# Are absolute dollar amounts on fines realistic?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-absolute-dollar-amounts-on-fines-realistic/229097>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [February 13, 2004, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-absolute-dollar-amounts-on-fines-realistic/229097 "2004-02-13T20:47:23Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 2

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![erislover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/71e660/32.png) [@erislover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erislover)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2004, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-absolute-dollar-amounts-on-fines-realistic/229097/21 "2004-02-15T19:18:03Z")

</div>

> [@Xema](#):
>
> The OP’s thesis would seem to imply that the rich must do substantially more speeding, jaywalking and other minor lawbreaking, since the fines for these offenses are too small to deter.

Actually, I don’t really care one way or the other. If the purpose of the fines is to deter, then they should deter roughly equally. Whether it is a matter of fact that some people speed more than others is a matter for insurance agencies and links between speeding and financial obligations.

[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-absolute-dollar-amounts-on-fines-realistic/229097.md?page=1)