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Topic: Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:£5,000,000 per annum more in traffic fines
Posted by: Sarah Smith
Date/Time: 01/02/26 08:36:00

I don't think I have missed that point actually. My original post was that it was not a tax. It is a penalty for breaking the law and is entirely avoidable by not breaking the law. I didn't mention safety at all in the original post although it is a beneficial side effect.

If the government wants to raise revenues by employing more tax inspectors at HMRC at prosecute more tax evasion or environmental health want to raise revenues by prosecuting the water companies more or fly tippers, then that is not a tax (even in HMRC's case) but a penalty for breaking the law. It is possible that cameras can be bought or tax inspectors employed and no wrongdoing found so no revenues are raised. But in both cases, it seems unlikely. HMRC inspectors consistently bring in more fines than their salaries and my observations suggest lots of drivers break the law.

It's actually quite an interesting investment proposition - allow people to invest in traffic cameras or tax inspectors in return for a proportion of their earnings. I suspect the investors would also know exactly where to focus them.

Yes, a lovely person with a heart rending backstory (a fireman delivering a fridge to a war veteran or whatever you want to come up with) might get a fine for accidentally driving through a sign that says no entry because they didn't understand the sign. But they will then have learned about the sign and shouldn't do it again. An annoying £70 or £150 but it's a one off fine, not a prison sentence. If they are doing it repeatedly, then either they are incapable of remembering the sign and/or have eye problems that means they shouldn't drive OR they are chancing their arm that they won't often get caught.

And if I was being chased by a maniacal cement mixer driver and saved my life by going 1mph above the speed limit, I'd think it was 100 quid well spent. If it happened repeatedly, then I would probably wonder why I was being targeted and go to the police although I am open to the possibility there is this plague of cement mixer drivers out there that I have not met while driving yet.

I'm not quite sure why logical inference got you to the belief that I think all cars are evil. The only fact I provided was that I've had a driving license for nearly three decades and never got a fine. Perhaps I could have added "and also owned and regularly driven a car" for clarity. Apologies if the lack of that additional detail was very confusing for you.

Entire Thread
TopicDate PostedPosted By
£5,000,000 per annum more in traffic fines29/01/26 17:00:00 Jeremy Parkinson
   Re:£5,000,000 per annum more in traffic fines30/01/26 10:18:00 David Lesniak
      Re:Re:£5,000,000 per annum more in traffic fines31/01/26 11:30:00 Sarah Smith
         Re:Re:Re:£5,000,000 per annum more in traffic fines31/01/26 12:13:00 Jeremy Parkinson
            Re:Re:Re:Re:£5,000,000 per annum more in traffic fines31/01/26 17:55:00 Sarah Smith
         Re:Re:Re:£5,000,000 per annum more in traffic fines31/01/26 12:27:00 David Lesniak
            Re:Re:Re:Re:£5,000,000 per annum more in traffic fines31/01/26 15:19:00 Mike Smith
               Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:£5,000,000 per annum more in traffic fines01/02/26 07:26:00 David Lesniak
            Re:Re:Re:Re:£5,000,000 per annum more in traffic fines31/01/26 15:34:00 Steve Taylor
            Re:Re:Re:Re:£5,000,000 per annum more in traffic fines31/01/26 17:51:00 Sarah Smith
               Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:£5,000,000 per annum more in traffic fines31/01/26 18:03:00 Simon Hayes
                  Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:£5,000,000 per annum more in traffic fines31/01/26 20:47:00 Mark Frost
                     Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:£5,000,000 per annum more in traffic fines31/01/26 21:26:00 Davy Jones
                        Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:£5,000,000 per annum more in traffic fines31/01/26 21:55:00 Mark Frost
                           Re:Re:£5,000,000 per annum more in traffic fines31/01/26 22:56:00 Philippa Bond
                  Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:£5,000,000 per annum more in traffic fines01/02/26 08:36:00 Sarah Smith
                     Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:£5,000,000 per annum more in traffic fines01/02/26 11:26:00 Simon Hayes
                        Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:£5,000,000 per annum more in traffic fines01/02/26 19:14:00 Steve Taylor
                           Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:£5,000,000 per annum more in traffic fines02/02/26 12:30:00 Andrew Jones
                              Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:£5,000,000 per annum more in traffic fines02/02/26 13:08:00 Steve Taylor
                                 Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:£5,000,000 per annum more in traffic fines02/02/26 14:04:00 Andrew Jones
                                    Re:£5,000,000 per annum more in traffic fines03/02/26 11:08:00 Philippa Bond
      Re:Re:£5,000,000 per annum more in traffic fines01/02/26 19:40:00 Paul James
         Re:Re:Re:£5,000,000 per annum more in traffic fines02/02/26 11:52:00 David Lesniak
            Re:Re:Re:Re:£5,000,000 per annum more in traffic fines02/02/26 12:21:00 Janice Evans
               Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:£5,000,000 per annum more in traffic fines02/02/26 12:54:00 Andrew Jones
                  Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:£5,000,000 per annum more in traffic fines03/02/26 10:38:00 Janice Evans
                     Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:£5,000,000 per annum more in traffic fines03/02/26 10:46:00 Steve Taylor
                        Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:£5,000,000 per annum more in traffic fines03/02/26 10:49:00 Steve Taylor
                        Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:£5,000,000 per annum more in traffic fines03/02/26 10:51:00 Janice Evans
                  Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:£5,000,000 per annum more in traffic fines03/02/26 11:35:00 David Lesniak
                     Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:£5,000,000 per annum more in traffic fines03/02/26 11:39:00 Paul James
                  Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:£5,000,000 per annum more in traffic fines03/02/26 11:36:00 Paul James
                     Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:£5,000,000 per annum more in traffic fines03/02/26 13:29:00 Brian Green
                        Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:£5,000,000 per annum more in traffic fines03/02/26 14:13:00 Paul James
                           Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:£5,000,000 per annum more in traffic fines03/02/26 15:14:00 Philippa Bond
                              Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:£5,000,000 per annum more in traffic fines03/02/26 15:47:00 Jeremy Parkinson
                                 Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:£5,000,000 per annum more in traffic fines03/02/26 18:27:00 Andrew Jones
                                    Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:£5,000,000 per annum more in traffic fines03/02/26 21:18:00 Steve Taylor
                                       Re:£5,000,000 per annum more in traffic fines03/02/26 22:47:00 Philippa Bond
                                       Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:£5,000,000 per annum more in traffic fines04/02/26 11:25:00 David Lesniak
                                          5,000,000 cement mixers on the Westway04/02/26 13:38:00 Mike Smith
                                             Re:5,000,000 cement mixers on the Westway05/02/26 07:52:00 David Lesniak
                           Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:£5,000,000 per annum more in traffic fines04/02/26 11:19:00 David Lesniak
                              Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:£5,000,000 per annum more in traffic fines04/02/26 13:48:00 Paul James
                        Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:£5,000,000 per annum more in traffic fines04/02/26 11:16:00 David Lesniak
                           Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:£5,000,000 per annum more in traffic fines04/02/26 17:07:00 Steve Taylor
                              Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:£5,000,000 per annum more in traffic fines05/02/26 09:33:00 Paul James
                              Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:£5,000,000 per annum more in traffic fines05/02/26 11:33:00 Andrew Jones
                                 Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:£5,000,000 per annum more in traffic fines05/02/26 12:52:00 Michael Robinson
                                 Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:£5,000,000 per annum more in traffic fines05/02/26 13:37:00 David Lesniak
                                    Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:£5,000,000 per annum more in traffic fines05/02/26 13:59:00 Janice Evans
                                    Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:£5,000,000 per annum more in traffic fines05/02/26 14:02:00 Andrew Jones
                                       Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:£5,000,000 per annum more in traffic fines07/02/26 11:00:00 David Lesniak
                                    Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:£5,000,000 per annum more in traffic fines05/02/26 14:02:00 Paul James
                                       Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:£5,000,000 per annum more in traffic fines05/02/26 16:48:00 Steve Taylor
                                          Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:£5,000,000 per annum more in traffic fines06/02/26 11:52:00 David Lesniak
                                          Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:£5,000,000 per annum more in traffic fines07/02/26 11:51:00 Philippa Bond
   Re:  Perhaps fines could also go towards Demand Responsive Transport (DRT)?06/02/26 16:06:00 Philippa Bond

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