Arizona driver caught in HOV lane with Grinch doll passenger

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If you ever were to find yourself cruising around Whoville, the fictional Christmas-loving town that Dr. Seuss dreamt up in the late ’50s, you might reasonably expect to spot the Grinch riding shotgun in a sedan, or maybe an Electro Who-Cardio Floox.

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Arizona driver caught in HOV lane with Grinch doll passenger Back to video

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This week, however, it was state troopers in Arizona who spotted the green holiday-hating creature sitting in the passenger seat of a red four-door travelling in an HOV lane. The problem was that it wasn’t a human dressed up as the Grinch who was sharing the car with the driver – that would have been fine, officers weren’t policing for Christmas spirit – but instead a blow-up Grinch doll whose sole purpose was to make use of a lane typically reserved for vehicles with multiple passengers. 

Police called the plastic passenger “Seusspicious-looking” and explained he was seen in the HOV-abusing car shortly after 8 A.M. this week, along the busy I-10 highway on the outskirts of Phoenix. 

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“While we appreciate the festive flair, this is illegal & the driver received a citation for the HOV violation,” the Arizona Department of Public Safety explained on Twitter.

The police went on to express how busy the roads are this time of year with the holiday season in full swing, and cautioned drivers to ensure they understand the rules of the HOV lane, adding that they want motorists to ensure they “don’t get caught with a #Grinch!” on board.