Post by mrmaui on Mar 30, 2011 16:01:12 GMT 1
Wouldn't it be better and easier in some respects for fines to be calculated on a percentage based on income.
For example two people get caught speeding. Both on the A1 both doing 90 both are given £600 fines. However, one is a premier league footballer on £90,000 a week whereas the other is an average Joe on £200 a week. One of them actually works hard for his money and finds he has to pay 3 weeks wages to cover the fine if he doesn't pay with in a set amount of time they'll put the fine up (I wonder who's getting £500,000 a year to think up that piece of intelligent thinking) and if he still fails to pay he'll be jailed. The footballer on the other hand realises that for one day that week he won't be able to buy his bottles of champagne for his cornflakes.
Not only would giving fines worked out by percentage be a more fair option it would also make the government more money and we know how they like to make money.
I believe a few countries already do this I can't off the top of my head remember who they are although it seems in this country we need to be the first to do it or it doesn't get done because we don't copy other countries.....unless it's America.
Thoughts?
For example two people get caught speeding. Both on the A1 both doing 90 both are given £600 fines. However, one is a premier league footballer on £90,000 a week whereas the other is an average Joe on £200 a week. One of them actually works hard for his money and finds he has to pay 3 weeks wages to cover the fine if he doesn't pay with in a set amount of time they'll put the fine up (I wonder who's getting £500,000 a year to think up that piece of intelligent thinking) and if he still fails to pay he'll be jailed. The footballer on the other hand realises that for one day that week he won't be able to buy his bottles of champagne for his cornflakes.
Not only would giving fines worked out by percentage be a more fair option it would also make the government more money and we know how they like to make money.
I believe a few countries already do this I can't off the top of my head remember who they are although it seems in this country we need to be the first to do it or it doesn't get done because we don't copy other countries.....unless it's America.
Thoughts?
I'm much more concerned about bad driving than speed!!! I'm not talking 120mph here, but a couple of miles over the limit!! I nearly went into some idiot on Friday, that had sod all to do with speed!!! Just coming up to the lights by Christ Church in Shields, and the lanes separate into 2, one to turn left and one to carry on, or turn right. The plonker in front decided he was in the wrong lane and just pulled across, without checking if anything was coming behind!! 
But it was pretty low, compared to other causes.