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Man caught 'carpooling' with teddy bear

Last Updated: Friday, October 23, 2009 | 11:36 AM ET

CBC News

A man in Gatineau is facing hundreds of dollars in fines after trying to pass off a teddy bear as a third passenger while driving in a carpool lane.

Police said the man was caught trying to fool police not once, but twice this week.

Const. Isabelle Poirier of the Gatineau police said officers first stopped the man on Monday, when they spotted a teddy bear buckled into in a rear car seat in the man's vehicle. The bear had been dressed up as a child in fall attire, complete with tuque and scarf.

The man was fined $144 and sent on his way, only to be stopped again the next day trying to pull off the same trick. He was again fined $144.

Poirier said the laws about what qualifies as a passenger are clear.

"This is not a real person. You have to drive in the lane with three people inside [your car]. Three real people."

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