One Hundred Pound Fines

[Newera]

Just copied this. Personally it's another way for the idiots that run our country to make a bit of money, thus getting on a lot of people's nerves. There are so, so many cameras and police adore traffic speed duty this is going to be a real nuisance.

I quote from a rag:

"Government proposals to increase speeding fines from £60 to as much as £100 have been met with anger and dismay by many in the motor industry.

Justice Secretary Ken Clarke says the increase will raise an extra £30million a year which will be used to compensate victims of crime, including victims of road traffic crime".

[Dr Zoidberg]

How long has a standard fixed penalty been £60?

I'm pretty sure it's been that much for a very long time (20 years?) so a rise is actually due because of inflation if nothing else.

[ScoobyChris]

Justice Secretary Ken Clarke says the increase will raise an extra £30million a year which will be used to compensate victims of crime, including victims of road traffic crime".

Interesting that the Justice Secretary doesn't think setting the fine higher will act as a deterrent

At the end of the day, if it worries you that much, there's a very easy way to avoid it

Chris

[mdon]

I think it's a good idea.

Note to op, most bobbies hate doing traffic!

[Brimma]

Interesting that the Justice Secretary doesn't think setting the fine higher will act as a deterrent

At the end of the day, if it worries you that much, there's a very easy way to avoid it

Chris

Hear, hear

If you can't do the time, don't do the crime, as the saying goes, or in this case, if you can't pay the fine, don't overstep the line

[Newera]

Are you guys bankers and get bonuses so a £100.00 fine is nothing to you, perhaps even a walk in the park. You guys must be raking it in. Get a bike or walk even. You must have fleets of cars. One for every day of the week perhaps. You guys should get a room with Jeremy Clarkson.

Edited 13 February, 2012 by Newera

[Dr Zoidberg]

Are you guys bankers and get bonuses so a £100.00 fine is nothing to you, perhaps even a walk in the park. You guys must be raking it in. Get a bike or walk even. You must have fleets of cars. One for every day of the week perhaps. You guys should get a room with Jeremy Clarkson.

A £100 fine would be irritating but in the grand scheme of things, it's not much.

Your point?

[Newera]

I think it's a good idea.

Note to op, most bobbies hate doing traffic!

Not they don't. It's an instant win situation. Just point the camera gun. See the crime being committed and instant clear up rate. Unlike burgulary where the crime clear up rate is appalling low.

[Newera]

A £100 fine would be irritating but in the grand scheme of things, it's not much.

Your point?

What planet are you from? It's quite offensive for anybody to claim £100.00 is merely irritating. Some people take two DAYS to earn that. In fact fines should be means tested like every other Government red tape exercise. A nurse going home after a 12 hour night shift should pay less than a banker who is racing home to decide what to do with his bonus.

Edited 13 February, 2012 by Newera

[Dr Zoidberg]

What planet are you from? It's quite offensive for anybody to claim £100.00 is merely irritating. Some people take two DAYS to earn that. In fact fines should be means tested like every other Government red tape exercise. A nurse going home after a 12 hour night shift should pay less than a banker who is racing home to decide what to do with his bonus.

But it *is* merely irritating to me, just like your view of the world as a simple split into rich and poor. Yes, if you are on the minimum wage £100 is two days wages and obviously more significant than for other people but there's a whole scale of incomes from there up to a multi-million pound salary. I dare say I earn more than a good number of people on here, but I know I also earn less than others and I work hard to get it. I'm nowhere near any sensible definition of "rich" and equally importantly I make a lot of effort to live within my means, so a £100 fine would mean I'd put less into my savings that month.

I don't see why my financial situation should be anything I should apologise for. There's quite an unpleasant anti-capitalist attitude in Britain at the moment and this seems to be a symptom of it, where anyone earning more than you is automatically the enemy.

As it happens, I've never had a speeding fine because I choose to drive in a fashion that minimises the risk of being caught.

As for income related fines - that already does happen when you are dealt with by the courts. There's a case to be made for extending this to all offences but the whole point of an FPN is that it's quick and easy to issue and administer. If every one resulted in a lengthy investigation into people's financial situation that would render them unworkable.

[Newera]

But it *is* merely irritating to me, just like your view of the world as a simple split into rich and poor. Yes, if you are on the minimum wage £100 is two days wages and obviously more significant than for other people but there's a whole scale of incomes from there up to a multi-million pound salary. I dare say I earn more than a good number of people on here, but I know I also earn less than others and I work hard to get it. I'm nowhere near any sensible definition of "rich" and equally importantly I make a lot of effort to live within my means, so a £100 fine would mean I'd put less into my savings that month.

I don't see why my financial situation should be anything I should apologise for. There's quite an unpleasant anti-capitalist attitude in Britain at the moment and this seems to be a symptom of it, where anyone earning more than you is automatically the enemy.

As it happens, I've never had a speeding fine because I choose to drive in a fashion that minimises the risk of being caught.

As for income related fines - that already does happen when you are dealt with by the courts. There's a case to be made for extending this to all offences but the whole point of an FPN is that it's quick and easy to issue and administer. If every one resulted in a lengthy investigation into people's financial situation that would render them unworkable.

I am not anti capitalistic and do not split the world into political shape at all. I just like a fair society and these catch all punitive fines don’t fit my agenda. I don’t earn as much as I did ten years ago (£120,000 a year) but reasonably well. You can hold what I consider a sheep's eye view and follow what our “leaders” want but I am a lifetime investigative journalist that makes me very suspicious of governments, QUANGOS, associated red tape and spying cameras. Point Blank.

[Llanigraham]

Are you guys bankers and get bonuses so a £100.00 fine is nothing to you, perhaps even a walk in the park. You guys must be raking it in. Get a bike or walk even. You must have fleets of cars. One for every day of the week perhaps. You guys should get a room with Jeremy Clarkson.

No it just proves that some of us are mature enough to realise that if we break the speed limits we are potentially going to caught and hit with a fine. There are plenty of signs and warnings about what the speed limits are; it only needs you to use your eyes and brains.

As Bryan says, if you do the crime then expect the fine!!

[Newera]

No it just proves that some of us are mature enough to realise that if we break the speed limits we are potentially going to caught and hit with a fine. There are plenty of signs and warnings about what the speed limits are; it only needs you to use your eyes and brains.

As Bryan says, if you do the crime then expect the fine!!

Is every body on this web site a "Yes Man". Does anybody know what "cardboard cut-out" thinking is? I think if hanging was re-introduced you would turn out to be Gung-Ho patsies.

Edited 13 February, 2012 by Newera

[slider]

What planet are you from? It's quite offensive for anybody to claim £100.00 is merely irritating. Some people take two DAYS to earn that. In fact fines should be means tested like every other Government red tape exercise. A nurse going home after a 12 hour night shift should pay less than a banker who is racing home to decide what to do with his bonus.

don't do the speed, don't pay the fine - simples

[Newera]

don't do the speed, don't pay the fine - simples

OK so there are no free wheelers, nothing Leftfield in fact any radicals (if we rule out anything remotely new wave Thatcherite) on this site|?

In fact everybody on this site must, has to be be pushing 80 years old.

Edited 13 February, 2012 by Newera

[Brimma]

Is every body on this web site a "Yes Man". Does anybody know what "cardboard cut-out" thinking is? I think if hanging was re-introduced you would turn out to be Gung-Ho patsies.

So 10 years ago you earned £120k per annum - I'm guessing you are still earning a reasonable amount

£60 equates to about 9.5 gallons at 138.9p per litre, ie well under a tank full

If you can afford to buy and run a car legally (assuming you are fully legal) 9.5 gallons of fuel isn't such a big deal to pay as a fine, should you choose to break the law

Should you choose to stay within the law it won't cost you a bean

Maybe the thought of paying £100 instead of £60 will be more of a deterrent

To be perfectly frank it's got SFA to do with being a cardboard cutout

[Brimma]

In fact everybody on this site must, has to be be pushing 80 years old.

Why not go try some other forums until you find some cardboard cutouts who agree with you

[slider]

OK so there are no free wheelers, nothing Leftfield in fact any radicals (if we rule out anything remotely new wave Thatcherite) on this site|?

In fact everybody on this site must, has to be be pushing 80 years old.

If that your attitude to driving mate then no fine is going to deter you - I just hope that when you do something really stupid you hurt nobody except yourself, and end up getting a lengthy ban.

[Newera]

So 10 years ago you earned £120k per annum - I'm guessing you are still earning a reasonable amount

£60 equates to about 9.5 gallons at 138.9p per litre, ie well under a tank full

If you can afford to buy and run a car legally (assuming you are fully legal) 9.5 gallons of fuel isn't such a big deal to pay as a fine, should you choose to break the law

Should you choose to stay within the law it won't cost you a bean

Maybe the thought of paying £100 instead of £60 will be more of a deterrent

To be perfectly frank it's got SFA to do with being a cardboard cutout

Yeah, I guess a tank full just doesn't cut it. Perhaps you would like them to bring on the thousnand pound fines. Let's go for it!

To answer your deterrent point I simply do not like inequality and that means £100.00 to a millionaire is shockingly different to a not so well off pensioner that inadvertently does 34 mph in a 30 mph and gets a £100 ticket.

[slider]

I am not anti capitalistic and do not split the world into political shape at all. I just like a fair society and these catch all punitive fines don’t fit my agenda.

The whole point of any fine, jail term, loss of licence/freedoms or what ever is to punish!!!! So are you saying everybody should be free do do as they want?

p.s. please post your address here so that I can come an nick your car. After all you wouldn't want to see me get punished for it would you.

[Newera]

If that your attitude to driving mate then no fine is going to deter you - I just hope that when you do something really stupid you hurt nobody except yourself, and end up getting a lengthy ban.

You are simply OLD before your time.

[Newera]

The whole point of any fine, jail term, loss of licence/freedoms or what ever is to punish!!!! So are you saying everybody should be free do do as they want?

p.s. please post your address here so that I can come an nick your car. After all you wouldn't want to see me get punished for it would you.

You are suggesting I am some sort of Nihilist when I am not and readily understand "fine, jail term, loss of licence/freedoms or what ever is to punish!!!!" < that point. Just to clear up AGAIN fines should be means tested. What point is there giving somebody earning £200,000 a year a £100.00 fine and a hard pressed person who earns £100.00 in two days the same fine. Do you not understand?

[Brimma]

You are suggesting I am some sort of Nihilist when I am not and readily understand "fine, jail term, loss of licence/freedoms or what ever is to punish!!!!" < that point. Just to clear up AGAIN fines should be means tested. What point is there giving somebody earning £200,000 a year a £100.00 fine and a hard pressed person who earns £100.00 in two days the same fine. Do you not understand

How long is it fixed penalties have been in?

[Brimma]

You are simply OLD before your time.

Clearly law abiding = old in some people's eyes

[Moist Von Lipwig]

Speeding has become socially acceptable, the insurance companies don't mind a few points for it, no one seems embarrassed to admit to getting speeding points and the current fine is, to the majority, easily payable. Yes some people will struggle to pay £60 so the £100 fine would be much harder on them. So increasing the penalty might actually have some effect and get people to slow down, which would seem to be the main issue.

The whole point of a fixed penalty is to provide a quick punishment which does not require layers and layers of bureaucracy which itself costs large amounts of money. In a fair world people would get fined according to their ability to pay so it had the same impact on them but you could also say that in an ideal world there would not be such disparity in what people earn, rather than currently get paid. But this is just getting off topic which many posts seem to have done!

At the end of the day, we all know the speed limits and make a conscious choice to obey or not obey them. If you get caught then accept the consequences not try and hide behind loopholes and human rights legislation. If you can afford the fines and the consequences then great for you but after the first few penalties things will catch up and off to court you go. If you can't afford the fine then simply don't speed, it is after all breaking the law, no one is making you or expecting you to.

This is not about what is affordable and what is not, frankly any fine or punishment for breaking the law should cause pain! How many people on here have been amazed at the penalties handed out to all types of criminals. It seems ludicrous that repeat offenders and serious crimes get community orders or tiddly little fines.