Speeding tickets get worse with fuel surcharge
There's no doubt about it, speeding tickets are a drag. Your insurance premiums go up, you may have to go to court or traffic school. And these days even if you don't get nabbed by the local constabulary, it'll cost you more just because of high fuel prices. Now it may cost you even more if you get busted in the Atlanta suburb of Holly Springs. When the police are out there patrolling the streets for over-exuberant scofflaws they are burning gas. The increase in gas prices has already eaten up 60 percent of the city's fuel budget for the year. To help compensate, starting July 1, every speeding ticket will include an extra $12 charge to cover the cost of the officer pulling you over. The extra fee applies to all moving violations including running stop signs and lights. The surcharge can be removed if gas prices drop below $4/gallon. This week, the Atlanta city council passed a similar surcharge that will go into effect after the mayor signs the legislation. It's likely that other cities around the country will be following suit in the coming months.
[Source: AOL Money, thanks to Brad for the tip!]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Karkus 3:26PM (6/19/2008)
Now that's being creative! I guess if the airlines can do it, then why not the police. (Really the should just raise prices).
And they should give them another ticket for "accelerating global warming" too.
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brn 3:30PM (6/19/2008)
That's complete bull. Aren't there federal requirements on how fuel surcharges can be applied and how much they can be? Doesn't that amount have to change on a regular basis (monthly?)? I don't think you can arbitrarily pick $12. I'm asking because I'm not sure.
While we're at it, when do I get to add a fuel surcharge for everything I do?
The real issue might be that high gas prices are causing people to drive slower, resulting in fewer speeding tickets. :)
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David Cabral 4:49PM (6/19/2008)
I have never liked the philosophy of speed traps. Rather, I'd like to see police driving on the highway driving the speed limit. This in turn causes everyone behind the police cruiser to drive the speed limit. That way, you get everybody driving the speed limit. If we have enough police cruisers to do this, it would drop fuel usage. Anyone who accelerates in front of the cop gets pulled over.
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BlackbirdHighway 4:28PM (6/19/2008)
I hope this doesn't spread to other parts of the country. I've already stopped doing business at a couple places that tacked on fuel surcharges.
If burning fuel is not optional, but a required part of performing the service, such as flying an airplane, then it should not be a surcharge. It is part of the cost of doing business, so simply raise the price of the service appropriately.
At least those speed cameras they are starting to install around here shouldn't come with a fuel surcharge.
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Tim 5:01PM (6/19/2008)
Perhaps they should goose-step as they walk from their car to yours.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goose_step
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Wave54 5:14PM (6/19/2008)
* Aren't there federal requirements on how fuel surcharges can be applied and how much they can be? Doesn't that amount have to change on a regular basis (monthly?)? I don't think you can arbitrarily pick $12. I'm asking because I'm not sure. *
Maybe the federal government can regulate fuel surcharges within its own agencies and the subcontractors it employs, but not society at large. Nor should they!
In a free market (somewhat) economy, what a company or agency can tack on in surcharges is typically limited by its competition, not laws and regulations. Charge too little and you don't survive -- charge too much and your customers find better options.
Some companies, such as retail, are increasing prices. Others, such as shipping, use a baseline pricing structure and add on fuel surcharges when cost per gallon exceeds a certain level. Either way, we're paying more across the board for goods and services.
The police department featured in this article could have just increased the ticket amount to account for higher costs.
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Chris 5:52PM (6/19/2008)
Maybe in GA the actual fines are set at the state level but the local governments are allowed to add "surcharges"? Either way, I'm all for this as it puts the burden of higher gas prices on those that are pulled over and not across the local population as higher taxes. A self inflicted tax, if you will.
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stevefazek 6:46PM (6/19/2008)
Just Slash the tires of the next cop car you see parked with no cop in it. Cost the town more money then they will make.
Speeding tickets are just a scam.
Maybe they should stop driving a car that gets 15MPG in their dreams, I have yet to see a cop ever accelerate from a red light at anything less then WOT,
From the amount of idling they do and flooring they achieve around 4-5 mpg.
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Michael 5:49AM (6/20/2008)
So horribly stupid.
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Chris 8:17AM (6/20/2008)
"Speeding tickets are just a scam."
Stevefazek: How else do you propose to keep drivers from grossly exceeding the speed limit and endangering other drivers?
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Steve 9:38AM (6/20/2008)
"How else do you propose to keep drivers from grossly exceeding the speed limit and endangering other drivers?"
If someone grossly exceeds the speed limit to the extent of genuinely and demonstrably endangering the lives of others, their car should be impounded and their license revoked for 30 days, no exceptions. It would teach the driver a lesson /and/ promote public transit options.
But if you're not endangering the lives of others, or merely going 42 on a road built for 50 but marked as 35, a speeding ticket really is nothing more than a fund-raising scam.
- the Other Steve
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David McKean 3:43PM (6/20/2008)
just think about us in the UK we are paying almost $10 a gallon for diesel and this was once upon a time classed as a waste product. Not a bad turn around in profits hey.
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stevefazek 6:43PM (6/20/2008)
Easy I never said take away reckless driving charges. Just about any state says if you are going more then 25 over the speed limit the will slap you with reckless driving.
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Drae 11:06PM (6/21/2008)
It's true, speeding dramatically reduces your fuel economy, so it does many sense to add an extra charge.
On a side note, there are a whole lot of things that can be done to improve fuel economy. Here is a link that has helped people to cut the costs.
http://www.raysebookshop.com/catalog/make-that-pump-frown-p-87.html
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