HOV Lane is not for Dummies

Mannequin stunt earns 'road time' for motorist

Monte Whaley
Denver Post
Mar. 2, 2006 06:00 PM


WESTMINSTER, Colo - A judge Thursday ordered a carpool-lane scofflaw and his
dummy to take their act on the road.

Municipal Court Judge John Stipech sentenced Greg Pringle to spend four,
one-hour sessions standing on a major roadway in Westminster, a Denver
suburb, holding a sign that says: "The HOV Lane Is Not For Dummies."

Stipech also said Pringle can be accompanied by Tillie - the $10 mannequin
he constructed to earn him access to the fast-moving high-occupancy-vehicle
(HOV) lane on U.S. 36 in Westminster.

"But remember," Stipech said, "the dummy is not charged with anything."

And if they wind up on David Letterman's show, the city of Westminster will
get a cut of the proceeds.

Earlier this year, Pringle had grown frustrated at the number of
passenger-less automobiles flying past him in the HOV lane while he waited
in rush hour traffic on U.S. 36.

HOV lanes are reserved for buses, motorcycles and automobiles with two or
more passengers.

So Pringle assembled Tillie and placed her in his passenger seat in hopes of
also using the HOV lane without raising suspicion.

The ruse worked until the 54-year-old Pringle was stopped by Westminster
police officer Mark Watters on Jan. 26. He cited Pringle for driving an
unauthorized vehicle in the high-occupancy lane.

Tillie was taken as evidence.

"I'm sure you thought it was a good idea, and for a time it was," said
Stipech. But carrying the sign will show other drivers "that there will be
consequences for doing something like this again," Stipech said.

Stipech also fined Pringle $100 and placed him on six months unsupervised
probation to ensure that he doesn't profit from publicity surrounding the
case.

"If he goes on Letterman with this, then you can go after him," Stipech told
city prosecutor Kimberly Kaufman.

Pringle said he's sold about $100 worth of "Free Tillie" T-shirts and that
all the proceeds will go to help fund an alcohol-awareness program for
teens.

Police also will accompany Pringle when he starts his sentence Monday, most
likely at the intersection of U.S. 36 and Federal Boulevard, said police
spokesman Trevor Materasso.

"Hopefully, some good will come from this," Pringle said. "I thought the
sentence was a little harsh, but maybe it was to embarrass me a little bit."

"Larry Scholnick" > wrote in message
. net...
> Mannequin stunt earns 'road time' for motorist
>
> Monte Whaley
> Denver Post
> Mar. 2, 2006 06:00 PM
>
>
> WESTMINSTER, Colo - A judge Thursday ordered a carpool-lane scofflaw and
> his dummy to take their act on the road.
>
> Municipal Court Judge John Stipech sentenced Greg Pringle to spend four,
> one-hour sessions standing on a major roadway in Westminster, a Denver
> suburb, holding a sign that says: "The HOV Lane Is Not For Dummies."
>
> Stipech also said Pringle can be accompanied by Tillie - the $10 mannequin
> he constructed to earn him access to the fast-moving
> high-occupancy-vehicle (HOV) lane on U.S. 36 in Westminster.
>
> "But remember," Stipech said, "the dummy is not charged with anything."
>
> And if they wind up on David Letterman's show, the city of Westminster
> will get a cut of the proceeds.
>
> Earlier this year, Pringle had grown frustrated at the number of
> passenger-less automobiles flying past him in the HOV lane while he waited
> in rush hour traffic on U.S. 36.
>
> HOV lanes are reserved for buses, motorcycles and automobiles with two or
> more passengers.
>
> So Pringle assembled Tillie and placed her in his passenger seat in hopes
> of also using the HOV lane without raising suspicion.
>
> The ruse worked until the 54-year-old Pringle was stopped by Westminster
> police officer Mark Watters on Jan. 26. He cited Pringle for driving an
> unauthorized vehicle in the high-occupancy lane.
>
> Tillie was taken as evidence.
>
> "I'm sure you thought it was a good idea, and for a time it was," said
> Stipech. But carrying the sign will show other drivers "that there will be
> consequences for doing something like this again," Stipech said.
>
> Stipech also fined Pringle $100 and placed him on six months unsupervised
> probation to ensure that he doesn't profit from publicity surrounding the
> case.
>
> "If he goes on Letterman with this, then you can go after him," Stipech
> told city prosecutor Kimberly Kaufman.
>
> Pringle said he's sold about $100 worth of "Free Tillie" T-shirts and that
> all the proceeds will go to help fund an alcohol-awareness program for
> teens.
>
> Police also will accompany Pringle when he starts his sentence Monday,
> most likely at the intersection of U.S. 36 and Federal Boulevard, said
> police spokesman Trevor Materasso.
>
> "Hopefully, some good will come from this," Pringle said. "I thought the
> sentence was a little harsh, but maybe it was to embarrass me a little
> bit."
>

Moral of the story . . . it's OK to be alone in the HOV lane. But it's NOT
OK to be alone with a dummy in the HOV lane. -Dave

In article ews.net>, Mike T. wrote:

> Moral of the story . . . it's OK to be alone in the HOV lane. But it's NOT
> OK to be alone with a dummy in the HOV lane. -Dave

That's how I read it....

The next step will be to construct an android, one that can speak and
pass for human.

"Brent P" > wrote in message
...
> In article ews.net>,
> Mike T. wrote:
>
>> Moral of the story . . . it's OK to be alone in the HOV lane. But it's
>> NOT
>> OK to be alone with a dummy in the HOV lane. -Dave
>
> That's how I read it....

Nah... he was just unlucky to get caught being illegally in the HOV lane
and committing fraud to conceal that fact. Good punishment by the way -- it
fits the crime.

> The next step will be to construct an android, one that can speak and
> pass for human.

We already have those, I believe there are a few posting in this here ng
already... ;-)

brink

"Brent P" > wrote in message
...
> In article ews.net>,
> Mike T. wrote:
>
>> Moral of the story . . . it's OK to be alone in the HOV lane. But it's
>> NOT
>> OK to be alone with a dummy in the HOV lane. -Dave
>
> That's how I read it....

Nah... he was just unlucky to get caught being illegally in the HOV lane
and committing fraud to conceal that fact. Good punishment by the way -- it
fits the crime.

> The next step will be to construct an android, one that can speak and
> pass for human.

We already have those, I believe there are a few posting in this here ng
already... ;-)

brink

Larry Scholnick wrote:
> Mannequin stunt earns 'road time' for motorist
>
> Monte Whaley
> Denver Post
> Mar. 2, 2006 06:00 PM
>
>
> WESTMINSTER, Colo - A judge Thursday ordered a carpool-lane scofflaw and his
> dummy to take their act on the road.
>
> Municipal Court Judge John Stipech sentenced Greg Pringle to spend four,
> one-hour sessions standing on a major roadway in Westminster, a Denver
> suburb, holding a sign that says: "The HOV Lane Is Not For Dummies."
>
> Stipech also said Pringle can be accompanied by Tillie - the $10 mannequin
> he constructed to earn him access to the fast-moving high-occupancy-vehicle
> (HOV) lane on U.S. 36 in Westminster.
>
> "But remember," Stipech said, "the dummy is not charged with anything."
>
> And if they wind up on David Letterman's show, the city of Westminster will
> get a cut of the proceeds.
>
> Earlier this year, Pringle had grown frustrated at the number of
> passenger-less automobiles flying past him in the HOV lane while he waited
> in rush hour traffic on U.S. 36.
>
> HOV lanes are reserved for buses, motorcycles and automobiles with two or
> more passengers.
>
> So Pringle assembled Tillie and placed her in his passenger seat in hopes of
> also using the HOV lane without raising suspicion.
>
> The ruse worked until the 54-year-old Pringle was stopped by Westminster
> police officer Mark Watters on Jan. 26. He cited Pringle for driving an
> unauthorized vehicle in the high-occupancy lane.
>
> Tillie was taken as evidence.
>
> "I'm sure you thought it was a good idea, and for a time it was," said
> Stipech. But carrying the sign will show other drivers "that there will be
> consequences for doing something like this again," Stipech said.
>
> Stipech also fined Pringle $100 and placed him on six months unsupervised
> probation to ensure that he doesn't profit from publicity surrounding the
> case.
>
> "If he goes on Letterman with this, then you can go after him," Stipech told
> city prosecutor Kimberly Kaufman.
>
> Pringle said he's sold about $100 worth of "Free Tillie" T-shirts and that
> all the proceeds will go to help fund an alcohol-awareness program for
> teens.
>
> Police also will accompany Pringle when he starts his sentence Monday, most
> likely at the intersection of U.S. 36 and Federal Boulevard, said police
> spokesman Trevor Materasso.
>
> "Hopefully, some good will come from this," Pringle said. "I thought the
> sentence was a little harsh, but maybe it was to embarrass me a little bit."

Looks to me that the judge will get the publicity. Maybe he plans on
running for governor. Anyway the way to stop this crime is to throw
scum like this pringle dood in prison. No criminal ever got too short a
sentence.

"Larry Scholnick" > wrote in message
. net...
>
> HOV lanes are reserved for buses, motorcycles and automobiles with two or
> more passengers.

I thought it was 1 or more passengers?

"Mark Hewitt" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Larry Scholnick" > wrote in message
> . net...
>>
>> HOV lanes are reserved for buses, motorcycles and automobiles with two or
>> more passengers.
>
> I thought it was 1 or more passengers?
>

Well I think they are counting the driver as a passenger. Technically,
that's correct. You might be controlling the car, but the car is still
transporting you. -Dave

Larry Scholnick wrote:
> Mannequin stunt earns 'road time' for motorist
>
> Monte Whaley
> Denver Post
> Mar. 2, 2006 06:00 PM
>
>
> WESTMINSTER, Colo - A judge Thursday ordered a carpool-lane scofflaw and his
> dummy to take their act on the road.
>
> Municipal Court Judge John Stipech sentenced Greg Pringle to spend four,
> one-hour sessions standing on a major roadway in Westminster, a Denver
> suburb, holding a sign that says: "The HOV Lane Is Not For Dummies."
>
> Stipech also said Pringle can be accompanied by Tillie - the $10 mannequin
> he constructed to earn him access to the fast-moving high-occupancy-vehicle
> (HOV) lane on U.S. 36 in Westminster.
>
> "But remember," Stipech said, "the dummy is not charged with anything."
>
> And if they wind up on David Letterman's show, the city of Westminster will
> get a cut of the proceeds.
>
> Earlier this year, Pringle had grown frustrated at the number of
> passenger-less automobiles flying past him in the HOV lane while he waited
> in rush hour traffic on U.S. 36.
>
> HOV lanes are reserved for buses, motorcycles and automobiles with two or
> more passengers.
>
> So Pringle assembled Tillie and placed her in his passenger seat in hopes of
> also using the HOV lane without raising suspicion.
>
> The ruse worked until the 54-year-old Pringle was stopped by Westminster
> police officer Mark Watters on Jan. 26. He cited Pringle for driving an
> unauthorized vehicle in the high-occupancy lane.
>
> Tillie was taken as evidence.
>
> "I'm sure you thought it was a good idea, and for a time it was," said
> Stipech. But carrying the sign will show other drivers "that there will be
> consequences for doing something like this again," Stipech said.
>
> Stipech also fined Pringle $100 and placed him on six months unsupervised
> probation to ensure that he doesn't profit from publicity surrounding the
> case.
>
> "If he goes on Letterman with this, then you can go after him," Stipech told
> city prosecutor Kimberly Kaufman.
>
> Pringle said he's sold about $100 worth of "Free Tillie" T-shirts and that
> all the proceeds will go to help fund an alcohol-awareness program for
> teens.
>
> Police also will accompany Pringle when he starts his sentence Monday, most
> likely at the intersection of U.S. 36 and Federal Boulevard, said police
> spokesman Trevor Materasso.
>
> "Hopefully, some good will come from this," Pringle said. "I thought the
> sentence was a little harsh, but maybe it was to embarrass me a little bit."

I'm going to guess the defendant was a bit of a wise-ass in court and
the judge did this to convince him of the error of his ways. If as the
article said Pringle grew frustrated at the cars whizzing by him in the
HOV lanes he should have set up a carpool. Or taken the bus. I think
the judge was entirely correct.

Mark Hewitt wrote:
> "Larry Scholnick" > wrote in message
> . net...
> >
> > HOV lanes are reserved for buses, motorcycles and automobiles with two or
> > more passengers.
>
> I thought it was 1 or more passengers?

It depends; in this area the HOV lanes of I-395 are HOV-3; I think the
I-66 lanes are HOV-2 but I am not certain of that.

nate