LogFAQs > #938184023

Pointman posted...

Those fines only matter to poor people, that's half the reason they are like they are right there.

Fines matter to everybody, particularly since they also raise your insurance and count as strikes against your license.

mooreandrew58 posted...

People nees to be punished for breaking laws and jail/prison is sometimes too extreme. Them profiting off it is just a unfortunate byproduct. What do you suggest? Public flogging?

tbh, besides imprisonment and fines, I think that's the only other real option for a punishment and we don't do that any more.

umop_apisdn posted...

It's more messed up when you actually work in government/law enforcement and know the ins and outs of the entire business.

These companies get cities (tax payers) to pay for installing the cameras, maintaining the cameras, operating and reviewing footage, and sending/processing fines. Then, when they actually start creating revenue those same companies take a much larger percentage than the cities/municipalities receive. Not to mention, many state constitutions require an officer to be present at the time of a violation, making many of the cameras unconstitutional at a state level.

Edit: I forgot to mention, the comapnies lease the cameras out while maintaining ownership of them most of the time as well which is how they are able to do most of this.

But you guys should like that system because then it's not government depending on the money!

SunWuKung420 posted...

I don't want city budgets based on the revenue from fines.

If government gets money from something, it's going to rely on it. Simple as that.

SunWuKung420 posted...

Inventing finable offenses isn't sustainable.

Not having an enforcement mechanism for traffic laws isn't sustainable. And prior to traffic laws, there were far more injuries and fatalities. Even today, there are far more injuries and fatalities than there should be because people drive drunk and aren't always going to be deterred by fines so they speed and run red lights. (And there's no punishment that can completely deter an activity, not even the death penalty.)

captpackrat posted...

So what will happen once self-driving cars become the norm? Since the cars won't break the law, there won't be any more speeding tickets or red-light violations. What will happen to the police departments that rely on that income?

The income would go back to coming from taxes, duh, and people would bitch about their taxes going up. Common sense, but I know that's in short supply here.

That's assuming people don't illegally modify their self-driving cars and that the technology will ever be fully implemented. This nation has a tremendous stubborn streak, right down to people who feel so entitled that they think they shouldn't have to pay fines for breaking traffic laws and should be allowed to drive as recklessly as they like.

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