On one hand I feel piracy sucks. I hate being stopped by pirates and demanded money from, money I haven't even made yet because I have yet to reach my destination. To top it off, I come online for an hour or so to trade. My route takes 45+ minutes as is, and I have to spend my valuable time paying some other fella to have fun. Not fair. Furthermore, sitting on a trade lane waiting for some trader to come along with a swarm of NPC ships attacking the pirate isn't exactly RP either. Specially when the pirates whole RP experience is 'gimme or die'. I try to RP with every pirate I come across, and only less than a handful ever work for the credits with RPing. But some pirates, most I'd have to say, are extremely impatient and open fire as soon as you try to plea your case in RP. They just don't wanna hear it. I've seen zoners be pirated in front of zoner freeports, or an IMG in front of their bases. This is also absurd as the base would send protection if it wasn't a computer simulation, which it isn't in RP.
On the other hand I'd be lying if I said I don't have fun when I have to run from some pirate with a half baked plan. There are also counters available such as escorts and bounties to deal with pirates, though currently they are ineffective. Now if we made a rule that if a pirate who dies because of a bounty not only has to give the money they took back, but also pay for the bounty...that would be something. Make it cost them too for pirating and getting caught. Or a flat fee of 3 million for fighter class pirates, 5 million for GBs when they are caught and killed. Money goes to the trader of course, for his trouble and expenses of a bounty.
I also feel that corporations would take measures to prevent pirates from taking their cargo or credits. Like areas around bases can't be touched, per RP. Trade lanes shouldn't be used by pirates either, since they are supposed to be security codes on those lanes. Most house systems probably charge taxes for their trade lanes being used, or should per RP. Politically, as well, a company like BoWEx wouldn't stand for one of their ships being torn up or robbed. The repercussions would be rippling through all levels of law enforcement to get off their butts and make pirates understand 'come to our systems, and pay through the teeth...right after we kick you in them'.
For the record, I do have pirate characters. But they don't hold up traders, mostly for the reasons above. Lastly, most of my pirate friends make more money pirating than trading.
