Twin Cities Police Hand Out Tickets for Illegal Use of Carpool Lane

One of the great things about living here in southeast Minnesota is that our traffic isn't anywhere near as congested as it is in the Twin Cities. Which means you can't get a ticket for illegally using the carpool lane, like these folks did earlier this week.

None of the major highways in our area, like U.S. Highway-52 or 14; or I-90 or I-35 have those special carpool or HOV (short for 'high occupancy vehicle') lanes. But along several highways in the Twin Cities, like I-35 E or I-394 in the west metro, you'll find just such lanes. And, it's illegal to bypass the other congested other lanes by driving in those lanes if you're the only person in the car. (Minnesota law defines carpooling as "A prearranged ride-sharing arrangement in which two or more persons travel together on a regular basis in an automobile.")

Which is why the Crystal Police Department recently posted the time-lapse video below to their Facebook page of their officers ticketing drivers for violating that carpool lane law on Highway-100 Monday afternoon -- which carries a $130 ticket. Their post said, "During the approximately 90 minute project, roughly 40 citations were issued to some wayward folks flying solo in the carpool lanes."

I'm guessing it'd be pretty frustrating to be be stuck in traffic yourself only to see someone else alone in their car, flying by you, abusing the carpool lane law. Check it out...