Admin costs for speeding tickets.


I have been in CH 15 years, and a follower/reader of EF almost as long.
Speeding ticket discussions always make me smile, "been there, done that, plus regularly read stories from others, and learned". Well at least I thought I had learned. NO.


I was "done for speeding" in July. whilst my wife@home was phoned by the "local Police" whilst I was out (speeding). Her reaction was I had been in an accident, but was relieved to be told by the Police, her car was seen/recorded speeding. The first I knew about it, was when I got home. My wife loved at the time teasing me - "what have you been doing?"! Well, I didn't know! Seemingly, I was recorded 17kph (10.5 mph) over the 50 limit. This was before 8am., in area that I would pass perhaps once a month, in an "innocuous" area, barrier/railway embankment on one side, down hill, and "could have been 50, could have been 60 Limit" et.c etc.. First time over the more usual 1-5, 6-10 kph tickets. There is no fixed Radar in this area. I was NOT aware of any temporary Radar (no flash, etc.). I assumed an alternative device (hand gun, hidden Police car, ...)


I phoned the "local/village" Police Station, and said "okay if you say so" (in my best German, which is poor - but that's another Story - I accept the word of the police, and was a mistake on my part.


I received a 330 CHF fine, which I knew/expected, thanks to other EF threads.
Disappointingly, it came with a additional 330 CHF administration charges. Expensive 5 Minute telephone conversation I thought with the Police Station!


In September I received a letter from the Strassenverkehrsamz Zürich, saying (my interpretation) I was liable for 250 CHF court case fees (to process the fine, and records). Wasn't happy (!!!!), but didn't hear anything more. I have lived in hope that my translation was wrong, until today. The 250 CHF "warning fee" arrived, December, almost 6 months after my offence.


910 CHF total fine in total, although the "base tabelled/fixed fine" was only 330 CHF.


Although I personally think the "admin charges" are totally over-the-top, unreasonable, especially when one immediatly puts up one's hand up and says "must be", & I don't challenge the word of the law. I do however challenge "administration charges".

BE WARNED..... or perhaps, what I want to say, LEARN from others, better than I did - speeding in Switzerland has expensive consequences - even when fined for 10.6 mph (17 kph) over the limit.


(The only) funny thing now, is I relate a lot of things to the fine (17kph).
I could have flown to the UK 4 times, return, for the value of this fine.
(My understanding) My fine is (almost) 10 times more than the UK equivalent (£75).
My fine is the same as "an expensive pair of skis"!
My fine is 10 times more than what I will spend at Xmas on presents. :-)

I got one in August for 16 over in a 50, 460 fine, 100 costs.

Tom

Speeding in a 50 kph area is always going to be expensive enough to make your eyes water. Speeding on a motorway, assuming you're not going like the clappers, is less of a fine.

Just be grateful it wasn't in a 30 zone.

I agree with the severity of massive fines in residential / built up areas. Makes no difference if it's rush hour or the early hours of a Sunday morning. The consequences of speeding where there are lots of warm soft things to hit are just too huge.

http://www.englishforum.ch/transport...new-fines.html

Isn't it just a 400CHF fine for 17 over?

Interesting.

So I wonder who defines/decides the "admin charges"?
Mine included both "local Police admin" and "Strassenverkerhsamt Zurich admmin". Is it Cantonal dependent?

@Porsche
The fine is tabled as 330 CHF "tabled fined not incl
uding court fees"

Be aware of the temporary infrared, concealed, black tripod speeding camera that are being set up in places you do see until it is too late.

"Be aware of the temporary infrared, concealed, black tripod speeding camera that are being set up in places you do see until it is too late"

Right.
"Be aware of the temporary infrared, concealed, black tripod speeding camera that are being set up in places "




MMmmm
"you do see until it is too late"
In my case, I never "saw it", or was aware of it.

I have driven a lot more ... "to the moon and back", twice, or "around the earth's circumference" 20 times - the point being, I am experienced, but obviously (rightly) still learning.

(Generally) I totally agree.


However this leads me to a principle....
I am happy I am "monitored every second of my driving day", put a recording device in my car, but "when I make a mistake, please take mitigating circumstances into account".


One needs a little luck when driving (in one's lifetime) - some things are out of your control - and mistakes do happen! Fine me, okay, but not (almost) triple the fine with "admin charges".

It seems that almost everything is more expensive in Zurich than anywhere else in Switzerland...

Has the police presented any kind of proof or evidence that you were speeding? Or did you pay 900 chuffs based on a police officers word?

I took the Police officer's word on the phone (expecting a 300+ CHF fine). Remember, my fine today, is still only 330 CHF (not "900 chuffs" in total).


My first letter received from the Police said they had evidence, and I had a time (30 days?) to review/challenge. I didn't do anything; I knew I was in the area at the (exact) time. I accept I was doing this speed (although not aware at the time). Plus, I have been brought up to respect the law (as a principle).

Nooo........ I don't think so..... my reference is
http://www.acs.ch/ch-de/sektionen/zu...senkatalog.pdf
and this shows the 330CHF fine which I received, but not the 580 CHF admin)

I don't think you spend enough on Christmas presents...

When OH lost his license 2 years ago for being flashed at 79kph instead of 50, he had to pay the fine + the admin fee + the fee from the service des automobiles for taking off his license and giving it back.

The admin fees were higher than the fine itself, which was based on his salary.

Agree.


So for Xmas 2013
...my wife will receive 20% of the value of my last fine, but then she teased me at the time, but then I shouldn't bear grudges...
...my Mother 19% (my wife insists she is now #1)
...my loved dog 18% (she's not happy with this, being "#3" but she'll accept)
...
...the local charities (e.g. Police) - I think I have already donated.

My husband got pulled out of a sales meeting by the police and escorted to a Teller machine to pay a speeding ticket that I got in a rental car before we moved here. We expected the rental car company to forward the ticket, but we never got notice of it. He never would tell me how much he had to pay them (I was doing 59 in a 50 zone). When he returned to the meeting, even his Swiss colleagues were dumbfounded. Apparently they tracked him down after he had registered at the hotel where the meeting was taking place.

Switzerland is a "fine" country

Hmm. Normally I mention that there will also be court fees and administration cost. Missed that information in the other thread.

O.k. here is the deal, very detailed. .

If a traffic infraction can not resolved with a simple fine, or you contest/do not pay the simple fine, the case will go to the judge.

The court fee depends on the Canton, and court.
For ex. in Canton of Zurich the fee is defined in the Verordnung über die Gebühren, Auslagen und Entschädigungen der Strafverfolgungsbehörden (GebV StrV)
And the possible range is CHF 80 up to 2000.

"Fortunately", there is guideline which which fee will be charged based on the fine:
Richtlinien Gebührenansätze der Übertretungsstrafbehörden

The document also says if a case is especially simple or complicated the fee shall be lowered or raised respectively. If you are unhappy with your court fee you can challenge them. But further charges may occur if you lose.


Administration charges:
Anything that cannot be handled with a simple fine may lead to at least a warning or if more serious to a license suspension. The decision if a warning/license suspension is issued is not made by the judge. This decision is made by the authority at the Strassenverkehrsamt / Service Auto of your residence Canton based on the judges ruling and the specific circumstances of the case.

The fees for Canton of Zurich Strassenverkehrsamt can be seen on its website.


As nearly always in Switzerland: Depending on your Canton your millage may vary.

__________________
On Strike - ChatGPT knows more than I, so use it (or doesn't it?)

[QUOTE=aSwissInTheUS;2038192]Hmm.
If a traffic infraction can not resolved with a simple fine, ..., the case will go to the judge.
...
The court fee ...

Administration charges:



Anything that cannot be handled with a simple fine may lead to at least a warning ...
Zurich Strassenverkehrsamt QUOTE]



I did not contest the fine, accepted in principle my error as soon as I was informed. The process says, as I was just over the "fixed categories" (1-5, 6-10, 11-15), "it could not be resolved with a simple fine", so Swiss processes sent the case to a judge. There "the (imaginary)court fee" was 330 CHF. Interestingly this was charged with the 330 CHF fine initially by the Police Station (outside of Zurich Canton), for 660 CHF. Then for my "Verwernungen", Zurich Strassenverkehrsamt added 250 CHF admin charges, as shown in the URL.


So we have confirmed my initial post everything is "within the (normal) Swiss process(es)" - with 580 CHF total "admin charges" on a 330 CHF uncontested speeding ticket. Sigh. Be Warned!


Thanks for all the replies..... I am now off Xmas Shopping!

LOL. I was thinking the same thing & the fact that he's been in CH for 15 yrs and his German is poor. But didn't dare post it. LOL.



OP, thanks for the warning. I speed all the time (not on purpose, I swear!). But only get 1-5km over fines with the "discount". I'll try to slow down. Now, get thee, as quick as you can without speeding, to German classes!

I know it's quite old this topic but I recently got a fine for 280 CHF plus "Gebühren", another 330 CHF. It was on the Autobahn driving at 106 on a section of 80 (I hadn't seen the 80 sign).

Anyway, I received the first letter asking to identify the driver. I'd sent it back and then I received the fine of 610 CHF total (280 + 330). I googled this information here because I didn´t expect to pay 330 of administration fees but at the end I just accepted my fate ....till yesterday. Just month later I received a letter from the "Departement Volkswirtschaft und inneres" of Aarau. It's a warning and they come with a 220 CHF "Verfahrenkosten betragen"

I've got 14 days to disagree or, if I don't do anything on 30 days, I automatically agree and then I'll received the bill to pay.

So in total 830 CHF. However, right now I'm expecting more fees on top of that: 120 CHF for the administration fee of the previous administration fee. A rightful one of 150 CHF just to be agreed with them. Another one for cross-chain information between cantons around 90 CHF. Another 30 CHF fair "green fee" for all the letters and wasted paper. An important one for the printing process, around 20 CHF. Lastly, a 50 CHF for sending it home.

I just need to be careful to be here when the post man arrives, otherwise I might be charge 30 CHF for the "Abholungseinladung".

Finally, after 5 years when they have to remove the warning and my name from the record, I'll received another one.