The littering's too hard to enforce so that our friendly government believes if it slaps a big fine on something it'll deter people?

Seriously - who do you know who's EVER had to pay a fine for littering? I can't name a soul. Have you seen people litter? Hell yes - at least 10 times a day. Stupid AND unenforced law and an irrational, insensitive, unthinking society - a bad pair. If littering laws are unforced, the only fitting punishment is cleaning up litter.

Only rationale I can even begin to add to that.

hln

One word: Alice's Restaurant.

I suppose you could speed, violate the HUV lane and litter all at once, and they'd really throw the book at you.

Speeding tickets are designed to raise money.
You keep them affordable, just inconvenient.
Littering fines are to make people feel good through the illusion of doing good, so the number is big and intimidating (and unused).

You mean, apart from ALL of them?

The town next to mine put up a new sign on the road I travel every day to work. I really didn't pay attention - just thought it was a "radar enforced speed limit" sign. When I really looked at it, it was actually a "we take littering very seriously" sign, with a $500 fine.

But, speeding is apparently okay (not that there is ever a cop on the road anyway . . )