Expensive ticket

Rick Parker · #1 (**permalink**) 08-16-2007, 10:34 PM

8/15/2007
Canada Introduces $10,000 Speeding Ticket
Ontario, Canada applies street racing penalties to motorists who are not racing anybody.

Ontario, Canada Premier Dalton McGuinty today announced that being caught driving 50km/h (31 MPH) over the speed limit will automatically trigger "street racing" penalties -- even if the accused motorist is driving alone on an otherwise empty road. The change in definition will, in effect, turn ordinary speeding into an offense that can carry a $10,000 (US $9305) fine and up to six months in jail, making it one of the most expensive traffic tickets in North America.

"If you choose to break the law, we consider you a threat to our public safety and you're going to face stiff penalties," McGuinty said in a statement.

In June, McGuinty cited the importance of combating the "organized crime" of street racing as he urged passage of the Safer Roads for a Safer Ontario Act which created the $10,000 penalty. The change in definition also means that the word of a police officer is all that it takes to confiscate a car and driver's license for at least seven days.

"There is no appeal from, or right to be heard before, a vehicle detention, driver's license suspension or vehicle impoundment under [the street racing] subsection," the Safer Roads Act states.

McGuinty also announced a proposal to hire 55 new traffic police officers and purchase a high-tech surveillance airplane in an attempt to rack up several of the expensive new fines.

427sharpe · #2 (**permalink**) 08-16-2007, 10:39 PM

WOW! No right to contest the word of one officer?!?! WTF?
I don't disagree with the fine for STREET RACING, but surely SOME sort of leeway should be given for somebody driving 81 in a 50 out in the middle of BFE? Guess the cop will make the call on whether you were doing 80 or 81 and that 1 mph is going to be hotly contested!

GlynMeek · #3 (**permalink**) 08-16-2007, 10:41 PM

To all our Canadian friends...

WELCOME TO COMMUNIST RUSSIA

Time for an 'impeachment' proceeding methinks!!!!

RedBarchetta · #4 (**permalink**) 08-17-2007, 12:35 AM

Canada, please give us your beer and lumber before your government seizes that, too.

fsstnotch · #5 (**permalink**) 08-17-2007, 12:41 AM

Sounds like more reason to try to elude! haha

that's insane! Especially with no right to contest!!

Ron61 · #6 (**permalink**) 08-17-2007, 05:19 AM

I know that Canada has a big street racing problem but that is not going to solve it. No more than the chirping of a tire being written up as a speed exhibition here has stopped the ones who do the racing. Does that mean if you are just going 30 MPH over the limit there is no ticket?
Also no police officer should be given that kind of power, though most won't abuse it, you can bet that some will. And with no appeal, that is ridiculous. And they have helicopters and fixed wing planes here and they have not stopped the illegal racing. Fortunately we don't have much of it up here but the planes do generate a lot of fines for doing 75 in a 70 zone.

Ron

Badsnake427 · #7 (**permalink**) 08-17-2007, 06:59 AM

The reason for this harsh law is that a trucker lost his life on one of our 400 series hwys. this summer because of a couple of young yahoos racing with their "little" tuner cars. The word "little" not only descibes their cars, but their brains and certain parts of their anatomy!

I talked with a cop friend of mine and he told me that in extreme cases if a car involved in street racing, causes bodily injury or death, the police can go to the house and have the car crushed right there on site! They have a contract with one of the wrecking companies here, that has a mobile crushing machine. I agree with the punishment, but I question whether the police alone can make this determination.

The street racing situation here, is insane! You are taking your life in your own hands when you venture out onto the streets here!

Wayne Maybury · #8 (**permalink**) 08-17-2007, 08:22 AM

Luckily, this is a provincial law that applies only to the Province of Ontario. In Quebec, everyone drives well over the posted limit, including the cops.

I travel to Ontario on business 20 or 25 times per year and I have seen some of the "tuners" (I prefer to call them ricers

) racing in the outskirts of Toronto. Unlike muscle cars that will tend to drag from a traffic light, these guys were cutting in & out of slow moving traffic and really taking chances. They were just plain crazy.

Wayne

GlynMeek · #9 (**permalink**) 08-17-2007, 03:34 PM

Badsnake...I completely understand your explanation, but this kind of blanket legislation seem like a sledgehammer to crack a nut! Going over the speed limit ALONE is NO indication whatsoever of 'racing'! Couldn't they find a better way of targetting the offenders?

Glyn

ERA Chas · #10 (**permalink**) 08-17-2007, 04:55 PM

Regretable situation with bungholes conducting D-1 events on the highway.
However I hope no Kalifornia Legislators read this post.

Cobrabill · #11 (**permalink**) 08-17-2007, 05:05 PM

Canada single handedly reviving Communism

mpanten · #12 (**permalink**) 08-20-2007, 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ERA Chas

Regretable situation with bungholes conducting D-1 events on the highway.
However I hope no Kalifornia Legislators read this post.

Apparently the VA legislators have.

Excaliber · #13 (**permalink**) 08-20-2007, 11:12 AM

Hawaii recently passed a new speeding law with some serious teeth as well. Again, aimed at the street racing and drifting crowd but catches everyone.

25 mph over posted speed or over 80 mph at anytime is a major ticket! You WILL need a lawyer as your facing jail time and a minimum $500 fine. As I recall about 40% of the cases so far have been people 25 mph over and the rest were 80 mph plus. The new law was passed shortly after the ONLY race track on Oahu was closed.

Wayne Maybury · #14 (**permalink**) 08-20-2007, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mpanten

Apparently the VA legislators have.

I think that Ontario is following VA's lead.

Wayne

Badsnake427 · #15 (**permalink**) 08-20-2007, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GlynMeek

Badsnake...I completely understand your explanation, but this kind of blanket legislation seem like a sledgehammer to crack a nut! Going over the speed limit ALONE is NO indication whatsoever of 'racing'! Couldn't they find a better way of targetting the offenders?

Glyn

I agree with you. The street racing here on the city streets and the main highways is totally out of control. I really don't know what the answer is. This law has not been passed yet. I am assuming that it was proposed so that a watered down version will be passed. It is totally rediculous to think that a police officer can make the determination on his own accord, whether a car is street racing and have that same car confiscated and crushed. What if there was some police officer that saw your car and thought that it wasn't right for you to have such a nice car. This kind of scenario is possible.

mpanten · #16 (**permalink**) 08-20-2007, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wayne Maybury

I think that Ontario is following VA'a lead.

Wayne

I think they are in a contest to see who can turn into Russia the fastest.

tcrist · #17 (**permalink**) 08-20-2007, 05:04 PM

I don't drive like that, but I don't care what the reason is "no one" is going to crush my car except me. They try to come and take my car and crush it they are going to have a lot more problems then trying to take my car. I'll take a few of them with me.

Terry