I find an unpleasant surprise in my mailbox: an official envelope with a paper ominously titled with the Latin words 'Pro justicia' and a poisonous orange money transfer form. The text is in Dutch, but I have to decipher it: for now in Europe, fines notifications come in the language of the country where the traffic violation was recorded.
"We (corporal such-and-such and junior inspector such-and-such), checking the radar data (number such-and-such), have determined that you or someone driving the car registered in your name on March 2 at the fifth kilometer of the Rotterdam ring road committed a violation (code such-and-such): driving into the lane reserved for buses and trucks; photo is on file." On an orange background, the amount – '?50' and bank details are indicated.
Yes, on that day while traveling from Brussels to The Hague around the specified time, I was driving on the Rotterdam ring road (later I noticed that indeed above the right lane there is a blue square with a white bus silhouette). Denying it is useless. I fill in my bank details online and with a sigh press Enter.
Despite all national differences, the amounts of fines and the procedures for collecting them in EU countries are roughly similar and built on a three-step principle: police – prosecutor – court. In Belgium, they first ask you to fill out a form and explain: were you driving or not, were you on personal business or for work, if for work, from which company; do you admit or deny guilt, if not, why, if yes, are there mitigating circumstances. Sometimes the case is closed after explanations. But more often, the next paper arrives – with the amount indicated. Formally, this is not even a fine, but a 'ransom'. If you like, an official bribe to the police so that they do not transfer the case to the prosecutor. When the prosecutor sends his paper, you will have to pay a bit more so that he does not transfer the case to court. If you don't pay him either, it goes to court. And the court is the final authority.
Until recently, when fine rates were lower, 95% of cases were settled at the first stage – with the police. Admit it, this resembles our unofficial system with the only difference: the money does not go into the pocket of the traffic officer, but is transferred through the bank to the police as a whole. Note that violations are recorded by the impartial eye of the radar, and a specific police unit physically cannot get a single cent from a careless driver. Unlike the police as such.
However, in Belgium since last year, the fine for not wearing a seatbelt, as well as for driving into the public transport lane, has reached €50, for using a mobile phone while driving and parking in a disabled spot – €100, for running a red light – €150. Speeding has a special scale. For example, 140 km/h on a highway (where 120 is allowed) – €110. More than that – court. Associations for the protection of motorists' rights advise on how to avoid a high fine or loss of license. After all, electronics sometimes make mistakes, and if you find an error in at least one digit, the report can be safely challenged.
In Brussels, a police court for speeding can formally impose a fine from €55 to €2.700, license suspension for up to 5 years, and imprisonment for up to 3 years (if the offense does not constitute a criminal crime). But in practice, the ceiling is €400–500. An unemployed person or a student in a used Peugeot has a better chance of a conditional fine than a speeding businessman in a Porsche. By the way, recently a 'cosmic' fine was issued to the son of the Belgian king, Prince Laurent, for his love of speeding through the city at night.