Record speeding fine

[Greg]

Apparently the Swiss do not tolerate repeat offenders very well 



http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8446545.stm#

A Swiss millionaire has been handed down a record speeding fine of $290,000 (£180,000) by a court.

The man was reportedly caught driving a red Ferrari Testarossa at 137km/h (85mph) through a village.

The penalty was calculated based on the unnamed motorist's wealth - assessed by the court as $22.7m (£14.1m) - and because he was a repeat offender.

It is more than double Switzerland's previous record speeding fine - handed to a Porsche driver in Zurich in 2008.

In the latest case, the motorist was clocked speeding 57km/h (35mph) faster than the limit, according to the cantonal court in St Gallen, eastern Switzerland.

"The accused ignored elementary traffic rules with a powerful vehicle out of a pure desire for speed," the court said in its judgement.

Swiss media reported that the man owns a villa with five luxury cars, including the Ferrari.

[Raux]

i know for a fact i do NOT speed in Switzerland. bad juju there. and this was before i read this.

[Goat_Herder]

I know for a fact that I have NEVER sped in Switzerland. 













I also have never been to Switzerland.   

[geoffduc]

And don't forget that those little swiss gnomes also take a road tax for driving on thier roads as you pass through thier country on vacation   and if you don't purchase it before your visit they'll catch you on the border  

[ducatiz]

wow..

for 85 mph

i wonder what the speed limit was, 5 mph???

[Holden]

nice photo of a testarossa

now I know why everyone takes the train!

[swampduc]

wow..

for 85 mph

i wonder what the speed limit was, 5 mph???

50, apparently. Talk about a repressive govt!

[ducatiz]

50, apparently. Talk about a repressive govt!

i don't know that that is repressive -- they just don't want you to speed and are serious about it.

i think that's better than the way its down most places in the USA -- dink you for a fine and it just works out to being a "speed tax" and no one really slows down.

[Raux]

ok a couple of things didn't match up in that story though.
no town speed limit is 80 kph unless it's a major road and then it was a school zone? an 85 kph school zone?

[Porsche Monkey]

that fine is probably three times what the car is worth.   

[Popeye the Sailor]

Beats what the Swedish police do to you:

http://jalopnik.com/5442691/volvo-police-wagon-flips-mounts-fleeing-audi

[erkishhorde]

that fine is probably three times what the car is worth.   

I don't know where but I thought I heard that their vehicle taxes are insanely high there (around half the car's value or more).

[MendoDave]

50, apparently. Talk about a repressive govt!

That is a tad over 30 MPH. The speed limit in a residential area is 25 MPH. That doesn't seem too bad for a speed limit through a village.

[superjohn]

Fines are also proportional to income as well I believe. No cheap penalties for anyone apparently.

[Raux]

That is a tad over 30 MPH. The speed limit in a residential area is 25 MPH. That doesn't seem too bad for a speed limit through a village.

no the article described it as 50 mph not 50 kph