Fake baby, real fine -- Woman nabbed in HOV lane with phony kid in car

Toronto Sun ^ | 2006-03-23 | Jonathan Jenkins

[Clive]

The astounding sense of entitlement of some GTA commuters has left police shaking their heads after a woman was found sneaking onto the high-occupancy lanes with a fake baby in the back.

"She looked like the cat who swallowed the canary," OPP Sgt. Cam Woolley said of the woman who was pulled over yesterday. "She told the officer it normally works."

STIFF ARMS

Woolley said the cop was patrolling the HOV lanes of Hwy. 404 near Sheppard Ave. yesterday when he spotted an Intrepid whizz by and noticed the baby's arms seemed unnaturally stiff.

Not being sure, the officer decided to take a closer look and pulled the driver over.

The odd-looking child --Woolley likened it to a cartoon character from the show South Park -- was nothing more than a hooded jacket stuffed with clothing and strapped into an old car seat.

"We should have given her another ticket because the fake baby she had in there was too light to be in a forward-facing child seat," Woolley said.

"You can bet we'll be taking a closer look at all the babies we see in the next little while."

In fact, cops had expected to see similar scams turn up as soon as the popular HOV lanes -- which give commuters on sections of Hwys. 404 and 403 a swifter ride downtown -- opened last fall.

$110, 3 POINTS

"We're still writing a few hundred tickets each month," Woolley said of those abusing the lanes.

Cops think the woman ticketed yesterday, a 39-year-old Aurora resident, has children but none who need a car seat.

She faces a $110 fine and three demerit points.

[Flyer]

my wife took my daughter and four of her friends into Boston to see the Nutcracker at the Boston Ballet. It was a weekday morning show, and she drove in during rush hour and took the HOV lane. Surely you couldn't possibly prefer to have five parents driving kids in five separate cars in general traffic over one parent driving five kids in the HOV lane.

She used the HOV lane for her convenience, not to reduce the number of cars on the road. The lanes are not there to make travel easier just because one is hauling kids. Same with you having your blind friend as a passenger. Using the HOV lane makes your life easier, but does not take another car off the road.

In both situations, if you were to honor the spirit in which HOV lanes are intended, you should be in regular traffic and leave the lanes to those that have actually lessened the traffic load.

[HEY4QDEMS]

but does not take another car off the road.

Yes it does.

[Flyer]

If your friend rides with you in the HOV lane or the main lanes, it is still one vehicle. He cannot drive himself, so he will always be in a vehicle with at least one other person. You are being a good friend and saving him cab fare.

You are using the HOV lane for your convenience.

Unless you can convince me that you give your friend a ride for the main purpose of cleaner air, then I will maintain that you are not using the HOV lane for it's intended purpose.

[HEY4QDEMS]

If he doesn't ride with me, he will call a taxi cab which will add another car to the road, is that to hard for you to understand?.

When I take the HOV lane of course I use it for convenience as does everyone else.

Having a passenger justifies my taking advantage of that convenience as it would for everyone else.

[Psycho_Bunny]

when a car in the lane is pulled over for speeding ask for the drivers license of the passenger.

That's a frightening position.

What's that got to do with me?

[HEY4QDEMS]

What's that got to do with me?

Your the one who wrote it. Post #61

[HEY4QDEMS]

Unless you can convince me that you give your friend a ride for the main purpose of cleaner air

No, I'm just one of those weirdos that does it as a friendly gesture.

[Flyer]

If there were no HOV lanes would you still give him a ride?

[HEY4QDEMS]

Of course I would but that doesn't change the fact that if I didn't drive him he would need to call a taxi or arrange another ride thus adding a car to the road.

Your premise that usage of the HOV is based not on actions but intentions is ridiculous.

[Flyer]

If there were no HOV lanes would you still give him a ride?

Well, you answered my question above.

So, you are NOT reducing the number of cars on the road. You are just being a nice guy. And taking advantage of the lanes that are there to reduce the number of cars on the road and lead to cleaner air.

There are fewer main traffic lanes because the EPA mandated that cities clean the air and carpooling was one of the options the cities had and the HOV lanes are the incentive for folks to do so.

I'm just trying to point out it is a flawed system and is used by many as a convenience just because they meet the regulatory stipulations.

[Psycho_Bunny]

lol...I've got to get my 32-in screen back....this 19 is driving me nuts.

I couldn't quite read it and my mind translated it as the persons post who was talking about cars speeding down the lane when the rest of traffic is stopped.