Traffic fines

The primary idea behind fines for traffic violations is deterrence. Someone who spends $150 on dinner out one night is not going to be too deterred by a $150 speeding ticket, but someone who spends $150 a month on all of his or her food expenditures is likely to be at least somewhat deterred by the possibility of such a fine. Also, my experience is that the menances on the road are far more likely to be driving a BMW than they are to be driving a Hyundai. Thus, although described as "leftist," I think that this is an idea worth exploring here.