Political Opinions from the East Coast

[W. Gray]

When I left Kansas many years ago there was no inspection required.

After moving to Colroado, a safety inspection was required upon registering a vehicle and then every year thereafter. I thought it was a pain, especially finding a place that was not too busy to perform the inspection. The safety inspections were done by service stations and the like. I cannot remember what the cost was.

The safety inspection was replaced almost thirty years ago with an Emissions inspection. The safety inspection was dropped at that time. The Denver area was and still can be polluted badly.

Originally, the requirement was for an annual inspection. Then, due to the increased dependability of the anti-pollution equipment, the law was changed to require an inspection four years after the car was manufactured and every other year afterward. That time is now seven years after being manufactured and then every other year.

The emissions inspection is only needed in the Denver metro area and in some other highly populated and polluted areas. Cars older than 1981 have to have an annual inspection and cars classified as a "collector's car" have to have an emissions inspection every five years.

Emission inspection stations are operated by the state and they perform extensive testing, which require you to exit your car and watch from a glassed in area. The cost is $25. The 1981 and older cars cost $15.

I have had one car that failed. I went to a garage and they guaranteed that they would adjust the car to pass the inspection. It did. As long as you bring the car back within ten days for a retest, there is no charge. After that, you get charged for a retest. I traded the car in though as it apparently had developed a defective anti-pollution device.

Even though safety testing was discontinued, emissions inspectors can disqualify a car for safety reasons also. A car will fail, if there are alignment issues making it unstable on the dynamometer, dashboard lights warning of an equipment malfunction or low fluid levels, inoperable driver door, ineffective brakes, overheating engine, fluid leaks, or transmissions issues causing faulty shifting.

I had a car, which failed because the engine warning light was on. I swear it popped on while I was waiting in line. Turned out nothing was wrong and the light went out by itself after a few miles. Took it back and it passed. The light never came on again.

Hybrids have to have an emission test and there is no reason to test an electric. Diesels have a different testing program.

The state also runs roadside emissions tests intended to find polluters at random.

A VIN inspection is required if one is bringing a car into the state for registration, but then only if the car is older than six years old. The emissions inspectors charge $20 for the VIN inspection.

[jarhead]

The only inspections that I recall ever having is when I've bought a couple of trucks with a wrecked /salvage title. Then it's done by a highway patrolman and pretty much just making sure the VIN is correct.

[Ross]

I just read the other day that the Auto industry is lobbying hard for annual safety inspections in all states, because there is a lot of money in it for them. It dang sure isn't about safety or they could careless it is about the money involved.

I seem to remember that they said only eleven states are now requiring safety and that many more use to do them but quit.

Here is a statement from an article that makes perfect sense about Safety Inspections, "One reason fatality rates don't correlate with safety inspections is that most accidents don't involve mechanical failure, according to several studies." it is located  deep in the article at http://triblive.com/news/allegheny/6805581-74/inspections-cars-safety

The article continues and sounds like bureaucrats unsure about what they are saying, i.e. " Numerous studies have concluded that inspection systems aren't worth the cost, but other studies have concluded the opposite."

Apparently the only thing taht is fact is and I repeat from the article,  "One reason fatality rates don't correlate with safety inspections is that most accidents don't involve mechanical failure, according to several studies."

The safety inspection stations are alos a source of income for the state --- Stickers another form of taxation.

If Safety Inspections are of real importance, why don't the States where cars are manufactured or where the cars are brought into the US ----  hold safety inspections, before they are allowed to be sold to the public. There have been many, many recalls for numerous safety problems.

[Diane Amberg]

Every state should be able to do inspections (or not) as they wish. Here most of the failures are from vehicles owned by young  drivers who bought a cheap car and are trying to make it road worthy.
I had one car that would aways blow out the rear license plate light. I finally kept a spare bulb and put it in when I got to the inspection lane.
The more common failures here are emissions, brakes and bald tires.

[Wilma]

The safety inspections didn't apply to new cars.  They came with their own inspection before they reached the public.  It concerned mostly the vehicles of private sale and some dealers of used cars.  The trustworthy dealers provided inspection for the vehicles they sold.

[Diane Amberg]

Our new cars are the same. A 4 year sticker comes to the dealer with the licence plate.  An inpection should catch some things before something goes wrong, on older vehicles, like no horn and bald tires.
A few years ago we were driving south of Newark when a car about three cars ahead of us lost their right front wheel and it went bouncing off across the country side and into a shopping center parking lot. It disappeared behind a building, so I don't know where or how it finally stopped. I was amazed the driver managed to stop without wrecking. Crunch!

[Diane Amberg]

I see that "cookies and cream" are leaving the US.That is just disgusting...so many jobs will be lost. I wish the candidates would speak up and figure out how to stop it.

[Diane Amberg]

So, I see the educational twists and turns are going strong.
What happened to helping older kids learn to think and make decisions on their own? Put those kids heads in a vise and nothing but sterilized information ever gets in?  No thinking, pondering, or wondering, or weighing the good vs the evil? Which is which?
Why must some teach hate?
I had "The Worlds Great Religions in 10th grade. It was a really good class and explained differences without "indoctrinating" anyone to or from any of them.
Let's keep those kids ignorant about the big world around them, of which Christians are a very small part... and there are many kinds of those. How about it?
  Is only one kind "right?" Are Mormons heathens? How about Quakers? Catholics, Unitarians and Agnostics? Amish? Church of England? How about Hindus VS Muslims...or are they all just primitive towel heads?.
Lock up your kids .."it" might be contagious. How sad and un- American. Perhaps the Statue of Liberty should dip her torch in the Hudson River and extinguish it.
Good Friday and Easter are a few days away. I haven't heard one dissenting remark from any of the local religions here, including Shinto,Tao and others. Are we really just "Ugly Americans"?
   Once again, I'm waiting to hear just how the candidates are going to wave their magic wands and accomplish all the grand and glorious things they are promising. Notice D. Trump never tells HOW he is going to do all the things that he promises? His own national party seems to be turning on him. When Push Comes to Shove, what will the Electoral College do in November?
Shucks, I can hardly figure out the various ways those who are running will actually get their delegated votes, it's not clear and clear cut at all. The states and the parties are all so different.

[Wilma]

I think you have a point there, somewhere.  I am so confused, too and every day it gets more sickening.  How can anyone that insults everybody, then denies having done so, lead this great country?  How can so many people not see just what is happening?  I can only hope that finally we will be given a good choice and that we make it.  I can't say who I might vote for because right now there isn't any one wanting to be president that would make a truly good one.

[Diane Amberg]

Sorry, if my points were so buried.    I just don't know what to think.