Record €1m fine for speeding driver

[R94N]

Browsing through the BBC News site and it caught my attention - I apologise if there are already threads about this, but I thought it would make an interesting discussion.

News article link - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-10960230

 

[iJohnHenry]

I approve.

For the rich, puny fines are just a temporary permit to speed.

Plus they tie-up law enforcement resources and the courts.

Make it hurt 'till they cry.

 

[R94N]

I approve.

For the rich, puny fines are just a temporary permit to speed.

Plus they tie-up law enforcement resources and the courts.

Make it hurt 'till they cry.

I completely agree. They deserved it, imo. I just thought it was notable for the high amount.

 

[iJohnHenry]

I completely agree. They deserved it, imo. I just thought it was notable for the high amount.

They do that here and the car is liable to be ceased and crushed.

 

[leomac08]

i thought the speedlimit in most european countries are like 100MPH-200MPH....

what's the speedlimit of the autobahn?

 

[lewis82]

what's the speedlimit of the autobahn?

In Germany, none. In Austria, 80 mph, and in Switzerland, 75 mph.

 

[Mousse]

Under Swiss law, the level of fine is determined by the wealth of the driver and the speed recorded.

Man, we need a law like that in the US. I'd probably pay $5 for speeding then.

 

[microcolt]

In Germany, none. In Austria, 80 mph, and in Switzerland, 75 mph.

That doesn't sound much like anything different from a typical interstate almost.

 

[kernkraft]

In Germany, none. In Austria, 80 mph, and in Switzerland, 75 mph.

That doesn't sound much like anything different from a typical interstate almost.

Although large part of Germany's Autobahn system has no speed limit, there is a recommended speed of 130 km/h. Also, if a policeman thinks that you are imposing a risk by driving faster than ideal, they can stop you. Furthermore, if you are involved in an accident that is not your fault, by driving more than 130 km/h might make you share legal responsibility. Sometimes, there are speed restrictions due to dangerous bits, bridges and road works.

But they never stopped me from driving at over 200 km/h in the past. Germany is large, but the distance between Bonn and Frankfurt can be seriously shredded with high speed. (Fuel consumption in most cars suddenly jumps at the speed of 130 km/h and with straight six BMWs, I found that there is another sudden jump at around 180-190km/h, so it's not particularly economical. Also, at that speed, anything can happen to the tyres and slowing down would take ages.) Then a lunch outside Frankfurt, a bit of roadworks and off to Austria through Passau. I love driving in Germany, that's where our cars feel at home (for very good reasons).

 

[Jaro65]

Man, we need a law like that in the US. I'd probably pay $5 for speeding then.

I agree with the Swiss approach. Wish we had that here in the US.

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

I agree with the Swiss approach. Wish we had that here in the US.

+1

Too many folks here in the US that have the money think the traffic laws are for others. Current state of fines in many states here make it easy to pay them off or hire attorneys to get them off.

 

[appleguy123]

Why do they base their tickets on the wealth of the driver? What a stupid thing to do. Glad that that would never fly in the States.

 

[lbro]

Why do they base their tickets on the wealth of the driver? What a stupid thing to do. Glad that that would never fly in the States.

A $200 dollar speeding ticket is pocket change to a millionaire.

 

[appleguy123]

A $200 dollar speeding ticket is pocket change to a millionaire.

It doesn't matter. It's not a just fee. The same fee should be charged for all. We don't give fat people more food for free at restaurants, so we should charge rich people more fees. Just seems wrong.

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

It doesn't matter. It's not a just fee. The same fee should be charged for all. We don't give fat people more food for free at restaurants, so we should charge rich people more fees. Just seems wrong.

It is NOT a fee... but a FINE for doing wrong - as such it is to be a deterrence from doing it in the first place. If $200 means not paying bills for the likes of me, then I obey the law. For someone that drops $200 for lunch by themselves. then the fine means nothing to them.

 

[Bonch]

I wonder if they'd let Bill Gates off with a warning, the same as a poor single mom. Hmmm, the police station could use a new roof...

 

[lag1090]

Record €1m fine for speeding driver

The article actually states that the fine was $1m, not €1m. Still a rather large fine, but not quite as large as the thread title would suggest.

 

[ethical]

What fine do you think this guy's gonna get?

 

[Eraserhead]

It is NOT a fee... but a FINE for doing wrong - as such it is to be a deterrence from doing it in the first place. If $200 means not paying bills for the likes of me, then I obey the law. For someone that drops $200 for lunch by themselves. then the fine means nothing to them.

Quite.

 

[kernkraft]

What fine do you think this guy's gonna get?

But why did he even stop? If I was a superhero (or a baddie with superficial abilities), I would get a Superman or Spiderman costume and I wouldn't stop for anybody. Not even for Superman or Spiderman. Especially not for them.

 

[iJohnHenry]

It doesn't matter. It's not a just fee. The same fee should be charged for all. We don't give fat people more food for free at restaurants, so we should charge rich people more fees. Just seems wrong.

Some day, you gonna have to explain the logic in that for me.

But on the face of it, I would suggest you pay for a plate of food, assuming prix fixes/à la carte.

If you want more you order 2 meals.

If it's a buffet they would yell "Hey, you, fat boy, you no come here no more!!!"

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Why do they base their tickets on the wealth of the driver? What a stupid thing to do. Glad that that would never fly in the States.

Speeding tickets are supposed to be fines, not fees. They are intended to be punitive, not profit-seeking - at least officially. However, (and I may just be cynical here) I personally belive that most speeding tickets are targeted more as revenue generators for police departments and municipalities than deterrents.

There are plenty of examples of police departments who set quotas on traffic tickets, or pull people over for just a few miles an hour over just to make money. There is the case of New Rome, Ohio - a notorious speed trap where the police issued tickets and channeled most of the revenue back to themselves (village population = 60. Police staff = 14.). These misdoings along with a few other things led to the village being dissolved.

As for this Swiss case, the overriding factor for me is that guy guy was finied in Switzerland...and while everyone does business with the Swiss, nobody really likes them. So I side with our Swedish driver on this one. That million Euro fine will probably go back into equipping police ot issue more tickets.

Some day, you gonna have to explain the logic in that for me.

The reason that speeding tickets are not just fees is very clear: they are violations of the law. If you speed enough times, or speed far enough over the limit, you can be charged with a more serious offence. Also, at least in the US, you are assigned points on your license every time you are ticketed. If you accumulate enough points, your license is suspended or (in extreme cases) revoked. So it's not just a case of paying the money and going about your business.

 

[ayeying]

Cops should give themselves a speeding ticket as well. It's unjustifiable on how many cops I see taking off at WOT, hitting 70 mph down my street that's a 25 mph zone and just later pull into a coffee shop like nothing.

 

[weckart]

Cops should give themselves a speeding ticket as well. It's unjustifiable on how many cops I see taking off at WOT, hitting 70 mph down my street that's a 25 mph zone and just later pull into a coffee shop like nothing.

Simple answer to that - either report them for abuse of office, or, if you don't trust your local force, put it up on YouTube. That should provoke some reaction.

 

[iJohnHenry]

Cops should give themselves a speeding ticket as well. It's unjustifiable on how many cops I see taking off at WOT, hitting 70 mph down my street that's a 25 mph zone and just later pull into a coffee shop like nothing.

Simple answer to that - either report them for abuse of office, or, if you don't trust your local force, put it up on YouTube. That should provoke some reaction.

Do you both like missing your coffee breaks??