oh snap!

Fucker...you qutoed before I saved the changes. I'm thinking that race isn't really fitting here because you could easily argue about our progressive tax system.

I know and he doesnt even have a race car.

That's basically the attitude that they've adopted.

I really wouldn't want to see this sort of penalty in North America, but what they're striving for is equitable punishment under the law. The fine is based on your net worth. It may be unequal punishment in absolute terms, but in relative terms it actually is equal.

Up here they would have taken your vehicle and license for a week, without benefit of trial. In Switzerland, if you were a foreigner, they'd hand you a bill at the roadside and make you pay.

Bullshit!!! I want equal treatment period. If I get a speeding ticket and a non-working loser gets the same ticket, I don't want him getting a lighter fine. If I work my ass off and make $100,000 a year, it doesn't mean that I should pay more for a traffic ticket.

Some of you applaud this action now because the guy was worth $20,000,000 but how would you feel in court if they hit you with a $2,000 fine while letting the next guy off for $100? It's the same old deal, it sounds good to make the "rich" pay more (fine, taxes, etc) until someone decides that YOU are "rich".

Hell maybe parking tickets should be based on how much the car is worth.

Tigger for President. :boobs:

Actually Switzerland handles illegal parking fines the same way ;)

Yeah, not too sure I would be thrilled with this system in the US, but I can definitely understand why they feel it's equitable. Hell, if I got a speeding ticket for 50 cents, it sure as hell would not be much of a deterrent. But if the ticket was $400, I'd be more apt to watch my speed.

To a millionaire, a $400 ticket is a mere road tax.

By making the ticket commensurate with the person's wealth, the discouragement against committing the crime again is proportionate.

This is the theory here, and if the fine is in fact there to truly discourage the offense, then the rationale is valid.

It isn't about socialism, it's about enforcement.