Carpooling with a mannequin on Hwy. 101

A driver landed in the hot seat when the California Highway Patrol pulled him over for using a mannequin to ride in the carpool lane.

CHP officer Ken Enger spotted the vehicle passing through Santa Rosa just after 5 p.m last Friday, traveling northbound on Highway 101.

Enger , described as “a trained observer of human nature and fashion” by the CHP – noticed the person riding shotgun was wearing a black hoodie in 100 degree heat, and decided to investigate.

After pulling over the vehicle, Enger realized that the passenger was in fact a mannequin sporting a sweatshirt, sunglasses, a wig and bright red lipstick. The driver told authorities that they use the mannequin and the carpool lane to save time on the trip from Lake County and Novato.

“We got calls every day complaining about people driving in the carpool lane who shouldn’t be driving in the carpool lane, and we catch them every day,” said the CHP’s Facebook page.