Swiss millionaire fined $290,000 for speeding - More than twice previous record

[RamboLiberal]

ST. GALLEN, Switzerland - A Swiss court has slapped a wealthy speeder with a chalet-sized fine — a full $290,000.

Judges at the cantonal court in St. Gallen, in eastern Switzerland, based the record-breaking fine on the speeder's estimated wealth of more than $20 million.

A statement on the court's Web site says the driver — a repeat offender — drove up to 35 miles an hour faster than the 50-mile-an-hour limit.

The Blick daily newspaper in Zurich reported the fine was more than twice the previous Swiss record of about $107,000

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34752334/ns/world_news-weird_news/

[BrklynLiberal]

1. Cool. Income based fines. That should become a worldwide phenomenon.

[Tesha]

7. The system is commonly referred to as "Day fines"

You're fined "n" days worth of your salary (or equivalent
income).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Day-fine

The CEO of Nokia was nicked for 30 days for trying to
beat the customs agents. An EVP of Nokia was nicked for
something like $103,000 for speeding through Helsinki
on his motorcycle. Frankly, I think I like the speeding
EVP a lot more than I like the cheating CEO.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olli-Pekka_Kallasvuo#Tax_evasion_conviction

http://www.trafficticketsecrets.com/speeding-ticket-news-finnish.html

Tesha

[glen123098]

9. What if you have no income?

How does this system work then?

[BrklynLiberal]

10. Volunteer work....

[Canuckistanian]

13. Loss of state benefits....

Everyone has SOMETHING to lose.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

15. Gas money.

[BrklynLiberal]

11. Excellent policy!!!

[CBR]

2. I like this. Especially with repeat offenses... nt

[ElmoBlatz]

3. Good

He can afford it.

[flvegan]

4. I wonder what he was driving.

$20 million. Could be an average ride, could be something sweet.

[TheMadMonk]

5. Nice. I've often thought that fines should be proportionate.

Why should one poor bastard get hit for a month's income, whilst the rich twit is only penalised a night's fun, for exactly the same crime?

[BlueMTexpat]

6. The Swiss are getting quite tough on those who speed, and

especially those who do so in flagrant style while injuring others. But in the case cited in the url below (not the same as the one cited in the OP), the wealth involved is likely to be even more than $20 million. These lifestyles are unbelievable ... and here the speeders were not even Swiss. This case is still causing some furore, as well it should. I hope that fines are assessed accordingly, although since three of those involved were able to flee the country quite easily via Big Daddy's private jet, such fines will be difficult, if not impossible, to enforce unless some of them hold assets inside Switzerland.

http://genevalunch.com/blog/tag/russians/

If ever you want to see capitalism run amok, check out Russia after the fall when western capitalists literally poured in ... and the quickest Russian adherents of capitalism poured out, as fast as they could, with as much of the country's spoils as possible.

[zeos3]

8. Every time I see a story like this...

I think of the flat/fair tax people and consider giving their idea a chance, provided that everything is day based or % based like the speeding fine.

Imagine buying a gallon of milk or gas on this basis. Health insurance, a home, a car, everything. I wonder what the super rich would have to say about the Consumer Price Index if that were the case.

[Canuckistanian]

14. Good point

If someone reaps the societal benefits of being rich, then they should not be able to use those same benefits to avoid the risks.

THIS is social justice in a nutshell.

[Canuckistanian]

12. Wow. Income-based fines, what an awsome concept.

If a millionaire had to worry about where his/her next meal was coming from, then maybe they would have the same respect fot rules and laws that WE have.

K&R

[One of Many]

16. Love it

I've been promoting this concept since the early 90's (promoting as in yammering to anyone who would listen).

Simple fact being if I make 200 a week which at one time I did, and I get a speeding ticket for $400 I'm either living in a box or eating shoe leather. My punishment is then exponentially worse than the same fine levied on one making much much more. It is unfair to the core and totally indefensible as a system of punishment.

Had no idea there actually was such a system in place. Firs the army knife and now this, is there anything the swiss can't do?

[Quantess]

17. Interesting policy.