A Washington motorist was busted for making a boneheaded decision — he put a skeleton in the passenger seat so he could drive in the HOV lane.

A state patrolman made the grim discovery after pulling over driver Bryan Stime for alleged aggressive driving through Kent on Dec. 20.

Although Stime used the carpool lane, the only companion in his silver Mazda was a green skeleton outfitted in a white sweatshirt — a violation of the rules for commuting in the high occupancy vehicle corridor, a Washington State Patrol release said. Stime admitted he broke the rules, but told reporters that it was practically a matter of life and death.

“It’s a heck of a commute,” he said about his 45-mile drive each way to work. “Since my commute was so bad, I started thinking — blow up doll, mannequin?”

But Stime didn’t stop at sneaking into the HOV lane. The highway patrol also claims that he drove at 82 mph and made several unsafe lane changes. He was fined $454, including $124 for the skeleton-related charges.

• What other options did Stime have?
• How would his decision have been different if he had used “what if thinking”?

Cincinnati police barely had to break a sweat solving a bank robbery on Friday.

Cops say that Frank Coleman robbed a U.S. Bank branch at 2 p.m. and less than 30 minutes later he called 911 to turn himself in at a nearby shopping mall.

Coleman fled from the bank with $2,000. His plans were almost thrown off track when he slipped a note to the teller, saying “put the money in the bag.” The teller replied by saying there weren’t any bags. Evidently, Coleman prepared for this possibility, because  he handed the clerk a plastic shopping bag. He pulled off the robbery without using a weapon.

Shortly after that, Coleman reportedly dialed 911 to say he was the culprit in the heist and that cops could pick him up at the Tower Place mall.

• What “decision debt” does Coleman have as a result of this ordeal?
• How would “what if thinking” have affected his choices?