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Swiss BMW Driver Slammed with $116,000 Tailgating Fine Because He's Rich


A lawyer is facing a six-figure fine for following too closely on the highway in his BMW 540d, and for allegedly endangering fellow motorists on the A1.

The 58-year old lawyer is now on the hook for a fine of roughly $116,000 after being pulled over in 2023 for following at an unsafe distance (between 26 to 40 feet) while on the A1 highway near Zürich and traveling at speeds of up to 74 mph, according to local news outlet Nau. But what is not typical—though it arguably should be—is the heavy fine the lawyer is facing due to Switzerland’s Day-Fine system, which stipulates that penalties must be based on the offending party’s income. In the end, the court lowered the additional 15,000-franc fine to 10,000, but the daily rate remained, meaning the lawyer is still on the hook for 111,500 francs all told, or just under $131,500.

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