“Fictitious friends and mannequin copilots won’t cut it.”

California Highway Patrol (CHP) officials, in a social media warning aimed at drivers trying to cheat carpool lane rules with fake passengers. The message came alongside a recent enforcement example in Southern California, where a driver used a jacket arranged in the passenger seat to mimic a person. CHP noted that such tactics — from mannequins to makeshift decoys — are a recurring issue, and violations can result in tickets exceeding $400 as part of ongoing HOV lane crackdowns. (Los Angeles Times)