Posted on 01/09/2022 11:09:45 AM PST by Olog-hai
Landing in jail for fare evasion is still possible in Germany. But the coalition government wants to change this, according to a German news report.
You may be surprised to know that, in Germany, riding public transport without a ticket — so-called Schwarzfahren — is a criminal offense which can lead to hefty fines and, in extreme cases, up to one year in prison.
But according to a report from Der Spiegel, the new German coalition government is now considering decriminalizing riding on public transport without a ticket.
According to the report, government officials are examining whether minor offenses such as riding without a ticket could be downgraded to administrative offenses.
The so-called traffic light coalition, made up of the Social Democrats, Greens and Free Democrats, has similar plans for the possession of cannabis, which is to be legalized for adults.
At the moment, fare evasion is a criminal offense under Section 265a of the German Criminal Code (StGB) and is punishable with a fine of at least €60. […]
The willingness to change the law is part of new federal Justice Minister, Marco Buschmann’s (FDP) plan to ease the burden on the judiciary in the coming years. …
(Excerpt) Read more at thelocal.de ...
kostenlose Scheiße
Then why pay the fare?
Will never effect local busses or trains. They won’t be able to hand it down.
Just make it free…c’mon man…that’s discrimination against the elderly who can’t jump the turnstiles….
Generally, it’s a civil matter. The service provider can and will levy a fine, usually around 60 euros. If they catch someone persistently dodging the fare, they can file a criminal complaint. And yes, in some cases people have been sentenced to jail terms (probation...). First time offenders? Not so much.
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