This Guy Thought He Could Cheat the Carpool Lane by Riding With 'The Most Interesting Man in the World'

Police in Washington state recently encountered a most interesting use of the carpool lane.

Washington State Patrol trooper Guy Gill pulled over a driver with a cardboard cutout of actor Jonathan Goldsmith — otherwise known as the “Most Interesting Man in the World” from the Dos Equis beer commercials — in his passenger seat so that he could use the carpool lane along Interstate 5 near Tacoma, Wash.

“He’s my best friend,” said the driver, who got a $124 fine and Twitter shamed by Washington State Patrol:

I don't always violate the HOV lane law...but when I do, I get a $124 ticket! We'll give him an A for creativity! 👮👍 pic.twitter.com/hNbQDuBWfc

— Trooper Ryan Burke (@wspd1pio) March 24, 2015

Get The Brief. Sign up to receive the top stories you need to know right now.

Please enter a valid email address.

Sign Up Now

Check the box if you do not wish to receive promotional offers via email from TIME.

You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy

Thank you!

For your security, we've sent a confirmation email to the address you entered. Click the link to confirm your subscription and begin receiving our newsletters. If you don't get the confirmation within 10 minutes, please check your spam folder.

Write to Olivia B. Waxman at olivia.waxman@time.com.