Myki fines costing more than speeding fines is a rort

A myki fine, which can be granted for something as simple as forgetting to carry a concession card even if you have paid a travel fare, is $296. A speeding fine can cost as little as $240.

I understand speeding fines scale to the degree at which someone was speeding, but it is frankly ridiculous that a Myki fine could possibly cost more than a speeding fine. Speeding actually harms and presents an imminent danger to the wider community, how can they possibly justify a fine which would cost a week's worth or more of rent for perhaps forgetting to tap on or not carrying a concession card?

I am not against fines for PTV infringements at all, however it is frankly a joke how much they cost comparative to other fines when considering the impact certain infringements have on society. However, it is just so glaringly obvious that the system of fines PTV operates is one intended to make money, not to encourage people to use PTV correctly.

Myki inspectors evidently target students, international students, foreigners and the elderly in the way they go about their jobs. The amount of times you will see individuals who speak little to no English or for other reasons may have difficulty understanding the Myki system being fined is preposterous. Moreover, many people who use PTV do so because they cannot afford cars/are generally low income individuals, how is it fair to fine these people such a significant amount for something which poses near to no threat to society, unlike speeding?

Parking fines range from $99 to $199, I believe there should be a similar system in place where a fine instead scales to the level of infringement, rather than dropping an almost $300 dollar fine on someone who possibly made an honest mistake. The Melbourne PTV system is already pretty laughably expensive compared to many other cities, particularly when you take into account the amount of errors and disruptions that regularly occur, I can't find any justification for why Myki fines should cost so much.

I know of many people who due to the high price of fines also refuse to pay as a form of protest, because they find it so obviously a system run in poor faith, existing solely to bleed people rather than trying to effectively combat fare evasion. This attitude seemed to increase after those videos came out of myki officers forcing someone to the ground and restraining them for whatever reason they did.

I am not saying people shouldn't be fined, of course they should, only that these fines should not be so preposterously expensive given the severity of the infringement. If Myki fines began at say $95, and repeat offenders would gain incrementally more expensive fines, I think people would have far greater respect for the system than they do now.