[RahulNagaraj]

According to a media report, a German court has ruled that a person driving an SUV should pay more fine than usual for running a red light.



Reports suggest that a Frankfurt court ordered an SUV driver to pay 350 euros, almost twice the regular fine of 194 euros charged for running a red light. The court imposed a one-month driving ban as well.

The reason for the higher fine is said to be attributed to the shape of the SUV. As per reports, the boxy build of the SUV meant the driving infractions would pose a bigger risk to pedestrians than if the defendant had driven a smaller car.

The verdict could set a precedent for similar cases in the future, where SUV drivers could end up paying higher fines for traffic violations.

Source: Autoblog

Link to Team-BHP news

[shankar.balan]

Isn’t this a totally discriminatory ruling?

Imagine if our Indian powers that be get this particular species of bee in their bonnets as well. Life would be intolerable and completely unfairr. I mean in a country like India one buys an SUV because one needs the high ground clearance and general toughness in order to survive the road surfaces that we have to live with, despite paying our taxes, on account of absolute apathy from the civil authorities, politicians and Government agencies. And then if we were to be penalised like this, that would be the unkindest cut of all.

Originally Posted by RahulNagaraj

According to a media report, a German court has ruled that a person driving an SUV should pay more fine than usual for running a red light.

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[dragracer567]

Nonsensical if you ask me. A Porsche Macan has a less boxy shape as compared to say a Rolls Royce Phantom. However, the Macan owner will pay a bigger fine under this ruling. Also, does this include crossovers? Most crossovers don't have a boxy shape.

Reminds me of the diesel engine ban for vehicles with an engine capacity larger than 2.0 litres in Delhi NCR.

[am1m]

I assumed Germany would have an income-based traffic fine system, but guess that's only in Finland and Iceland. (A friend who worked in the US at the time got fined for speeding while on vacation in Iceland. The cops there had access to his tax records in the US and calculated the fine based on that!)

I think an income-related fine is ok- the offender should feel the pinch. But this based on car size seems arbit.

(Of course neither will work here- how many of us file taxes, how will the cops here access IT records when they can't even access past offenses, our corrupt cops will go on overdrive fining bigger vehicles, who will fine the political thugs who use SUVs, etc etc!)

[Porcupine]

That sounds pretty random as 'SUVs' these days come in all shapes and sizes. If they were to do it at all, there would probably have to be some minimum dimension criteria based on how it's worded? There are SUV's which are smaller and lighter than large luxury sedans.

[GForceEnjoyer]

Questionable, wonder if there's any other reason for this? If they really, REALLY have to implement such a system, at least base it on the mass of the vehicle, not on whether or not it's an SUV! The term SUV isn't exactly very specific either, encompassing both the Toyota Land Cruiser as well as the Toyota C-HR.

[GaryTSI]

I feel their intent is good but their execution is pathetic. Understandably, SUVs are generally bigger and heavier than Sedans and Hatchbacks but the term 'SUV' itself is so vast that it would be unfair to fine a Cullinan driver and a T-Roc driver in the same category.

Ideally, they should fine the car on the basis of weight and length, and most importantly, the age of the car irrespective of body shape. Modern cars are becoming heavier, especially EVs but a Modern aerodynamic EV is still miles safer than an 80s/90s car with the same weight thanks to advancements in pedestrian safety norms and less intrusive body panels.

Older cars came with chrome bumpers and hood ornaments and even the cheaper ones had almost non-existent crumple zones and non-laminated glass whereas modern cars have soft plastic bumpers, airbags in the bumpers for the pedestrians, and far better crumple zones to absorb the impact and not squish anything in its way.

[bordeaux]

I am very happy to see such decisions coming from Europe/Americas. It restores my faith in humanity and the fact the idiots are equally and evenly populate the globe. This makes our ten year diesel ban look rather intelligent.

[NagaBond]

This won't happen in India. All law makers go only in big/very big cars.

[V.Narayan]

Not sure what the hulla-bullu in most of the posts above is all about. Don't jump red lights. simple!!!

PS: If you don't like the punishment meted out to bank robbers, don't rob banks, it follows...

[DicKy]

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

Not sure what the hulla-bullu in most of the posts above is all about. Don't jump red lights. simple!!!

PS: If you don't like the punishment meted out to bank robbers, don't rob banks, it follows...

With all due respect, sir. This sets a precedence. No one is defending running the light, it is the discrimination.

It is almost like, you rob a bank and get 10 years because you have blue skin. Your partner in crime got 5 years because he has red skin.

[thanixravindran]

All the hatchbacks, raised hatchbacks, crossovers masquerading as SUVs with Micro, Mini, Compact, Sub compact SUV moniker will drop their assumed identity immediately, if this is implemented in India

Please bring this here at least for this reason!!!

[DicKy]

Originally Posted by thanixravindran

All the hatchbacks, raised hatchbacks, crossovers masquerading as SUVs with Micro, Mini, Compact, Sub compact SUV moniker will drop their assumed identity immediately, if this is implemented in India

Please bring this here at least for this reason!!!

Citroen had foreseen the future and had resisted calling the C3 so.

[VVN]

Originally Posted by thanixravindran

All the hatchbacks, raised hatchbacks, crossovers masquerading as SUVs with Micro, Mini, Compact, Sub compact SUV moniker will drop their assumed identity immediately, if this is implemented in India

Please bring this here at least for this reason!!!

hahahaha. I was about to say this. Even if implemented in India, people need not worry. They are simply driving a high GC hatchback and not an SUV. On the positive side, Maruti will finally stop calling the Ignis an SUV.

On a serious note, even if I was a proper SUV owner, I wouldn't pay too much attention to this. Don't jump red lights. As simple as that. This rule does not encourage sedan and low GC hatch owners to jump the red light btw.

[shankar.balan]

In Bangalore, there have been several occasions in the last so many years when I have been caught in the middle of no man’s land when the red light came on, because of the unruliness and lack of lane discipline exhibited by my fellow road users. So I refuse to accept being penalised in circumstances of this kind. Now I have a dash-cam in my vehicles. And hopefully if this kind of thing ever happens again, I can prove my innocence using the dash-cam footage.
But even so, I feel it is definitely a highly discriminatory practice to penalise one type of vehicle over another, for the same type and class of offence.

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

Not sure what the hulla-bullu in..