4 ms·

Also the penalties are much more severe in Europe. In Europe you can get thousands in fines automatically if you’re speeding, meanwhile that’s basically a stand

Also the penalties are much more severe in Europe. In Europe you can get thousands in fines automatically if you’re speeding, meanwhile that’s basically a standard DUI plea deal in the Midwest. People just don’t give a duck about following the rules when driving in the US unless police are around, even then in some places there are rules where police can’t even stop you for minor infractions so it’s chaos in some areas.

StopHammoTime 3y ago
I think this plays a huge part as well. My wife and I were watching an episode of the US cop show “The Rookie” and they casually discussed paying a ticket for driving SEVENTY MILES OVER THE SPEED LIMIT. I went and checked and in LA the cost is about $500. This blew my mind. In Australia, you are very at risk for jail for going over anything above 40km/h which is about 25mph. It’s considered reckless/dangerous driving. Your license would also be suspended for six months. I think we have excessive fines but the US seems to go in the opposite direction.
- nradov 3y ago
  I think you misunderstood. Under the California vehicle code that would usually be charged as reckless driving rather than a simple moving violation. https://www.eastonlawoffices.com/blog/reckless-driving-examples-california/ https://www.eastonlawoffices.com/blog/reckless-driving-examp...
- memling 3y ago
  > I think this plays a huge part as well. My wife and I were watching an episode of the US cop show “The Rookie” and they casually discussed paying a ticket for driving SEVENTY MILES OVER THE SPEED LIMIT. I went and checked and in LA the cost is about $500. This blew my mind. This is mind-blowing, but it would be surprising to find this would happen without additional consequences. A friend of mine was ticketed for 20 MPH over the speed limit (not in California) and had his license suspended. Most states in the US adopt a points-based system that triggers suspension when you acquire sufficient numbers. California is no different.
  - frumper 3y ago
    They can. Highways in California are filled with people averaging 20mph over and it’s rare to see anyone pulled over.
- parineum 3y ago
  That would also be reckless driving in LA.
- toast0 3y ago
  Seventy over in Lousiana or Los Angeles? In California, my understanding is there's three classes of speeding ticket (1-15, 16-25, and 26+), but there's also a separate offense for doing over 100 mph [1] that allows for a license suspension of up to 30 days at court discretion on the first offense, with mandatory suspensions on further offenses. Additionally, I think you commited both the basic speeding and the 100+ speeding. And as a sibling remarked, you're likely to catch a reckless driving charge too. Entertainment media isn't always the best way to get legal information. Also, the cost of a ticket is the fee by law, plus a bunch of court fees and other stuff. IIRC, when I had a speeding ticket near Los Angeles, the fee by law was about 1/3rd the overall cost. I had to deposit the full fees in order to contest the ticket. [1] https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=VEH&sectionNum=22348 https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySectio...
  - orwin 3y ago
    France is closer to Australia. If you're caught driving 30+ km/h (18 mph) over the speed limit, tailgating (reckless passing would be the translation), pass a red light, or caught for DUI (or half a dozen more cases I think), you loose your license temporarily, until you get a medical exam and pass 'in front' of a judge (I think actually you do not have to present yourself or have representation if you agree with the facts). You then lose your license for a week to two year. If it's for 6+ month, you have to pass psychometric tests to get it back (unless you're 90, you will easily pass those). You can still drive licenceless cars.
- lacksconfidence 3y ago
  Having received speeding tickets in california, the fine is only the base charge. The total ticket is usually 3 to 4x the cost of the base fine. All in, 99 in a 75 was ~$500 a decade ago (100 in a 75 is reckless driving, and a whole different level).
pkulak 3y ago
It’s Mad Max out there right now. I don’t think I’ve seen a car driven more than a couple blocks without breaking at least one law since the pandemic. Constant 20 mph over the speed limit, even when the limit is 20. Barely slowing down for stop signs. Ignoring crosswalks unless doing so would kill someone, and in that case, don’t stop, just slow down a bit until the person dives out of the way. Tailgate anyone only driving 15 over. Dive from lane to lane, or even use medians, shoulders and bike lanes to pass. I’m so stressed out any time I’m not in my house. I hate it.
- avidiax 3y ago
  I took a couple of year break from the US; things seems to have gotten much worse. I have decades of driving experience in the US, and even I find it a difficult environment to drive in. People are just extremely unpredictable and are apparently always in a hurry if they aren't instead slyly stroking their Instagram feeds on phones nestled in their cupholders. Maybe it's worse in California, but it seems pretty bad everywhere.
  - seanmcdirmid 3y ago
    It’s worse today, cops everywhere aren’t enforcing traffic laws much anymore, probably due to a general shortage of cops, and drivers are getting feral. Though there are places in the USA that have always been especially bad. I have nightmares about driving in New Orleans, and Florida was always 80-85 once you hit the freeway. California, even LA, is easy mode in comparison.
  - anotheruser13 3y ago
    Driving in Texas is hellish at best.

StopHammoTime 3y ago

I think this plays a huge part as well. My wife and I were watching an episode of the US cop show “The Rookie” and they casually discussed paying a ticket for driving SEVENTY MILES OVER THE SPEED LIMIT. I went and checked and in LA the cost is about $500. This blew my mind. In Australia, you are very at risk for jail for going over anything above 40km/h which is about 25mph. It’s considered reckless/dangerous driving. Your license would also be suspended for six months. I think we have excessive fines but the US seems to go in the opposite direction.

nradov 3y ago
I think you misunderstood. Under the California vehicle code that would usually be charged as reckless driving rather than a simple moving violation. https://www.eastonlawoffices.com/blog/reckless-driving-examples-california/ https://www.eastonlawoffices.com/blog/reckless-driving-examp...
memling 3y ago
> I think this plays a huge part as well. My wife and I were watching an episode of the US cop show “The Rookie” and they casually discussed paying a ticket for driving SEVENTY MILES OVER THE SPEED LIMIT. I went and checked and in LA the cost is about $500. This blew my mind. This is mind-blowing, but it would be surprising to find this would happen without additional consequences. A friend of mine was ticketed for 20 MPH over the speed limit (not in California) and had his license suspended. Most states in the US adopt a points-based system that triggers suspension when you acquire sufficient numbers. California is no different.
- frumper 3y ago
  They can. Highways in California are filled with people averaging 20mph over and it’s rare to see anyone pulled over.
parineum 3y ago
That would also be reckless driving in LA.
toast0 3y ago
Seventy over in Lousiana or Los Angeles? In California, my understanding is there's three classes of speeding ticket (1-15, 16-25, and 26+), but there's also a separate offense for doing over 100 mph [1] that allows for a license suspension of up to 30 days at court discretion on the first offense, with mandatory suspensions on further offenses. Additionally, I think you commited both the basic speeding and the 100+ speeding. And as a sibling remarked, you're likely to catch a reckless driving charge too. Entertainment media isn't always the best way to get legal information. Also, the cost of a ticket is the fee by law, plus a bunch of court fees and other stuff. IIRC, when I had a speeding ticket near Los Angeles, the fee by law was about 1/3rd the overall cost. I had to deposit the full fees in order to contest the ticket. [1] https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=VEH&sectionNum=22348 https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySectio...
- orwin 3y ago
  France is closer to Australia. If you're caught driving 30+ km/h (18 mph) over the speed limit, tailgating (reckless passing would be the translation), pass a red light, or caught for DUI (or half a dozen more cases I think), you loose your license temporarily, until you get a medical exam and pass 'in front' of a judge (I think actually you do not have to present yourself or have representation if you agree with the facts). You then lose your license for a week to two year. If it's for 6+ month, you have to pass psychometric tests to get it back (unless you're 90, you will easily pass those). You can still drive licenceless cars.
lacksconfidence 3y ago
Having received speeding tickets in california, the fine is only the base charge. The total ticket is usually 3 to 4x the cost of the base fine. All in, 99 in a 75 was ~$500 a decade ago (100 in a 75 is reckless driving, and a whole different level).

pkulak 3y ago

It’s Mad Max out there right now. I don’t think I’ve seen a car driven more than a couple blocks without breaking at least one law since the pandemic. Constant 20 mph over the speed limit, even when the limit is 20. Barely slowing down for stop signs. Ignoring crosswalks unless doing so would kill someone, and in that case, don’t stop, just slow down a bit until the person dives out of the way. Tailgate anyone only driving 15 over. Dive from lane to lane, or even use medians, shoulders and bike lanes to pass. I’m so stressed out any time I’m not in my house. I hate it.

avidiax 3y ago
I took a couple of year break from the US; things seems to have gotten much worse. I have decades of driving experience in the US, and even I find it a difficult environment to drive in. People are just extremely unpredictable and are apparently always in a hurry if they aren't instead slyly stroking their Instagram feeds on phones nestled in their cupholders. Maybe it's worse in California, but it seems pretty bad everywhere.
- seanmcdirmid 3y ago
  It’s worse today, cops everywhere aren’t enforcing traffic laws much anymore, probably due to a general shortage of cops, and drivers are getting feral. Though there are places in the USA that have always been especially bad. I have nightmares about driving in New Orleans, and Florida was always 80-85 once you hit the freeway. California, even LA, is easy mode in comparison.
- anotheruser13 3y ago
  Driving in Texas is hellish at best.