Probably about 6 weeks ago I did a U-turn (crossed the white line) right outside the Sihlcity parkade (just before you enter under the building, right at the exit booms, i.e. 'small' road, low speed, no other cars except the police ) entrance and was stopped by the Zurich Police. They checked car and all my docs and informed me that the fine is not a fixed (pre-determined) amount. He would write a report, it will go to a judge who determines the amount and then I get it in the post. If I then did not agree with it, I could write a letter/appeal.
Since the anticipation is killing me - can anyone help with these questions:
1)How long does it normally take for these type of fines (determined by a judge) to arrive in your mail box? I expected it much faster than 6 weeks.
2)Any idea on the amount I can expect taking the detail above into account? (I searched and read some other threads but did not find the same type of offense though).
Please note that if you are tempted to inform me that I deserved it, I should pay and be happy, I should rather take the train, I was endangering little kids, I am destroying the environment by using a car, I deserve to loose my permit and be tortured or something similar you will not be consider for a 'Thanks'.
I will obviously update here when (if?) I get the fine at last.
You deserve getting some sarcasm back because you specifically asked us not to...
Six weeks sounds like a little too long for a response. Are you sure they said that you will be getting a summons? My experience would be that you would get an on the spot fine for a minor traffic violation (which is what it is), period.
Most speeding offense fines land in your mailbox here in around 10-14 days after the horrendous crime has been committed, so six weeks seems excessively long.
Have you considered kayaking to work in the future?
It seemed the type of offense (I obviously agree with you that it is minor) had no fixed amount as fine that they could issue on the spot, a judge has to consider his report (I suppose the circumstances) and determine what it was worth.
I thought perhaps the speeding fines that arrive sooner are purely based on predefined brackets and therefore since no person needs to determine the amount it could be why it is quicker, but I am cautiously hoping it got lost or was thrown out.
Thanks - I could consider taking a kayak along the Sihl to work, just need to find affordable parking...
I have no idea how long it could take to go before the judge and a decision made.
My mother's husband pulled out of a side road doing a right hand turn on to a main road with a 50kmph speed limit and mis-judged the speed of a motorbike coming at around 80kmph and brought the motor cyclist down.
It took 6 months before it went before the judge and was fined CHF1,200 for dangerous driving.
Crossing the white line has never been a 'minor traffic violation', at least not in Switzerland. Notorious spot for such a money spinning trap is Zürich's Rämistrasse uphill from Bellvue. Crossing the white line there will amount to more than CHF 500.-. Reports going to the judge ("Polizeirichteramt") carry a fine and an admin fee ("Schreibgebühr"). Max. amount for fines on the spot ("Ordnungsbusse") is CHF 250.-
These traps make sure the local tax budget goals are met.
The time taken depends on a bunch of factors: How busy the cop is (to write the report) How many other reports he has to write How many other reports need to be filed across the department How many reports the court has received How busy the court is Etc.
For a non-standard road speeding fine it took about 4 months to process.
For a road accident it took about 2 months before the first paperwork came through.
I'm afraid you'll just have to sit it out and wait.
Wow, I guess I got very lucky the other day. I had literally received my new Swiss driving license hours before, and was on my way to the local Motorfahrzeugkontrolle to get an error on the license corrected.
I got lost, and turned left across a solid white line into a parking lot to stop and look at a map. I quite honestly (and mistakenly) thought I had done nothing wrong -- I knew solid white lines meant 'no passing' but didn't realise that it also prohibited a left-hand turn.
Two of Basel's finest pulled in behind me. After establishing that I spoke no German, they gave me quite a telling off in broken English and German, looked at my license and documents, and sent me on my way with nothing more than a bollocking. At the time, I thought they were being a bit arsey about something minor, but when I read what I see here, I guess they were actually doing me quite a favour -- they could have thrown the book at me if they'd wanted to.
Guess there was a little guardian angel on my shoulder that day!
I got pretty lucky a couple of weeks too, even luckier than you
I drove into the No Entry zone which comes right after the terminal 1-2 parking at Zurich Airport, and then into another No Entry, which is the bus station on the lower level. Till the time I had realized that I was definitely somewhere where I was not supposed to be with a car, a couple of bulls had rounded me up. After checking papers and stuff, the elder of the two let me go with a warning, no fine. Phew!!
Sorry for being OT, but I really cant hazard a guess when you'll hear from the judge.
They're not: a solid white line in the centre of the road or edge of lanes means you don't cross it, unless there is a broken white line before it. This is Europe wide. (You can overtake, as long as you neither cross or exceed the speed limit and do it safely.)
Hearsay has it that road traffic offences around Sihlcity are not dealt with leniently, especially people who use the down-up access roads to bypass queues at the traffic lights - I think it was 20Minuten a few months ago reported fines of up to 4 figures for doing that as a deterrent
Few months ago I crossed a solid line and got stopped by the police. He told me the same thing that a judge will decide. I finally got a fine of 570CHF. Since I had a "rechtschutzversicherung" with AXA, I called them. They could not fight for me but because I was a good customer (had that insurance for several years and never used it), they paid 200CHF of the fine and I ended up with 370.
Pete R and Aki, thanks for this. I crossed a white line doing a U turn the other day too. This was in Lausanne. A police car did spot me but didn't stop me. Instead, half an hour after I got home, I received a phonecall from them. They said I'd get a bill 'between 100 and 1000 francs'.
It's annoying, but it's nice to hear other people's tales. It just freaked me out how quickly they found me! I suppose the downside of a country with low crime rates is that the police have got to find other things to do!!
You pay this insurance for them to represent you...I'd change insurers.
I turned out of a drive way left over an unbroken line in St. Gallen back in 2006...I was stopped by the local (ge)STAPO. I offered no excuse, other than to say it was late at night and there was no danger or traffic when I did this. The police officer agreed and promised to include the circumstances in the summons.
About 1 month later I received a court determined fine of 150chf and 200chf court costs...or vica versa...can't remember which one it was.
It is bizarre how many simple breaches have no fixed penalty here..even overtaking on the right. A workmate of mine was recently caught for this on the Autobahn in Winterthur...no accident, no other offences, yet he still received a letter from the SVA to hand in his licence!!!
really interesting thread! I'm new here and I must say, my jaw is dropping as I read! I'm now going to drive around in fear of the police cars as in on egg shells
Usually people from the police in switzerland are very easy going. Not comparable with other countries. You as an foreigner should know you get away with such a trifle easy. If stopped, tell them you did not know about you did wrong and beeing stressed of relocating to marocco the next month.
The fine will be 40.- in this case. It is a "Ordnungsbusse" and not to be handled by a judge. If you have disobeyed other road signs then it is a 100.- fine, stil an "Ordnungsbusse".
Presenting someones property with a turd or in public will cost 40.-