lowrentyieldmakessense(honest!) Posted June 8, 2010 Share Posted June 8, 2010 muhahaha prison for not transacting in paper currencies next link California has added a $26 ‘penalty assessment’ for every $10 of some traffic fines. The assessment can turn an already steep $70 fine for not wearing a seat belt into a nearly $200 citation. A red light infraction can run as high as $500. In Virginia in March, state police carried out Operation Air, Land & Speed, a mass ticket-writing campaign explicitly aimed at bridging the state’s $2.2 billion budget shortfall as well as helping the state apply for federal highway safety grants. The campaign issued nearly 7,000 tickets in three days. In the Old Dominion, going as little as 10 mph over the speed limit can trigger a ‘reckless driving’ charge and a $2,500 fine. … Indianapolis, meanwhile, is trying to protect revenue from traffic fines by discouraging motorists from fighting unfair tickets. The city has taken to slapping administrative penalties of $500 to $2,500 on motorists who unsuccessfully challenge traffic citations in court. This viewing of the public as serfs of the state can only, in time, create a public backlash Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
interestrateripoff Posted June 8, 2010 Share Posted June 8, 2010 Perhaps they should invest in some speed cameras they are quite good at generating revenue or would the yanks just shoot them up with armour piecing bullets? They appear to be in the death throws. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shindigger Posted June 8, 2010 Share Posted June 8, 2010 muhahaha prison for not transacting in paper currencies next link Guns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Si1 Posted June 8, 2010 Share Posted June 8, 2010 Perhaps they should invest in some speed cameras they are quite good at generating revenue or would the yanks just shoot them up with armour piecing bullets? They appear to be in the death throws. there might be money to be made by our new government selling all our speed cameras to California... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southmartin Posted June 8, 2010 Share Posted June 8, 2010 there might be money to be made by our new government selling all our speed cameras to California... I read somewhere that speed cameras in the USA were useless, as in the US Constitution, any defendant has the right to face his accuser... and well, it's kinda tricky getting the things into the court, then getting them to talk... Different matter if it's a cop with a radar gun, but a GATSO - useless over there Please someone, tell me it's true! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jones87 Posted June 8, 2010 Share Posted June 8, 2010 In Virginia in March, state police carried out Operation Air, Land & Speed, a mass ticket-writing campaign explicitly aimed at bridging the state’s $2.2 billion budget shortfall as well as helping the state apply for federal highway safety grants. The campaign issued nearly 7,000 tickets in three days. Absolutely discusting, and we think we have it bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spin Bowler Posted June 8, 2010 Share Posted June 8, 2010 Absolutely discusting, and we think we have it bad. Why is it disgusting ? The state needs the money. No-one is forcing anyone to break the law. I'd rather they raised the money by fining people willingly breaking the law than by taxing law abiding people for the work they do. If anything raising funds in such a way is less disgusting than demanding it out of the pay packets earnt with peoples sweat. I have no sympathy. If you don't want to pay the "Driving so fast it's a danger to other road users tax" then stay under the speed limit. If you still decide to speed, you knew the rules, you pay the penalty if caught and lower my taxes for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomwatkins Posted June 8, 2010 Share Posted June 8, 2010 muhahaha prison for not transacting in paper currencies next link I was lucky then. Last year I got nicked in Hanover (Virginia) doing 84 on I95. The speed limit is 65. The State Trooper was very nice but when I offered to pay whatever fine he said "It isn't that simple Sir. Over 80 is a criminal offence". You will have to appear in court". True enough it's a Class 1 misdemeanour, same as shoplifting, bearking and entering etc. Bottom line was I got off with it after hiring an attorney (mandatory), paying him $500, doing an online traffic school (absurd if you think of it) but still another $100-it's called "defensive driving course". Then court costs of $76. Luckily I had a clean driving record in RI but had to pay another $20 to get a copy sent to the lawter. All in all $700 but at least no points and, most importantly, nothing on my CRIMINAL record. Word of warning-over 90 and you go straight to jail. No passing go and definetly no collection of $200. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Noodle Posted June 8, 2010 Share Posted June 8, 2010 muhahaha prison for not transacting in paper currencies next link Best take the bus. Or cycle. I can put my bike on the bus now! Good innit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sour Mash Posted June 8, 2010 Share Posted June 8, 2010 Why is it disgusting ? The state needs the money. No-one is forcing anyone to break the law. I'd rather they raised the money by fining people willingly breaking the law than by taxing law abiding people for the work they do. If anything raising funds in such a way is less disgusting than demanding it out of the pay packets earnt with peoples sweat. I have no sympathy. If you don't want to pay the "Driving so fast it's a danger to other road users tax" then stay under the speed limit. If you still decide to speed, you knew the rules, you pay the penalty if caught and lower my taxes for me. Next step - lower the limits to 'catch more offenders' (and boost the coffers even more). Setting a arbitrary national set of speed limits is moronic. But it's a great way to boost revenue and make the crime detection and resolution figures look good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DTMark Posted June 8, 2010 Share Posted June 8, 2010 muhahaha prison for not transacting in paper currencies next link Just the state getting in on the act - making money from penalties, rather than doing anything actually useful - quite popular in the private sector, bank charges spring to mind. Your opening comment sounds about right to me in terms of where it's going. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomwatkins Posted June 8, 2010 Share Posted June 8, 2010 I was lucky then. Last year I got nicked in Hanover (Virginia) doing 84 on I95. The speed limit is 65. The State Trooper was very nice but when I offered to pay whatever fine he said "It isn't that simple Sir. Over 80 is a criminal offence". You will have to appear in court". True enough it's a Class 1 misdemeanour, same as shoplifting, bearking and entering etc. Bottom line was I got off with it after hiring an attorney (mandatory), paying him $500, doing an online traffic school (absurd if you think of it) but still another $100-it's called "defensive driving course". Then court costs of $76. Luckily I had a clean driving record in RI but had to pay another $20 to get a copy sent to the lawter. All in all $700 but at least no points and, most importantly, nothing on my CRIMINAL record. Word of warning-over 90 and you go straight to jail. No passing go and definetly no collection of $200. Just a follow up on the "online course". obviously you can get your mate to take it but you can't go on to Part 2 until you complete part one etc. etc and they are timed so you are supposed to spend a minimum of around an hour on each section adding up to 8 hours total. You have an exam after each section but all the answers are obviously in the section. You then have to click that you have "honestly" done the exam without any help so help you God or whatever. I'm not making this up. You then pay another $10 to get your certificate which you then have to send to the court to have the case discharged. As I took the "exam" in Florida (online) presumably Virginia got bugger all from the fees. Only in America. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1888 Posted June 8, 2010 Share Posted June 8, 2010 Why is it disgusting ? The state needs the money. No-one is forcing anyone to break the law. I'd rather they raised the money by fining people willingly breaking the law than by taxing law abiding people for the work they do. If anything raising funds in such a way is less disgusting than demanding it out of the pay packets earnt with peoples sweat. I have no sympathy. If you don't want to pay the "Driving so fast it's a danger to other road users tax" then stay under the speed limit. If you still decide to speed, you knew the rules, you pay the penalty if caught and lower my taxes for me. +1 I would also make anyone who loses there licence take a block of driving lessons and make them sit their test again driving is not a right Its tossers like Clarkson who think its cool to do 100mph+ on a PUBLIC road its not its just fekkin dangerous Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DTMark Posted June 8, 2010 Share Posted June 8, 2010 Why is it disgusting ? The state needs the money. No-one is forcing anyone to break the law. I'd rather they raised the money by fining people willingly breaking the law than by taxing law abiding people for the work they do. If anything raising funds in such a way is less disgusting than demanding it out of the pay packets earnt with peoples sweat. I have no sympathy. If you don't want to pay the "Driving so fast it's a danger to other road users tax" then stay under the speed limit. If you still decide to speed, you knew the rules, you pay the penalty if caught and lower my taxes for me. And I thought I was mostly right-wing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Si1 Posted June 8, 2010 Share Posted June 8, 2010 driving is not a right I'm afraid in this day and age it HAS to be a right - otherwise the economy could not function, too many people depend on it, so a little empathy for the plight of the humble driver might be fairer, and £100s fines for relatively marginal infractions is just inhumane against middling people struggling to earn money in order to keep their families (altho I agree Clarkson-like law-breaking enthusiasm IS wrong) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minos Posted June 8, 2010 Share Posted June 8, 2010 I read somewhere that speed cameras in the USA were useless, as in the US Constitution, any defendant has the right to face his accuser... and well, it's kinda tricky getting the things into the court, then getting them to talk... Different matter if it's a cop with a radar gun, but a GATSO - useless over there Please someone, tell me it's true! They've already got cameras in operation which catch you jumping red lights. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spin Bowler Posted June 8, 2010 Share Posted June 8, 2010 (edited) Next step - lower the limits to 'catch more offenders' (and boost the coffers even more). Setting a arbitrary national set of speed limits is moronic. But it's a great way to boost revenue and make the crime detection and resolution figures look good. Isn't this more of the HPC patented paranoia ? The US hasn't changed it's speed limits since the 70's and only did so then to reduce oil imports (and kept them as they were for the lower death rate it brought). There is no indication the US is going to do any such thing and lowering it below 55 would surely be met with so much outrage as to make it impolitic. As to the crime detection/resolution figures. Aren't they itemised by crime ? So who cares if the "car speeding" detection and resolution figures change, that won't affect the rates anyone looks at. Murder, Assault, Theft and so on. Whatever you feel about arbitary speed limits. If states are going to have them, and they currently do, then what is wrong with raising revenues from people who are willingly breaking the law they are perfectly well informed is in force ? Why is it worse to extract needed revenues from law breakers than it is to extract it from law abiding citizens doing nothing more objectionable than earning their daily crust ? Frankly, if 100% of the states revenues came from punitive fines for lawbreakers and 0% from people who are just trying to earn enough to keep a roof over their head then this country would be a lot better off ! Some people just seem to think they have a god given right to drive dangerously fast and then moan when they are fined for breaking a law they knew perfectly well was in force. I have no sympathy at all. I wish the fines were higher, and my taxes correspondingly lower. Edited June 8, 2010 by Spin Bowler Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Noodle Posted June 8, 2010 Share Posted June 8, 2010 They've already got cameras in operation which catch you jumping red lights. m . . m . .Minos? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Si1 Posted June 8, 2010 Share Posted June 8, 2010 m . . m . .Minos? now John Redwood's got his concessions to the CGT rules he has the time to begin posting on HPC again... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billfunk Posted June 8, 2010 Share Posted June 8, 2010 +1 I would also make anyone who loses there licence take a block of driving lessons and make them sit their test again driving is not a right Its tossers like Clarkson who think its cool to do 100mph+ on a PUBLIC road its not its just fekkin dangerous Driving is inherently dangerous - even at so called legal speeds. They should ban anyone driving at above 15mph. Any speed above this is fekkin dangerous. There, their, they're. By the way which of your friends or loved ones died in a car accident? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1888 Posted June 8, 2010 Share Posted June 8, 2010 By the way which of your friends or loved ones died in a car accident? fortunately no one so far but being an ex fireman I have witnessed more than enough death and destruction on our roads from erseholes who should not be given the right to drive and destroy other peoples life whether through inability ,road rage ,drunkeness or choosing to speed. Maybe a few hours cutting some lifeless childs body out a car would make you think differently then again ....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
50sQuiff Posted June 8, 2010 Share Posted June 8, 2010 fortunately no one so far but being an ex fireman I have witnessed more than enough death and destruction on our roads from erseholes who should not be given the right to drive and destroy other peoples life whether through inability ,road rage ,drunkeness or choosing to speed. Maybe a few hours cutting some lifeless childs body out a car would make you think differently then again ....... For what it's worth, I'm going to drive more slowly tonight having read your post! Sobering stuff. I don't believe in this rigid speed limit mentality though - it seems to have trumped all other aspects of safe driving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billfunk Posted June 8, 2010 Share Posted June 8, 2010 fortunately no one so far but being an ex fireman I have witnessed more than enough death and destruction on our roads from erseholes who should not be given the right to drive and destroy other peoples life whether through inability ,road rage ,drunkeness or choosing to speed. Maybe a few hours cutting some lifeless childs body out a car would make you think differently then again ....... So ban everyone from driving above 15mph then I am not being sarcastic If you really believe what you say surely a 15mph speed limit can be the only way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southmartin Posted June 8, 2010 Share Posted June 8, 2010 fortunately no one so far but being an ex fireman I have witnessed more than enough death and destruction on our roads from erseholes who should not be given the right to drive and destroy other peoples life whether through inability ,road rage ,drunkeness or choosing to speed. Maybe a few hours cutting some lifeless childs body out a car would make you think differently then again ....... Very few accidents are caused by excessive speed (about 6% nationally, rising to 9% on rural roads) don't believe the propaganda about "33%" that's just billox The vast majority of accidents are caused by poor driving. Something which might be better policed by having officers in patrol cars instead of behind desks. How many drunk/drugged up drivers do gatso's catch again?? The fact is, that until we become a nation of better drivers. More training and at regular intervals, the state will continue to take the easy option of focussing on speed, and the accident rate will continue to rise (PS - for all those who'll point out that the accident rate has fallen - if you compare this to 'regression to mean' then you'll see it's actually risen since the speed camera program begun) One reason for this is that bad drivers think they're safe as long as they're doing 'under 30' and don't concentrate on anything other than the speedo. PPS - i'm a gold standard trained motorcyclist, with 10+ years riding (including central london), 20 years in cars, and not one scratch on either me or machine (or anyone behind me either) So I know what I'm talking about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bogbrush Posted June 8, 2010 Share Posted June 8, 2010 +1 I would also make anyone who loses there licence take a block of driving lessons and make them sit their test again driving is not a right Its tossers like Clarkson who think its cool to do 100mph+ on a PUBLIC road its not its just fekkin dangerous We need more obedient little state servants like you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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