No, The Grinch is not just another passenger. A motorist has been stopped by police in Arizona, United States, for driving in the fast lane for two or more people with an inflatable Christmas character doll next to him.

The man wanted to make his Grinch look like one more person to be able to move around better, but there was no case: they sent him a summons “for violating the conditions of the car sharing channel”.

When an officer saw him, they pulled him over, checked him, and made sure no one else was in his car.

The Grinch, which in the story of the writer Dr Seuss is on a mission to steal Christmas from the Villa Who, does not count as a legitimate passenger under Arizona law, the officer explained.

“While we appreciate the enthusiasm of the parties, this is illegal and the driver has received a citation for violating the terms of the carpool channel,” the authority said.

The information was released Tuesday in a tweet by the Arizona Department of Public Safety.

The “watchful” Grinch.

Multiple motorists speeding through a school zone on the Florida Keys Overseas Highway received a smelly onion as a reminder to slow down by a county police officer disguised as a Grinch.

The colonel Lou CaputoThe 37-year-old with the Monroe County Police Department and who came up with the idea more than 20 years ago, hit the road again Tuesday.

Motorists who exceed the school zone speed limit by 5 miles per hour (8 kilometers per hour) or less have the choice of receiving a fine or an onion delivered by the Grinch. Anyone who goes faster will certainly receive a heavy fine.

“It’s about educationawareness that our school zones are still running even though it’s Christmas time,” said Caputo. “We want people to slow down.”

Caputo said he dresses as the character to give motorists a “gift,” but also a wake-up call on the need to respect speed limits in school zones.

“It catches them off guard,” Caputo said. “But when I give them the choice between a fine and an onion, they’ll take the onion. And I make him eat the onion in front of me“, to complete.

Who is The Grinch?

The Grinch is a childish character – he looks like a furry, green creature – created in 1957 by the American cartoonist Dr. Seuss. His first appearance was in the book How the Grinch Stole Christmas!.

Subsequently, the character has appeared in television specials and many films, perhaps one of the most remembered being the one starring Jim Carrey in the 2000s.

The Grinch began as a parody of what modern commercialism produces during the holiday season, as the character first hates Christmas and ends up being an icon of it.