virginiavenom

I agree with inspections for vehicles of any year.....obviously some will not be subject to all rules, IE a 65 stang doesn't need cats, but I think it should have a full working exhaust system....cats don't make that big of a difference.....but there are many things like, brake systems should need inspections once a year. lighting, horns, structure, suspension components transmissions, and anything that can leak......and nothing should smoke....nothing.....things like that.....tires should be inspected obviously.....virginia has a light inspection like that, it's 20 bucks, and it's one year. if you don't meet requirements you can't drive that vehicle unless it's going to or from a repair shop.

Greg G

I would be all for that ie, the safety part of it that is. It could be as simple as, if you are going to drive on the Interstate you have to pass a thorough vehicle safety inspection to use the Interstate system. If you are driving an "uncertified" vehicle on the Interstate and get pulled over $500- pay on the spot or loose that puppy. Man I've seen some junk out there

virginiavenom

so how do we get this movement started?

HOSS429

are we going to penalise those who cant afford nice cars .. how safe you are in your car is usually determined by " how safe YOU are "

mgreene

Hoss is right, we certainly don't need MORE government intervention in our daily lives. SO you're saying that we ALL should have to take off work, and go down town and have some gov't beaureacrat (who, by the way will already be paid using OUR tax dollars) charge me $20 more dollars and make a determination if MY car is safe for the road based on what criteria? It could wind up being just like the California visual inspections which have nothing to do with whether your cars passes smog or not, but it HAS to have the factory equipped smog equipment. If not, even if the emissions are below the acceptable levels, you fail. I'm sorry, but more gov't intervention is something that can be reserved for CAL, NY, NJ, and other liberal states, but not for Alabama!

dusty

This is a level of intervention we do not need. Inspections just lead to corruption. I knew of several instances in North Carolina when I lived there where people that know someone can get a sticker without even bringing their car in. Cost them about 10 bucks extra and they got a sticker and put it on the car themselves.
Florida had state run inspections and those seemed the most fair. The governor did away with them. It would be nice to see Alabama join a number of states that have no glass deductible on insurance.

virginiavenom

incorrect, a federal or state person would only give the training to shops....the 20 bucks is to pay the shop that does the inspection for their time....it doesn't take long at all. they put it on the lift, a 2 man team usually, blinks lights, beeps horn, they lift the car up, make sure the exhaust is a complete system, no smog test, makes sure your wipers work, shake down the suspension for play, up to a certain specified amount of play is tolerable. (I know, I worked for a shop for several months, this is what I did) we only failed complete POS's and if there was something that didn't work we would normally fix it on the spot unless it was a little more major, then we would offer for going rate and not fail you, which would mean when you come back you have to spend another 20 bucks, we would normally change any burnt out bulbs free of charge, just pay for the bulb. that's how we ran our shop. and we typically let slow leaks slide and just let you know of reccommended repairs in the future. we were easy on them, but not too easy to possibly allow something that will end up possibly hurting or killing someone, we tested the brakes on our roller to make sure all were working correctly. and made sure your rotors and pads were in good shape, and if they needed to be replaced soon we always told you about it, but would most likely still pass you if you weren't past a certain point. quit biatchin about taxes....go live in germany under their tax laws for one year and you will run back and kiss the US of A's ground for how cheap our taxes really are. sales tax in germany 17% all incoming goods are subject to that same tax. gas tax....I won't even talk about. government income tax....we get to keep 75% of our checks, they only get 50% oh ya, and your griping about 20 bucks for a yearly inspection, try the TUV, usually takes 3-4 days and is roughly 190 Euro (70 cents euro is one us dollar right now) and they are so strict, no tint, no wheels, no exhaust, no lowering or raising of vehicle, no modification of factory suspension systems. no CAI's no superchargers can be added unless factory, shall I continue? in order to even get a license takes a long time of driving with a certified instructor, and usually costs around 1500 euro, and if you fail, your out the money. not uncommon at all. they require memorization of all signs and test on them, they aren't easy, trust me.

virginiavenom

those people are in violation of state laws, and could be fined upwards of 1000 dollars if caught and revocation of driving privaleges for the driver for up to 1 year, is that worth the 10 bucks for the sticker to risk, the state patrol in virginia target such offenses all the time.

virginiavenom

I agree, but how often do you see a driver of a POS driving down the road at 75-80 MPH with a car that looks like all 4 wheels are going to roll off on their own, or are dragging the gas tank behind them because of suspension problems or ignorance of a non-maintained vehicle. I don't want my life endangered or my own nice car which I worked my butt off for, taken out because someone doesn't have the money to maintain their car, I don't care how safe a driver is, if you've been driving on bad wheel bearings and a tire ceases up (seen it) or your tire blows out because you let it get down to the steel belt, your gonna hit someone. or because you didn't maintain your brakes, or balljoints and your spindle literally comes off the control arm....(fixed a few) I won't drive my car which I work hard to maintain properly get messed up because your incapable of caring for a vehicle, if you can't maintain and take care of it, buy a bicycle.

Puter

*chuckles*
Uh, no.
I haven't been able to keep 75% since I was makin' that huge pay flippin' burgers at McDonald's.
I am way out of that league anymore.

And bringing in another country has nothing to do with the subject. I could not care less what happens in Germany, Russia, Zimbabwe, or Mesopotamia.
Mentioning what goes on there to stop people from complaining never works as an argument.

This is here.
Here is what is relevant and what *we* as voters have the right to change. Not those other countries.

And this thread is now very close to getting locked.

virginiavenom

why would it get locked ralph? just curious, not stirring the pot, it's a discussion.

don't forget to calculate into what your taxed in what you get back at the end of the year too.....or if you have kids etc.....you get more, overall average is about 75% now don't include into taxes anything else like OASDI, or social security. those don't count.

I only use germany because of what I'm implying with a high speed road.....who else in the world has those bragging rights but germany, it's one of their tourist attractions actually. one of the reasons it will never change. and they vote over there. not exactly like here, but same idea.

also one of the things you won't find on those highways are multiple exits, they hamper speed, and good flow of traffic in rush hour, so they spread them out nice and far. which I'm not so sure about the reasoning making total sense, but alot of european things make sense to me. like traffic circles instead of stop signs in heavy traffic intersections, they work wonderfully. you have to see it to appreciate it. btw, did anyone on the boards get hit by the crackdown yet or not?

Greg G

Ddi anyone hear about the traffic enforcement crackdown ?

black_nightmare

Do you like having someone tell you what parts you can put on your car? Do you like having someone tell you that your car is too old to drive on the street regardless of how well maintained it is? I have news for you that is the way it is in most states in this country that have inspections. And if you let some liberal government bureacrat get his hands on a law that will allow them to look into what you are doing with your "evil" gasoline powered vehicle, I guarantee you that is what will happen. Especially during the current hysteria over global warming. Regardless of how you think things may work in other countries, without MASSIVE bureacracy to enforce the rules (read higher taxes) you are just throwing money away to appease some knee jerk reactionist such as yourself.

Quote: we get to keep 75% of our checks... quit biatchin about taxes....go live in germany... shall I continue?


I don't know what rock you are living under but this is not even close to being true. It is exactly this "biatching" that keeps our taxes in check, so no I will never "quit my biaching". I am so tired of your know it all attitude in everything you post. If you think things worked so well in Germany (since you seem to compare everything to Germany), why don't you do us all a favor and go back! Then you can have all of the inspections you want.

virginiavenom

whoa....simmer down man, no need to get angry.

black_nightmare

I think fighting for our personal rights is something to get angry about. I figured you could understand that since you are in the military and all. Bro.

virginiavenom

I understand bro...btw, not military, DOD civilian. have been for a long time, that's why I was in germany for 2 years+ not saying any one country is better then any one other, personally, I loved germany. very nice place to live, it's like the us except everyone speaks german and english instead of like in the us, where it's spanish, and english and a few other miscellaneous languages, one of the benefits is just being able to go anywhere in europe you please....yes I've even been to amsterdam...no I will never live there.

Puter

Well, I have high honors in English Lit and Comp.
When I read your post, I found the "tone" insulting and inflammatory. I tried to point that out with the small snippets I quoted back.

And it appears that I am not the only one.

It moved from a discussion to a political/religous venue.

virginiavenom

whatever.....