Parking offence? Then pay the £15 victim tax

[B17NNS]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1239955/15...

[mybrainhurts]

I feel an appeal to the European Court of Human Rights coming on....

[Asterix]

I can't understand how they can get away with this.

It simply beggars belief.

Thing is, I can't see the next government, assuming it's Tory, putting a stop to nonsense like this once it is in farce...

So pleased I left the UK 6 years ago - I do get charged fees for certain things out here in Dubai but it's all at point of use and I'm more than happy with that arrangement. I don't have to pay for any crazy schemes that benefit work shy scroungers.

[Tycho]

Using fireworks after curfew....


It's getting more and more like a police state.

[Eric Mc]

Why bother explaining the extra £15 as a "Victim's Surcharge". Just be honest and say "We are going to be raising the penalties" and have done with it.

By and large, fixed penalties in the UK are lowish compared to our Continental neighbours.

[thinfourth2]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Of course you will get the £15 paid to you

Minus the admin charge of £25

Meaning you will get a bill for £10

[Busa_Rush]

Socialism . . . if you can afford a car you can afford to give some cash to the poor . . . sorry, errr, victims of your excess, errrr, hard work . . .

[Tangent Police]

I agree, where excess speed is a hazard, like outside schools/30 zones, let's really raise the fines.

I hope the remote cameras sited purely for £££ take a load of abuse.

The fines going up is a good thing, the line will be crossed sooner for some destructive nutter/s and they will fall like harvested corn.

[pacman1]

Busa_Rush said:

Socialism . . . if you can afford a car you can afford to give some cash to the poor . . . sorry, errr, victims of your excess, errrr, hard work . . .

Yep, redistribution of wealth I think it's called. And with the biggest deficit of any European country, expect a lot more of this, particularly aimed at the beleaguered motorist, whoever ends up in No.10. Whitehall has been, and will continue to pump this cr4p out at such a rate that we simply can't fight it.
If only we could get ourselves out of this poxy EU, we might stand a chance.

Edited by pacman1 on Saturday 2nd January 09:24

[Skywalker]

When this government 'de-criminalised' parking offences - instead of the money being paid to the Courts like it used to be done when the BiB and Traffic Wardens knocked teh tickets out, now it goes to the Local Authority.

Oops - a shortfall in cash coming into the coffers? Answer - make sure that the government (Central not local) gets it's slice of the action..

[Puggit]

This is nothing short of a tax, the victim fund should be solely funded by those involved in crime.

The penalties for crime are too lenient at the moment, increase fines for crime at court instead (and make them be paid immediately, not 5p per week).

[Eric Mc]

Unfortunately, fines for the more "usual" crimes are virtually uncollectable. Motorists are a much easier touch.

[Northern Munkee]

What the fk?! What connection is there with speeding and victim of crime? None. I can't believe even the BBC dare refer to it as a 'victim surcharge' when it is a not even a badly disguised 'tax'! Orwellian newspeak and not even as 'clever' as that.

I just don't get it, it seems as though a car is viewed as something rich people have, by class warriors in the government. Working people, working class people get to work as soon as they can by car, and they vote. I just don't get It beyond I'm easy to find to collect their tax...

I can see the brainwashing if allowed to continue making driving as socially unacceptable like smoking(fair enough IMO), and drInking (they're getting there). Everytime public transport is in the news some lefty tt from the pressure group industry bemoans that public transport is not subsidised by tax payer like roads (I kid you not - yesterday Radio5live Drive- with that tt steven Nolan) and that poor people use public transport, and it's not fair. I can tell you straight the first thing lower class people want as soon as they are working is the freedom a motor car offers.

I just don't understand how these middle class politiburo wkers seem to think they know best for the 'poor'. Outside of London (and obviously many inside) no one wants to use public transport.

Listening to john major on Radio4 this morning I wish he'd give up his peerage and comeback, dull, grey, but above all common sense, long term thinking and sounding competent.

God the labour party and the media...

[pacman1]

Northern Munkee said:

God the labour party and the media...

...all three have a lot to answer for.

[paddyhasneeds]

I seem to have a different way of viewing this. Yes it's wrong, however if you assume that this money has to be raised somehow (and that's the bit that we should be debating, what is the money spent on?) I'd sooner it be raised by doing it on something I have a choice on i.e. breaking the law (let's not get into "is speeding a crime" because it's irrelevant, legally it is), than simply lumping some more money on fuel or income tax.

It sucks, but at least it's opt-in, surely?

[Fort Jefferson]

paddyhasneeds said:

It sucks, but at least it's opt-in, surely?

+1

[Fort Jefferson]

For all the drivers who complain about speeding fines just being another tax, maybe you should have the right to "opt out" and just have more points instead? Lets say £60+£15 and 3 points is the norm, but people who object to "paying the tax" can pay no fine, and have 6 points instead. How would that suite you?

[Northern Munkee]

pacman1 said:

Northern Munkee said:

God the labour party and the media...

...all three have a lot to answer for.

I hadn't meant it like that but maybe you're right! given the top two stories above the surcharge on BBC news is what's his Danish face hiding in his panic toilet due to a Muslim extremist, and our IT hostage is released from an extremist which may or may or not have held him in Iran(and I don't follow that Muslim extremist logic in killing his body guards), yes I agree oh how I wish organised religons no matter what persuasion could be removed. Probably predating the crusades, as I think God (as an omnipotent single being) assuming he might exist (agnostic) would be disgusted by organised religons hand in the world , acting in his name(s). Sometimes I think we're still living in the dark ages, or maybe were sliding back, I dunno...

[thinfourth2]

Northern Munkee said:

Outside of London (and obviously many inside) no one wants to use public transport.

No they can't use public transport

For me to get to my work which is 16 miles away at 7am i have to leave my house at 11pm the day before.

[Northern Munkee]

paddyhasneeds said:

I seem to have a different way of viewing this. Yes it's wrong, however if you assume that this money has to be raised somehow (and that's the bit that we should be debating, what is the money spent on?) I'd sooner it be raised by doing it on something I have a choice on i.e. breaking the law (let's not get into "is speeding a crime" because it's irrelevant, legally it is), than simply lumping some more money on fuel or income tax.

It sucks, but at least it's opt-in, surely?

I don't follow your logic at all, you agree "it's wrong, but..."

for a start the mway speed limit was set in the 60s yet we don't get a mature debate on speed limits beyond knee jerk posturing 'speed kills' when inappropriate speed kills. And I have been done once for speeding in 25 years on an empty dual carriageway on a sunny dry day lunchtime, 63 in a 50, I was never safer which was why I wasn't paying attention (for scammmer vans ahead), I'd say 95% of my motorway miles are at 10% above the lepton limit, and I've never had an accident, or hurt anyone, anyone who says they don't speed are lying.

As to taxation, after saying it's wrong Everything after that is rearranging the deckchairs on the titanic. Personally I'd like the straight honesty of raising income tax, not NI, not VAT, not RFL, not fuel duty, not on my savings, not on what I have saved for my kids (NOT saved to give to the state!), not a surcharge on my insurance premiums, not a surcharge on my phone bill, not creeping tax by stealth, but simplification of the tax and allowances system to make easier to collect but as a tax payer. honesty from the politicians let them, if we need more revenue increase the basic rate of Income tax, and see if the electorate agree it is necessary, and before you say it, it is up to the politcians to convnce me it is. I can be reasoned with. Get a mandate for it at the ballot box, all parties at the election, publish your tax plans... I'll pay the tax but once it is paid from my labour whatever i'm left with is mine.