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It increasingly appears, in the U.S., from purusing the threads on traffic tickets, that any number of local/state governments, knowing it's so difficult to raise taxes, have turned to traffic tickets as an alternate source of revenue for the government.
Curious, what's it like in other parts of the world? With the multitude of new car owners in China how are they dealing with traffic infractions over there, or India, Europe, Latin America, wherever?
Our biggest invesment bank recently bought up the rights to install and operate the speed camera networks in at least one state (victoria). It might not be long before the entire speed carmera network accross the country is owned and operated by a BANK, which is of course only interested in gettiing as much revenue as they can. Needless to say the are rolling them out as quickly as they possibly can.
Its not just speeding fines either, new paying parking zones are popping up all the time, and the fines are horrendus in a lot of cases. Like the USA its the state or local governments who collect the traffic fines hear, the local government normally only deal with parking offenses. Fines for the same offence can very greatly depending on which state of city you are caught in.
My parents went to Canada on holiday recently and came back to a CAN $500 fine on their credit card bill for jumping a red light...we have plenty of speed cameras here but the fine is more like $100, nothing like $500. The real bastards in this country are private clamping firms who impound your car for the tiniest infringement and charge a fortune in storage fees before you can get it back.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ben86
the fine is more like $100, nothing like $500.
firms who impound your car for the tiniest infringement and charge a fortune in storage fees before you can get it back.
No fight here for me for high fines, How hard is it really to keep following *the Rules*
But ...
<<<impound your car for the tiniest infringement and charge a fortune in storage fees before you can get it back.>>>
I would fight with tooth and nail. That is just NOT RIGHT !!!
Doesn't seem to be that big of a deal back in Germany... never had any highway cops pulling me over, I don't think there are as many as in the US... and only once I drove through a radar trap which cost me like 30 Euros. I don't think it is used as a way to "raise taxes" on people, at least not in Germany. Not so sure about the US. Whenever I drive there I take extra caution because as someone with a visa every "crime" might be used against you and they might put me on a banana boat back to Germany.
The Costa Rican government recently discovered traffic fines as an excellent source of income. While speeding tickets were formally only nominal, the government decided to jack fines up to start at US$616. No, that's not a typo. The fine for going 10 kph (6mph) over the speed limit is $616 - whether on a highway or in town! Same fine for not wearing a seatbelt, having no child safety seat, not wearing a helmet on a motorcycle, DUI, no having current registration, not having a drivers license, etc. If you incur multiple violations during the same traffic stop, fines are added. Some people have managed to get tickets for $2500.
For the past year, these tickets were only issued by the rather corrupt traffic police. Two weeks ago, the capital city, San Jose, finally installed cameras to catch speeders.
Within the first 11 days, 14,662 drivers were photographed, resulting in a sudden surge in funds to the tune of US$9 million.
Lots of tickets in Europe, all countries... not that I'd know first hand...
The police here in Portugal, at least in my province, seem absolutely uncaring about traffic violations. Driving while using a phone can get you stopped, but speeding or parking violations seem to be infrequent.
What the traffic police spend their time doing is stopping people, usually at the exit of a roundabout and checking all your documents. If you are lacking documents, or have failed to pay the small car tax then you get a fine.
Some fines are collected on the spot and a receipt issued; thus, you are saved spending hours in a petty court waiting for your turn.
My burning wish is that the city I live in would more strongly enforce parking laws. Many people park illegally on corners which blocks your view of oncoming traffic or pedestrians.
Doesn't seem to be that big of a deal back in Germany... never had any highway cops pulling me over, I don't think there are as many as in the US... and only once I drove through a radar trap which cost me like 30 Euros. I don't think it is used as a way to "raise taxes" on people, at least not in Germany. Not so sure about the US. Whenever I drive there I take extra caution because as someone with a visa every "crime" might be used against you and they might put me on a banana boat back to Germany.
I'll disagree with you.
I don't know when you were in Germany but they're ticketing a lot for speeding; I don't see it a lot on the autobahn, but certainly when off the highway. They've got cameras camouflaged in many ingenious ways.
A lot of villages have radar set up "at" the name sign.
I see the tickets that come into my organization and they're significant. Tickets for speeding, DUIs, cellphone use, are all on the rise.
kev, that's nice about Portugal, but Hungary, Czech and Germany are seeing a rise in ticketing.
...kev, that's nice about Portugal, but Hungary, Czech and Germany are seeing a rise in ticketing.
Actually, I'm not at all sure that it is nice.
Having been one of three pedestrians side-swiped by a guy driving a car while talking on a cell phone a number of years ago in the U.S., I am very big on strong enforcement of traffic laws...and not just those pertaining to using a phone.
Drunk driving laws and speed limits are there to protect me (all of us, of course), and for my part I want them enforced. For example, as far as I am concerned there is absolutely no excuse whatsoever for anyone who has drunk too much booze to be behind the wheel of a car. NONE. A drunk driver should have their license suspended for an appropriate period....and if it causes them hardship, too d*mned bad.
When I lived in Cyprus two Brit girls brought some Ecstasy to sell on their vacation in Cyprus to finance their trip. Their first sale was to a cop. They were tried, found guilty and given prison sentences.
One girl wailed at the sentencing, "But I have a small child at home in Britain!"
The judge responded: "You should have thought of that when you packed your suitcase."
That's my kind of law enforcement.
You don't want to pay a fine or be arrested, don't break the law. Very simple.
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