Cars

Arizona cop noticed ‘suspicious’ passenger so pulled over car, turned out to be the Grinch

  • An Arizona trooper spotted a suspicious passenger during rush hour
  • Turns out, it was an inflatable Grinch in the carpool lane.
  • The driver got a ticket for violating HOV lane rules.

Published on Dec 22, 2024 at 2:00 PM (UTC+4)
by Daksh Chaudhary

Last updated on Dec 19, 2024 at 4:28 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by Tom Wood

In a hilarious incident, an Arizona cop spotted a suspicious passenger in a car that turned out to be a real Christmas villain.

The incident dates back to December 2022, when a driver in Phoenix tried to cheat the HOV lane rules by using an inflatable Grinch as their companion.

The officer quickly noticed the odd ‘Seusspicious-looking’ passenger and decided to investigate.

What happened next left many laughing but also shaking their heads.

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Arizona cop pulled over a passenger driving a car with an inflatable Grinch

The incident took place during the busy holiday traffic.

The cop pulled the car over and discovered the driver had placed the inflatable Christmas decoration in the passenger seat, hoping to sneak by unnoticed.

It’s hilarious to see how some people would go to huge lengths to avoid the traffic.

Similar to this driver, a Chinese man repainted the road signs to suit his journey.

After confirming that there was no one else in the vehicle, the officer issued the driver a citation for violating HOV lane regulations.

The Arizona Department of Public Safety even shared the funny incident on X, catching the attention of many online.

Suspicious driver pulled over by police

While people have tried various tricks to use HOV lanes, from dummies to mannequins, this was the first time anyone used a holiday decoration.

Sadly, the driver’s clever plan didn’t work, and the Grinch didn’t save the driver from getting a ticket.

How people reacted to the incident

People react to Arizona man driving car with inflatable Grinch
Dept. of Public Safety

The internet had a lot to say about the whole thing. One user laughed, commenting: “Arizona drivers. Hahaha.”

Another wrote: “This is cool, I say sorry you got the ticket, but you still used some Christmas cheer.”

Someone else shared: “People pull stunts like that here in Norway as well. What lengths people will go to sneak in traffic.”

While the incident was hilarious, it’s worth noting that breaking road rules like this is not the best – or smartest – thing to do.

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Meet Daksh: Not your typical pro, but definitely a pro at being fascinated by supercars, tech, and all things futuristic. When he's not nose-deep in work, catch him glued to anime screens or lost in the pages of a good book.