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Posted by: charliew Aug 11 2010, 05:20 PM

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38660951/ns/world_news-europe/?GT1=43001

Posted by: SLITS Aug 11 2010, 05:30 PM

Yeeee Hawwwww!

Posted by: azbill Aug 11 2010, 05:47 PM

That's why I don't speed when in Europe. Who the can afford it?

Posted by: corsepervita Aug 11 2010, 06:40 PM

Depending on income level it says. That's kind of interesting... to fine someone on an income rather than a flat fine. I mean... if you're doing 180mph but got a $4000 speeding ticket but you made a million dollars a year, you'd be like "pfffft" drop in the bucket. If they went "That'll be 100,000... thank you for your donation." you'd probably be less likely to do 180mph next time eh?

Whereas for us who don't make six figures a year, the normal ticket still sucks

Posted by: patssle Aug 11 2010, 06:56 PM

And what gives the local police the right to your tax records?

(assuming they have a local police force instead of all being national police)

Thank god I live in America (and not California )

Posted by: Tom Aug 11 2010, 07:04 PM

Jeewhizz, in that case my speeding would cost nothing!
Tom

Posted by: tornik550 Aug 11 2010, 07:22 PM

My two cents on this article-

1. Mercedes must need better brakes if it took him 1/2 mile to stop (just kidding)

2. at the end of the article- it is mentioned that the nokia head got a 102,000 fine for driving 47mph in a 31 zone. $102,000 for almost 15mph over the speed limit is absurd. 15 mph over is pretty much standard in most areas.

3. That system seems like it could be easily abused for financial gain of small police depts. Imagine if Bill Gates drove 1mph over the speed limit in a little town- the fine would probably double the yearly income of a small towns police dept.

Posted by: whatabout1 Aug 11 2010, 07:26 PM

Yea, $ 7.00 for 20 over !!! (my income level)

It would be even better if they based it on vehical value. ('73 914 average value $326) Oh Yea, 20mph over just $1.

Posted by: DBCooper Aug 11 2010, 09:17 PM

In that perspective it makes a lot of sense. Giving a billionaire a $50 fine is like telling him he can go ahead and ignore the law. It costs him nothing, so why should he bother? No one should be above the law just because he's rich.

But $900,000? Dude! How rich IS this guy?

Posted by: veltror Aug 12 2010, 07:04 AM

WHy the hell should the amount I earn, or be worth have anything to do with my fine? The law should be equally applied, but since this law is a percentage it is just a joke, anyway have a look at this


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/1759791.stm

Posted by: dr914@autoatlanta.com Aug 12 2010, 09:31 AM

That is to cover all of the social welfare that is rampant in Sweden


I did not know how much tension I have when driving until cruising the Autobahn in that Limited Edition I purchased in June. For the first time in my life I did not have to worry about the Cops stopping me while cruising along at and speed I CARED to drive! What a great trip from Germany to the Belgium boarder with France.

Posted by: plymouth37 Aug 12 2010, 11:24 AM

That wasn't just any "black Mercedes" he was driving this new SLS, which I imagine is heavenly to drive at 180 mph, probably not a million dollar experience though!

Posted by: Drums66 Aug 12 2010, 12:02 PM

WoW....he should have known better?...I'm surprised he did'nt hit
something, but the fine is..........muy ridiculo!!

Posted by: 914pwer Aug 12 2010, 02:59 PM

Posted by: DBCooper Aug 12 2010, 03:52 PM

No, I think you're mistaken. A fine that is a percentage of income is not a joke, and that in fact is the entire point. A fine is supposed to be punishment and a deterrent, right? Fifty bucks gets my attention, but fining a billionaire fifty bucks is in fact a joke. You may as well not even bother and just give him a permanent exemption from obeying the law, because you sure haven't punished or deterred anything. So is that better? Just let him break the law, no punishment, when you and I need to heed?

That's the logic, and it does make sense. To me, anyway. For regular people it's nothing especially notable. What makes this news is the astounding amount of the fine, but that's only because the perpetrator made SO MUCH DAMNED MONEY. That's two weeks of his salary? My god.

Posted by: charliew Aug 12 2010, 04:59 PM

Here the few wealthy people I know that play with cars usually go the other way and use their political influence to deal with the judical system. One mans kid gets a public intoxication and the other's kid gets a dwi and all the financial implications that go with it.

My cousin in houston is a ex-dps employee, he says that in tx if you get caught racing on the street they can keep your car if they want it, not counting your jail time and legal fees and fines.

Posted by: realred914 Aug 13 2010, 12:42 AM

problem with income based "fines' is the crooked coppers will go after the "rich "guys to rake in the dough, kind of unfair to have a high price on your head just becuase you worked hard and made it. yeah what a juicy target, get the hard working well off guy for going 3 mph over the limit, and let that lazy poor guy go even at 20 mph over the limit, cuase his fine is not worth the time to fill out the ticket. that seems fair (NOT)

maybe in fairness, all monetary fines should be elimited, and you instead must pick up trash along the road way, or serve time in the penalty box. rich or poor you pick up trash. that would work for me, and that removes the god dam governmants finacial incentive to rig tickets.


in californazia there are considering laws that would allow only special new cars (alternate fuel cars) to use carpool lanes 24 hours a day, and ban all use by low life poor folks that cant afford a new car from the lanes we paid all for. more social engineering by the socialists! they want you out of yoru car.

keep posted on anti-car hobby legislation by visiting the SEMA website, governmant affair section, find a lisitn by state and nation of pending car laws, and info on what you can do about it.



golly the governmental pigs sure hate drivers

stupid law, stupid law.

Posted by: veltror Aug 13 2010, 04:02 AM

I am not mistaken, I work hard, dont get stoned drunk etc go to university, don't bollocks about and basically take care of myself toso that have a better job/life/car/etc then punish me because I am not a twat, and yes always go after the guys who do care about their life etc, thos other dickheads don't have money so not worth going after them, a two tier system if I ever saw one, besides this happens everywhere, LILO should have done every single day in jail, celeb status, gets off and does not have to share a cell with a pig, they hate the motorist everywhere, one law for all or none at all.

Posted by: johannes Aug 13 2010, 06:06 AM

That is not Europe. That is Swizerland...

This leads to some problems in the rest of Europe.
French Highways have become racetracks for rich people (Gumball).
Now they are thinking about keeping the car of hi speeders.

Posted by: charliew Aug 13 2010, 05:11 PM

I think in the link I posted the car would have been cheaper than the fine. I think the fine is appropriate but it should go to a charity not the state and there should be mandatory time served also so the guy gets to think about it. I hope this doesn't backfire on me. Not that I'm rich just that I like to test my stuff out some time.