Russia - Traffic Fines and Penalties
 

There have been enough threads on various ways of dealing with road penalties in Russia. I won’t go into that here but will try to be constructive with practical information.

So as not to be ripped off and to know what you are ‘negotiating’ it is always helpful to be aware of the Official Penalties. These are laid out annually, occasionally being revised upwards.

The table of Road Penalties for 2012 is laid out in Таблица штрафов ПДД 2012 - все штрафы за нарушения ПДД, ГИБДД, 2012

Sadly only in Russian, but the main moving (ie. not paperwork or vehicle condition) offences travellers would be most likely to encounter would be :-

12.9.p1 Exceeding speed limits by between 10 and 20kph - Warning or 100 Руб
12.9.p2 Exceeding speed limits by between 20 and 40kph - 300 Руб
12.9.p3 Exceeding speed limits by between 40 and 60kph – 1,000 to 1,500 Руб
12.9.p4 Exceeding speed limits by more than 60kph – 2,000 to 2,500 Руб or disqualification for 4-6 months, suspension of Licence

12.12 Continuing despite a stop signal of a traffic light or traffic police officer – 700 Руб

12.16.p1 Ignoring a road sign or road marking other than specified in other parts of the Code – 300 Руб
12.16.p2 Turning left despite a road sign or road marking - 1,000 to 1,500 Руб

And if you like a beer-

12.8.p1 Driving with any alcohol – Disqualification for 18-24 months, medical checks, suspension of licence and detention of vehicle

I will try to look up the penalty of other offences that may concern anyone.

Tony thanks for that. I don't think that "crossing the white line" is included in any of those offenses--I understand it is one of the more serious ones. actually can't find it in the table...

A white line is what they call a "road marking". Therefore 12.16.p2 could cover that - certainly would for turning left across a road - like entering a car park or fuel station on the that side. Actual overtaking is probably another part of 12.16. or 12.15.p1.

As you know, although my Russian is good enough for buying you Beers, it isn't really up to this level and at the time I didn't dare wake up the 'official translator' who has now gone off to her office!

I will amend or add to the above as I learn!

Thank you Tony! Excellent information. Good to know what the official fines are. Knowledge is power if and when it ever comes to negotiating. Thanks.

Fines
 

Thanks for the info Tony ,, looks like ,, I need to carry a bunch of 20 dollar bills, in the back pocket,, :scooter:
I've posted it at the Korean HUBB ,,

Rubles work much better. 500 ruble notes are handy, but not enough for big violations, or at least so I am told...

Thank you Tony! This is excellent and i have to print this out to my wallet for this year travels in Russia. Yes briding can get you give you "get out of jail"-card in most of the cases. But like my russian friends say its kind of situation dependend.

It is also normal police WILL try to overcharge foreign people when they catch them on road. Year 2010 i did broke turning over road marking traffic sign and sum what was first written to cardboard was 150$ (roughly 4500 rubls when actual fine would have been 300 rubls according what Tony posted) later it went to 1500 euros or 5000 rubls. At the end i was told to leave car and not to do it again.

Also one important thing to notice is that when you get fine on the road you get bill/fine which you pay TO bank (like in any other countries). Any other payment handed directly to police goes to their own pockets and is more or less briding. If police is caught from that act it means they are out of work. If you get traffic fine you have one month time to pay it to bank. You can leave from Russia even your fine is unpaid, come back and pay it without problems and what i have understood if fine is not gone "overdue" there wont be any problems to get new visa. This information about paying fine applies only to Russia. In Belarus if i remember correctly you have to pay immididately on the road.

I think when travelling it is important to follow traffic rules and speeding limits but also know your rights and not to be daily payroll for local policeman.