Driving slightly too fast in Finland

[FinnDave]

Just ridden to work, first day on the bike for a while due to having to wait for a new regulator, sun was shining so took the long way round, suddenly realized that the one bike that didn't wave was poliisi...

After a friendly chat and examination of driving licence and ownership docs (which have to be carried when using any vehicle) I rode on with a bill for 680 euros. Ouch.

That was for doing 117 kmh (on his radar) in an 80 limit (though I had always thought it was 100 on that stretch).

That's a large chunk of my England drinking money gone before I leave the country

[andy real ale]

680 Euros


I should watch out the bike will go even faster having lightened your wallet that much!

[Limey_Dave]

73 in a 50 = £550 ? Nasty.

[FinnDave]

Originally Posted by Limey_Dave

73 in a 50 = £550 ? Nasty.

Yup, but at least they didn't take my licence away. I genuinely thought it was a 100 (60) limit, so mentally was only 17 over the top, a much smaller fine. Not so long ago I used to go through the 80 limits at 240 on my Fireblade, can't imagine what that would have cost!

[FinnDave]

Originally Posted by andy real ale

I should watch out the bike will go even faster having lightened your wallet that much!

But opening the wallet that far seems to have strained my throttle hand, had real trouble getting above the speed limits on the way home

[Mantis]

Originally Posted by Limey_Dave

73 in a 50 = £550 ? Nasty.

Much more effective than points I think.

[FinnDave]

The fine depends on your income, I was fined 20 units at 32 euros each. The lowest it could have been would have been 120 euros, 20 units at 6 euros, the minimum charge. He told me he had written one out for 3000 euros in the past. All sorted out from a little hand held unit that can see your income from the tax office files. Quite a friendly conversation, just doing his job. His radar picked another bike that came past us at over 130 while he was sorting out my fine, but he had to ignore it.

[kiwidave]

Sorry to hear, that's a huge fine. But what an "interesting" system of basing the fine on ability to pay. Never heard of that. Is that unique to Finland?

[FinnDave]

I believe it is a Finnish speciality, it made the news all over the world a few years back when the CEO of Nokia was done and had a speeding fine of 10s of 1000s to pay. I feel a bit aggrieved that if I was unemployed and living on social security money I would have been fined only 120 euros. Your situation is also taken into consideration as he asked if I had any children under 18, as that would have reduced the fine, so it's my kids' fault for being born too soon!

The system is fairly complex, there is a point at which the fixed fine for speeding (I had to pay about 80 euros a couple of years ago for 72 kmh through a 60 speed camera) becomes the higher level income-related fine. I am sure there is an explanation on-line somewhere, but I really don't to look right now! I'll just sign into the bank, pay up, and get back on the road when the rain stops. It was a favourite stretch of mine, too, long sweeping bends, open countryside, I am often passed by bikes going much faster than me. My luck ran out yesterday, that's how I see it.

[peps]

Is it simply the fine then its forgotten Dave or do previous convictions count and does it affect your insurance premium similar to here ?

... sorry for the barrage of questions Dave