a.m. "The trooper stopped the driver & determined the grumpy green guy was, in fact, an inflatable Grinch," wrote the department. "While we appreciate the festive flair, this is illegal & the driver received a citation for the HOV violation," the department went on. "With extra traffic on AZ roads this time of year, be sure you understand the law (ARS 28-737) & restricted times before using HOV lanes." Arizona state law 28-737 notes "a person shall not drive a vehicle carrying fewer than two persons, including the driver, in a high occupancy vehicle lane at any time the use of the high occupancy vehicle lane is restricted to vehicles carrying two or more persons, including the driver." The department also posted a photo apparently showing the driver, with his face blurred, alongside his inflatable friend. In the past, solo drivers have experimented with other unconventional ways to skirt the restrictions for high-occupancy vehicle lanes. In July, a pregnant woman was ticketed for driving in the high-occupancy vehicle lane, and claimed her fetus counted as a passenger.

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