This is a good idea. It’s an equitable way to approach fines. The static amount approach disproportionately punishes those below the poverty line and leaves those far above it with a lack of real consequences.
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I heard that a huge factor in the protests around the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson Missouri in 2014 was general anger at the local police, who were using motoring fines as a kind of stealth tax. It was affecting poorer residents of the city enormously.
aug 13, 2025, 12:36 pm • 23 0 • view
That is an additional problem caused by budget quotas. But the simple existence of static fine already is injustice against lower incomes
aug 14, 2025, 1:04 pm • 2 0 • view
Virginia does this. They have speed traps all over and if you get caught 20mph over right after a speed change (easy to have happen) they charge you with a misdemeanor. On 95 it runs from 40 mph to 70mph that they change randomly on digital signs.
aug 13, 2025, 4:29 pm • 4 0 • view
That isn't this. In these countries, rich people pay higher fines than poor people, for the same exact infractions. Because multimillionaires wouldn't even notice $300 fines 🤷♂️
aug 13, 2025, 4:47 pm • 17 0 • view
I meant they use it as the primary revenue for their counties. I should have been clearer. I agree, it should be on a sliding scale. Everyone I know hit with this in Virginia (5 people to be specific) has no money and then they need a lawyer and to pay the fines. All had perfect driving records.
aug 13, 2025, 6:34 pm • 3 0 • view
In most cases there are laws defining how income from fines have to be used. They are not used to finance the local police budget removing the incentive to issue more fines.
aug 14, 2025, 1:06 pm • 2 0 • view
They told my friend it was for the county, not the police. She may have misunderstood.
aug 14, 2025, 1:17 pm • 0 0 • view
Yes, but the county may just use it for their Police budget.
aug 14, 2025, 1:21 pm • 1 0 • view
You don’t have to have a lawyer, but three of them don’t want to take a chance.
aug 13, 2025, 6:34 pm • 2 0 • view
It’s still not fair. I’m Germany, financial penalty (not for traffic violations) is measured in daily rates/ wage. Someone with an income of 100k kann easily afford to pay 30 day wage. Someone with 20k struggles more.
aug 13, 2025, 12:18 pm • 5 0 • view
Seems the issue is more about the finer details of how it’s implemented, not with the general concept.
aug 13, 2025, 12:48 pm • 9 0 • view
I'm on the fence. I understand the logic, but it just doesn't seem right or fair. Speeding is speeding. Your income level should have no bearing on the fine amount. Yet I also understand the disparity in how much a fixed fine hurts some more than others. I could equally argue both sides. 🤷♂️
aug 13, 2025, 1:36 pm • 1 0 • view
You're not punishing wealthy people with fines. You're selling them a speeding. They just calculate this into the trip like a gas stop. Do you want them to stop speeding or is this a side hustle? Egalitarian is not equity.
aug 13, 2025, 1:39 pm • 8 0 • view
I get your point. Still not entirely convinced this is the right approach. Just my opinion...
aug 13, 2025, 1:41 pm • 1 0 • view
Someone drove their Porsche at 321km/h in a speed limit 120km/h area. This person doesn't care about the 700€ fine. In Denmark (iirc) behaving like that would mean losing the car, fine based on your wealth ... That hurts a lot more. If the fine isn't able to influence behaviour, you gotta adjust.
aug 13, 2025, 2:32 pm • 3 0 • view
Seems similar to income level should have no bearing on the length of a prison sentence. And indeed, assuming all lawyers had the same level of competence, both the rich and the poor would serve the same punishment for the same crime.
aug 13, 2025, 1:53 pm • 3 0 • view
If we frame the fine punishment in terms of how financially uncomfortable it makes a person, then a proportional fine by some qualitative metric of financial comfort would be equitable.
aug 13, 2025, 1:53 pm • 2 0 • view
And since the goal is deterrence, the difference in punishment between income brackets would be more about how tolerant a person is to financial discomfort. Addressing this remaining inequity seems much blurrier since it’s so subjective.
aug 13, 2025, 1:53 pm • 3 0 • view
"but it just doesn't seem right or fair." that's because you've been propagandized by capitalists. Punishment should mean something, no matter the perpetrator.
aug 14, 2025, 9:46 am • 2 0 • view
Exactly. The ultra-wealthy often continue to break the law because fines really have no meaningful impact on them. Just ask Bezos.
aug 13, 2025, 8:01 pm • 4 0 • view
Wealthy dudes that can afford to have a public bridge closed, dismantled and reassembled, just to make it easier to get their newest super-yacht out of the shipyard to open water, don't care about piddling fixed-value fines that cost less than their wine at a fancy restaurant meal.
aug 14, 2025, 1:39 am • 3 3 • view
If the punishment is a fee, then it's really only illegal for the lower classes.
aug 13, 2025, 6:54 pm • 2 0 • view