He made $12.4 million the year which they based the fine.

Curiosity got to me so I took a look at the Finnish tax rates:
http://www.vero.fi/english/taxsystem/incom...for%20residents

Not as bad a rate as I thought, but the fine is equal to almost one week's salary (after taxes). I guarantee that would keep a lot of American's from speeding...

 

As horrible as it sounds there is some logic to the system. I mean if a guy who makes $1M/yr gets a ticket here it's, let's say for aruments sake, $400. If a guy making $30K gets a ticket it's also $400. Obviosly the wealth of the first guy makes the ticket, and thus the law, a joke. But to the second guy, committing the same infraction, it's serious money. If money is the punshment then the second guy is punished more severely than the first for the same offense. Is this not true? For the first, the $400 ticket is 4/100 of a % of his annual income. For the second 1.3%. For them to receive an equal shot in the pocket book the first guy's fine should also be 1.3% of his income or $13000.

Which is equal punishment under the law? $400 or 1.3%?

 

I quite agree..... if my earnings were in the millions of dollars range, I am sure that I wouldn't be too concerned about a $400 fine if I got caught speeding .... (IMHO) the fines should act as a deterrent not just a punishment.

 

ah, but is punishment not the deterrent and the fine simply a means of punishment. There are other forms of punishment also designed to deter one from doing bad things. A fine is only a deterrent if it keeps you from doing something. After you've done it, it's punishment.

On the same topic, for those who feel that $400 is punishment enough regardless of income, then do you agree then that the guy making $30K should have his fine based on the same scale as the guy making $1M. That would be a $12 fine. That's what $400 is worth to a guy making $1M annually in contrast to the guy making $30K in terms of hardship at least.

 

It is a bit of a circular argument here, but the fine is the deterrent before you have done something, since you won't get punished unless you do something wrong..... (unless of course you live where most of the board members seem to and get tickets from the police just for being there ) therefore, as I said previously, "(IMHO) the fines should act as a deterrent not just a punishment."

If the fine is not a sufficiently large fine, or is insignificant to the person, for instance the guy earning $ 1M a year, it does not act as a deterrent, but it would still be considered the as punishment should be be caught speeding!

Putting it simply:-

$400 fine for someone earning $30k = deterrent and punishment
$400 fine for someone earning $ 1m = punishment

1.5% of income fine for someone earning $30k = deterrent and punishment
1.5% of income fine for someone earning $ 1m = deterrent and punishment

Just a thought

 

As much as I would HATE that system of basing the fines on income, I agree that it is a logical solution. The amount of deterrance and punishment is more similar to everyone. that being said, it WOULD work on me since I strive to make more and more and it would suck to lose a weeks pay for a traffic violation.

Of course, a $150 speeding ticket here is not a big deal...until I add up the increase in insurance for the next few years.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by E ticket
[B]It does not pay to be rich in Finland.

 

So I take it they dont have "The Ticket Clinic" in Finland.

 

Things like this make me angry.

Why should I get punished more for breaking the same law just cause I worked harder to get rich? If I can pay the ticket with little or no pain, so be it. I worked hard for that luxury.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by ltweintz
[B]Things like this make me angry.