Latest news with #speedster
The Independent
3 hours ago
- Business
- The Independent
A driver faces up to $110,000 in fines for speeding on a Swiss street. But he can afford it
The driver was clocked going 27 kilometers per hour (17 mph) over the speed limit on a street in the Swiss city of Lausanne, and now he's facing up to 90,000 Swiss francs (over $110,000) in fines as a result. But he can afford it. Why the eye-popping penalty? Because the speedster, a repeat offender, is one of Switzerland's wealthiest people, and the Vaud canton, or region, serves up fines based on factors like income, fortune or general family financial situation. The Swiss are not alone. Germany, France, Austria and the Nordic countries all issue punishments based on a person's wealth. The recent fine isn't even a record in Switzerland. In 2010, a millionaire Ferrari driver got a ticket equal to about $290,000 for speeding in the eastern canton of St. Gallen. Back then, the Swiss safety group Road Cross said rich drivers had been lightly punished until voters approved penal law overhaul three years earlier that let judges hand down fines based on personal income and wealth for misdemeanors like speeding and drunk driving. Under today's rules, an indigent person might spend a night in jail instead of a fine, while the wealthiest in the rich Alpine country could be on the hook for tens of thousands. A court in the Swiss canton of Vaud recently ruled that the tycoon must pay 10,000 Swiss francs ($12,300) up front and could be forced to pay the rest — 80,000 more — if he's caught for a similar roadway infraction over the next three years. Switzerland's '24 Heures' newspaper first reported the case and said the man, who was not identified, was a French citizen listed by Swiss economic weekly Bilan among the 300 richest people in Switzerland — with a fortune in the hundreds of millions of dollars. The daily reported that an automated police radar photographed the offender driving at 77 kilometers per hour (48 mph) in a 50 kph (31 mph) zone on a Lausanne street. A quick-calculating prosecutor tallied the maximum fine the driver faced under the law, the report said. Vincent Derouand, a spokesperson for the Vaud public prosecutors office, said the defendant didn't contest the decision, which was handed down in June for the infraction nearly a year ago — in August 2024. The Vaud criminal code sets a maximum financial penalty based on the "personal and economic situation of the offender at the time of the ruling' — notably taking into account issues like income, fortune, lifestyle and family financial needs. The newspaper reported that he had already been caught for a similar speeding infraction eight years ago, and also paid 10,000 Swiss francs in penalty and faced another 60,000 if another infraction had taken place within the following two years. In Switzerland, penalties for speeding can even catch up with the cops: One officer was fined for racing at nearly twice the speed limit through Geneva streets back in 2016 while chasing thieves who had blown up a bank teller machine.
Washington Post
3 hours ago
- Business
- Washington Post
A driver faces up to $110,000 in fines for speeding on a Swiss street. But he can afford it
GENEVA — The driver was clocked going 27 kilometers per hour (17 mph) over the speed limit on a street in the Swiss city of Lausanne, and now he's facing up to 90,000 Swiss francs (over $110,000) in fines as a result. But he can afford it. Why the eye-popping penalty? Because the speedster, a repeat offender, is one of Switzerland's wealthiest people, and the Vaud canton, or region, serves up fines based on factors like income, fortune or general family financial situation. The Swiss are not alone. Germany, France, Austria and the Nordic countries all issue punishments based on a person's wealth. The recent fine isn't even a record in Switzerland. In 2010, a millionaire Ferrari driver got a ticket equal to about $290,000 for speeding in the eastern canton of St. Gallen. Back then, the Swiss safety group Road Cross said rich drivers had been lightly punished until voters approved penal law overhaul three years earlier that let judges hand down fines based on personal income and wealth for misdemeanors like speeding and drunk driving. Under today's rules, an indigent person might spend a night in jail instead of a fine, while the wealthiest in the rich Alpine country could be on the hook for tens of thousands. A court in the Swiss canton of Vaud recently ruled that the tycoon must pay 10,000 Swiss francs ($12,300) up front and could be forced to pay the rest — 80,000 more — if he's caught for a similar roadway infraction over the next three years. Switzerland's '24 Heures' newspaper first reported the case and said the man, who was not identified, was a French citizen listed by Swiss economic weekly Bilan among the 300 richest people in Switzerland — with a fortune in the hundreds of millions of dollars. The daily reported that an automated police radar photographed the offender driving at 77 kilometers per hour (48 mph) in a 50 kph (31 mph) zone on a Lausanne street. A quick-calculating prosecutor tallied the maximum fine the driver faced under the law, the report said. Vincent Derouand, a spokesperson for the Vaud public prosecutors office, said the defendant didn't contest the decision, which was handed down in June for the infraction nearly a year ago — in August 2024. The Vaud criminal code sets a maximum financial penalty based on the 'personal and economic situation of the offender at the time of the ruling' — notably taking into account issues like income, fortune, lifestyle and family financial needs. The newspaper reported that he had already been caught for a similar speeding infraction eight years ago, and also paid 10,000 Swiss francs in penalty and faced another 60,000 if another infraction had taken place within the following two years. In Switzerland, penalties for speeding can even catch up with the cops: One officer was fined for racing at nearly twice the speed limit through Geneva streets back in 2016 while chasing thieves who had blown up a bank teller machine.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
Driver caught travelling 20mph over speed limit on village road
A driver has been caught going 20 miles per hour over the speed limit on a village road in Suffolk. The Norfolk and Suffolk Safety Camera team caught the driver on Bures Road, in Little Cornard, near Sudbury, amongst the rush hour traffic on Thursday. The motorist was pinged going 50mph on the 30mph road and will now be "dealt with in court", the speed team said. Alongside the speedy driver, 13 other motorists were caught speeding on camera. It comes after the team caught a motorcyclist travelling at 112mph on the A14 last month. The mobile speed camera set up in Rougham caught the speedster on Tuesday, July 29. There have been several high speed reports on the A14 this year. In April, one motorcyclist in the same area was caught going 127mph and in February, two van drivers in Creeting were clocked speeding at 89mph and 96mph.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
A motorist was slapped with a $1,000 fine for driving at a ‘record' 199 mph on Germany's Autobahn
A motorist was clocked driving at more than 320 kph (199 mph) on the Autobahn west of Berlin, a record high at more than 124 mph above the speed limit, German police said. The speedster, who was not identified, was caught while racing along the A2 highway near Burg on July 28. The driver was handed a fine of 900 euros ($1,043), stripped of two points from his driver's license and banned from driving for three months, the Magdeburg police office said Tuesday. A roadside radar stand, known as an 'Enforcement Trailer,' caught the motorist in a routine check. A reading from its display showed 'the highest record speed' of 321 kph, police said. Germany's famed Autobahn motorways have captured fascination and interest around the world for their lack of speeding limits. German authorities and driving clubs have argued over the years about whether the policy should continue. Limitless speeds aren't universal on the Autobahn, though, as parts of the motorway are subject to speed limits. The section of the motorway where the record-breaking driver was caught has a limit of 120 kph (74.5 mph).
CNN
5 days ago
- Automotive
- CNN
A motorist was slapped with a $1,000 fine for driving at a ‘record' 199 mph on Germany's Autobahn
A motorist was clocked driving at more than 320 kph (199 mph) on the Autobahn west of Berlin, a record high at more than 124 mph above the speed limit, German police said. The speedster, who was not identified, was caught while racing along the A2 highway near Burg on July 28. The driver was handed a fine of 900 euros ($1,043), stripped of two points from his driver's license and banned from driving for three months, the Magdeburg police office said Tuesday. A roadside radar stand, known as an 'Enforcement Trailer,' caught the motorist in a routine check. A reading from its display showed 'the highest record speed' of 321 kph, police said. Germany's famed Autobahn motorways have captured fascination and interest around the world for their lack of speeding limits. German authorities and driving clubs have argued over the years about whether the policy should continue. Limitless speeds aren't universal on the Autobahn, though, as parts of the motorway are subject to speed limits. The section of the motorway where the record-breaking driver was caught has a limit of 120 kph (74.5 mph).
