Vancouver RCMP Const. Lorne Lecker carries a mannequin into court that was seized from a Vancouver driver who had the dummy propped up in the passenger seat so he could use the carpool lane.
Posted on 03/13/2003 8:43:05 PM PST by ContentiousObjector
VANCOUVER -- High occupancy vehicle lane cheat Paul Armstrong was a no-show at traffic court yesterday, but his dummy was there: a well-dressed, a life-sized mannequin sporting tortoise-shell shades.
"Gee whiz, what a surprise," said Justice of the Peace Colleen Proctor, rolling her eyes at Mr. Armstrong's alleged carpool buddy. "Can you turn that thing around?" she asked RCMP traffic officer Lorne Lecker. "I find it very distracting."
The vision of the beefy, no-nonsense officer toting a department-store dummy into Port Coquitlam's provincial court provided some comic relief in a building under heavy guard during accused serial killer Robert Pickton's preliminary hearing.
But Const. Lecker said the fun and games with phoney fastlane passengers is over.
While Mr. Armstrong, arrested on the Trans-Canada Highway with "Manny" riding shotgun, will have to pay the $98 fine and take two licence demerits for illegally driving in a lane for vehicles with more than one passenger, police say future offenders will be hit harder.
"From now on, if a person has a prop such as a mannequin, we'll have him go before a provincial court judge, which is not traffic court, and request a higher penalty," said Const. Lecker.
"It will be a mandatory court appearance. He won't have the option of ignoring it or mailing in a cheque. Failing to appear in court will result in a warrant for his arrest under the Criminal Code. The maximum would be six months in jail, a $2,000 fine or suspension of his driver's licence or any combination thereof."
Const. Lecker describes traffic court as a "hysterical spectacle" and has heard every "creative defence" imaginable. But nothing beats the high occupancy vehicle cheats.
"We've had inflatable sex dolls, CPR dummies, dogs in hats ... and just this week we had the Cabbage Patch Doll in a baby car seat," he said.
Vancouver RCMP Const. Lorne Lecker carries a mannequin into court that was seized from a Vancouver driver who had the dummy propped up in the passenger seat so he could use the carpool lane.
Actually, I never learn anything from a Democrat.
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