Legal Aid Justice Center: millions lose driver's licenses because they can't pay fines

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millions lose driver's licenses because they can't pay fines

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I'm okay with that. Take uber until you pay your shite.

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millions lose driver's licenses because they can't pay fines

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Good, if I didn't pay my fines I would expect nothing less. The US has entered a state of complete unaccountably for personal actions, it's always someone else's fault.

Less people on the road would be amazing

Ok, but the fines are a just a tax dressed up as a deterrent, and would you deliberately tax people who couldn't afford it if say, 1 in 50 were going to end up struggling to eat or get to work because of the tax?

I got a speeding ticket, ended up being $200 plus the cost of the defensive driving course. I was like 7 over in the middle of nowhere, driving downhill in a car I wasn't used to. And I don't like people speeding, but it's not like I was blowing through downtown or around kids playing outside.

Luckily I could pay. But imagine that $200 means I can't make a car payment, my car gets repo'd so I have to pay extra to get that back, then my boss fires me anyway because I ended up being late because I was dealing with the fallout of my speeding ticket, now I can't pay the fine. So because I sped up I lost my job, and am now no longer productive. And the fine does what exactly? Teach me to ride my brakes on that hill in future? Sure, could've done that with a sign or something. Is it worth potentially taking me out of the socio-economic jigsaw puzzle for x amount of time just because I did that? Or should we step in and say, ok, the punishment is going to start a chain of cause and effect that results in a significantly more troubling outcome than anyone wanted to see for someone who got caught driving over the limit in the middle of nowhere? If we're cool with that we might as well just throw people in debtors prison and force them to work off their debt at $2 a day.

I can't pay my fine and buy a $200 pair of sneakers or an iphone. I just won't pay my fine.

Then take the bus or other public transportation. Problem solved

Geez, where were these people when I was 17 years old being forced to work at Chuck E. Cheese's (dressed as Chuck E.)for 3.15 an hour to pay for 5 speeding tickets?

I'm trying to recall how I got out of this. Oh yeah, I lost my license for 1 year because I couldn't pay the fine because evidently the State of Alabama doesn't take "white privilege" as payment.

It's been awhile, but it's all coming back to me. How did I ever break the shackles of injustice that was bestowed upon me? Oh that's right, I started taking responsibility for my actions.

I mean that would suck for sure.

What's the alternative though? I'm all for lower costs for everyone but obviously someone determined that price.

Are there no payment plans?

Are people advocating for tiered, income based fines?
Why should someone pay more for the exact same action just because they have more money?

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It's simple, really: don't commit the infraction and you won't incur fines. Pay your fines and you won't incur additional court costs. But let's not consider personal responsibility because it's rich people's fault.

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It's cute you think people get tickets because they break the law.

The fundraising portion of speeding tickets play no part of any traffic stop.

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There might not be a more cost effective anti-poverty measure than increaed access to reliable transportation.

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Unfortunately, due to our vast, sprawling nature coupled with low population density, I'm not sure there is an effective solution. We surely can't expect rural bussing services for already cash-strapped counties and municipalities.