A young man is $150 poorer after police foiled his attempt to pass off a mannequin as a passenger so he could take advantage of a T2 lane.
The man and his fake passenger. Photo: NZ Police
Senior Sergeant Brett Henshaw said Waitemata police were monitoring cars using the T2 lanes - for vehicles carrying at least two people - at the Constellation Drive onramp in Mairangi Bay when an officer spotted an unusual-looking passenger in the front seat of a car in the lane.
They pulled over the 24-year-old driver and found his companion was a sunglass-wearing mannequin with a bandaged head.
"The driver was rather sheepish, apologised and said it was the first time he'd done it," Mr Henshaw said.
Police were not amused and fined the man $150.
"Police receive numerous complaints from motorists about unauthorised use of the lanes and regularly conduct patrols of the lanes," he said.
"No one enjoys sitting in traffic and we've all experienced the frustration of waiting your turn, only to see someone who is the sole occupant of their car sailing past in the T2 lane."
"Drivers who use lanes like this without having a bona-fide reason should be aware that we're regularly conducting patrols of them."
The lanes were there to reduce congestion on motorways, and only those who were entitled to use them should, Mr Henshaw said.
