Tales from a Washington HOV Patrol: “My Dog Identifies as Human”
I have heard some good excuses before but this takes the cake.
Washington State Patrol Shares HOV Lane Infraction Dumbest Excuse
On March 28, 2024, the Washington State Patrol held an HOV emphasis patrol on I-90 near East Mercer to Rainier Avenue. They sent six Washington State Patrol Motorcycle Troopers to patrol that area for around 2 1/2 hours. They were trying to fix a rampant HOV lane violation problem that is well known, judging by the response from the social media post announcing the patrol on X (formally Twitter). "This is amazing", and "Finally" were some of the positive comments, with another mentioning another location to focus on "Please do 405 south from i90 to 167."
130 HOV Violations in 2.5 Hours
During the only 2.5-hour patrol, they wrote 130 HOV citations. One driver was even ticketed twice only 2 miles apart. The best excuse the Washington State Patrol Troopers received for an HOV violation was "It's 2024, my dog identifies as human." Nice try and I give them credit for attempting, but they get the same fine as the others! It was perfect for bringing a smile to my face, however.