Originally Posted by
Expressflight
With respect I think is a fatuous argument to say "don't have fines in place because people won't pay them, so let's not bother."
I don't think we've reached quite that degree of social anarchy just yet. To most people - the vast majority almost certainly - having a damaged credit rating is a serious problem and any such an unpaid fine will undoubtedly be registered there. An Attachment of Earnings order could also be applied to ones wages and, again. most people actually are in jobs - even now. Sure, there are some people who won't pay but you don't drop a sanction against law breaking just because of that fact.
Every person is entitled to a fair trial and imposition of fines without a right to a trial in court is not allowed in UK. People have a right to have the charges laid out against them in a court of law and will do so. Put 10,000 on trial and see the impact and yes there will be thousands who join just to bring the system down.
Credit rating is not really what a 21 yr old student cares of, likewise an AOE.