vehicle safety inspections why dont we have them.

[grandmastershake]

why dont we have vehicle safety inspection programs in california. i think it should be mandatory that all vehicles in ca. get safety inspected not only commercial fleet. and that is half assed at best i know i was amazed on the stuff CHP let slide during their inspections for several companies i worked for.

i think the inspections should consist of checking out all safety related components such as ...

brakes

tires.

hand/ park brake

glass.

ALL EXTERIOR LIGHTING. like those "illigal HID kits" they are not as
effective as thier owners seem. and are not projectioned
properly so not to blind oncoming traffic. where as OEM ones
have aiming motors that keep them level and low even when
cresting a hill.

Mirrors.

Suspension.

make sure no oil leaks. y ou cant dump oil in a gutter drain but you drive a car that leaks 2 quarts of oil a day ????



that inspection should only take about 20 minutes with a competent mechanic. and cost no more then 60 bucks. i would rather pay that and know that cars around me are safe to ride next to.

[deaconblues]

No Idea, Saturn. Kinda surprised me too. since we have to get the cars smog-tested every 2 years, it makes sense to roll the safety inspection right up into that little 'shop visit'...

[bluenoser]

It blew me away when I moved here too. I guess CA figures it doesn't have the inclement weather that is so hard on vehicles. Unfortunately, the responsibility to check for unsafe vehicles falls squarely on the shoulders of LEOs (particularly CHP).

Coming from NS, safety inspections were $14CDN. $60 is a little steep, and you'll probably cause a greater incentive for someone to get a fake sticker as the price increases. I'd rather see the cost of the program subsidized in a gas tax.

[grandmastershake]

well when i was in army i was in texas and once i failed since my e brake was loose. and from what i hear from CHP is that unless it is something very obvious they dont really do anything. the only ones with training for that are the ones that check out commercial vehicles.

and as far as price. fake certificates ussually cost more then the actual certificate since their is risk of getting busted by the B.A.R. . besides i think that some of that 60 bucks could go to fixing our roads. wich in turn is safer cars and bikes. and if even 1 buck of that goes to road construction. that still somes alot of money.

[recursive]

We had emission testing but no safety inspection in Illinois as well, and there was weather there also. (Corrosive road salt degrading everything under the car too.)

I really wonder how effective these safety inspection programs are in practice. Perhaps they've never been shown to have a reasonable cost/benefit ratio or something, so not all states have gone with the idea.

[Dopesick]

Originally posted by recursive
We had emission testing but no safety inspection in Illinois as well, and there was weather there also. (Corrosive road salt degrading everything under the car too.)

I really wonder how effective these safety inspection programs are in practice. Perhaps they've never been shown to have a reasonable cost/benefit ratio or something, so not all states have gone with the idea.

Think about it. Half of the crap wagons people call motor vehicles would be put to impound. Which would equal LESS registration related income for CA.. They wouldn't do it reguardless.

And in actuality we DO, have safety checks. It is unfortunate that they are forced upon AFTER the circumstance that has happened, that would force such actions.

I believe 110%, that california needs to completely re-evaluate licensing, registration, insurance, and safety standards for motor vehicles. Including, motorcycle licensing and purchasing standards. Can you believe that; you can purchase a motorcycle and ride off on it same day without showing a M1 edorsement or insurance ? Yes I know many of you are saying car lots do the same thing at time, but they are watched a bit better.

[grandmastershake]

you dont need a license to buy a vehicle. sad but tru. the only time i have ever been asked my license is for financeing and then those where the only times they asked for insurance.

[recursive]

Originally posted by Dopesick VFR
I believe 110%, that california needs to completely re-evaluate licensing, registration, insurance, and safety standards for motor vehicles. Including, motorcycle licensing and purchasing standards. Can you believe that; you can purchase a motorcycle and ride off on it same day without showing a M1 edorsement or insurance ? Yes I know many of you are saying car lots do the same thing at time, but they are watched a bit better.

If there were regular vehicle inspections, I wonder if they'd pass motorcycles with aftermarket exhaust, or turnsignals? :twofinger

[DongeR]

California has the toughest smog requirements in the country, everyone else follows us so therefore the logic behind the strict smog is simply to rid the cars that will not pass into a junkyard and to buy newer cars.

craigslist has plenty of beat up cars that will pass a safety inspection for that year for less than 1k.

they're starting to implement smog on diesel trucks. the next step would be towards motorcycles.

sucks for us..I wanna move to a state without smog requirements.

[arnoha]

Originally posted by DongeR
California has the toughest smog requirements in the country, everyone else follows us so therefore the logic behind the strict smog is simply to rid the cars that will not pass into a junkyard and to buy newer cars.

craigslist has plenty of beat up cars that will pass a safety inspection for that year for less than 1k.

they're starting to implement smog on diesel trucks. the next step would be towards motorcycles.

sucks for us..I wanna move to a state without smog requirements.

You must be very young to not remember what it was like in Cailfornia, particularly L.A., when smog requirements were looser. It's nice to be able to see the mountains these days!

Despite all these smog requirements, we are currently living in the era of horsepower. The output from cars these days puts the muscle car era to shame. And no noxious fumes as an added plus!

[Dopesick]

Originally posted by recursive
If there were regular vehicle inspections, I wonder if they'd pass motorcycles with aftermarket exhaust, or turnsignals? :twofinger

Provided the exhaust meets the SAME db limit as purchased stock, and the turnsignals were bright enough and spaced correctly, it should.

Originally posted by arnoha
You must be very young to not remember what it was like in Cailfornia, particularly L.A., when smog requirements were looser. It's nice to be able to see the mountains these days!

Despite all these smog requirements, we are currently living in the era of horsepower. The output from cars these days puts the muscle car era to shame. And no noxious fumes as an added plus!

How very very true! Today we have 4 cyl motors cranking out 300+ Hp, with 1/10th OR LESS of the emissions a normal "older days v8's @ 300hp" would produce.

[arnoha]

Originally posted by Dopesick VFR
How very very true! Today we have 4 cyl motors cranking out 300+ Hp, with 1/10th OR LESS of the emissions a normal "older days v8's @ 300hp" would produce.

And lets not forget that the old V8 had 300 gross HP, and the new motor is turning 300 net HP.

What was the quote I heard? A '66 Mustang parked in a garage with the motor off is poluting significantly more than a new Mustang running on the freeway. (My assumption would be that the HC emissions from the vented gas tank are significantly higher than what's exiting the the tailpipe of the cat-cleaned new car.) And the new Mustang will handily beat the old one in any performance category. With the A/C on.

[Dopesick]

Originally posted by arnoha
And lets not forget that the old V8 had 300 gross HP, and the new motor is turning 300 net HP.

What was the quote I heard? A '66 Mustang parked in a garage with the motor off is poluting significantly more than a new Mustang running on the freeway. (My assumption would be that the HC emissions from the vented gas tank are significantly higher than what's exiting the the tailpipe of the cat-cleaned new car.) And the new Mustang will handily beat the old one in any performance category. With the A/C on.

Believe it or not, The HIGHEST SINGLE SOURCE of vehicle caused pollution we have right now. Is while refueling at gas stations.

It is more likely a car will produce more HC pollution while refueling, then it will produce over the time it takes to completely consume the contents of the fuel tank.

[beaker]

As much as inspections would be great for some of these tin cans on the road, we really don't need another layer of bureaucracy to pay some civvie servant to stare at a few things each year. Almost as silly as paying for miniserv in Oregon.

[Kaesem]

I have lived in Virginia where they had a vehicle inspection every 6 months. Always seemed to need a headlight adjustment. Not to mention they charged you additional for this service.

I prefer big brother not being involved in safety inspcecting my vehicles.

[tuxumino]

I heard that the time when a car creates the greatest amount of pollution is during manufacture. any truth to this?

I'm sure vehicle safety inspections will happen at some point in this state. I won't be suprised when only licensed mechanics can do repairs at certified shops and mods to vehicles will be outlawed. the day will eventually come when driving will be so expensive that only the rich can affrod it.

[Dopesick]

Originally posted by tuxumino
I heard that the time when a car creates the greatest amount of pollution is during manufacture. any truth to this?

I'm sure vehicle safety inspections will happen at some point in this state. I won't be suprised when only licensed mechanics can do repairs at certified shops and mods to vehicles will be outlawed. the day will eventually come when driving will be so expensive that only the rich can affrod it.

Licensed SMOG technicians are the only ones who can repair "emissions related" problems. Technically shops are "licensed" to do repair work, and must meet certain criteria. Also MOST "MODS" are banned anyways.

[grandmastershake]

well maybe chp should help out a lil more; not worry about what exhuast you have and look at some of these old beat up vehicles running around with the wires showing upo in the tires and red shop rags for tail lights. i used to work for city tow and picked a truck that almost went over an off ramp and unto ceaser chaves . becouse it's steering box was held in by big rig exhaust clamps. and his reply was i havent had problems in the last year.????????

i think we should have some sort of basic safety inspection.

[grandmastershake]

hey dopesick. actually anyone can repair a emissions related problem. unless you have been certified as a "gross polluter" then you have to take it to a "gold shield " shop and have it repaired.

i personnaly like smog laws. some magazines have even shown that removing the cat can cost horse power since some of the ne high flow cats actually have a venturi effect and increase flow. better then if it had a straight pipe. and some "quiet " mufflers produce a negative back pressure wich will increase horse power.

just some food for thought

[Buti grv]

I am sure that a vehicle safety inspection could be beneficial but it would have to be effective. I am glad to be getting back to CA where we don't have one after seeing the effectiveness of the vehicle inspections here in Hawaii. If you saw all of the "island beaters" you'd wonder how the process actually worked.

Plus, the pain it is to get a vehicle registered here from out of state or if it has expired...case in point me trying to register my bike after registration had expired -
Can't register it w/o the inpsection, but can't ride it , technically, to the inpsection place cause tags are expired. Get it to the inspection place and "fail" inspection because registration isn't current. Take failed inspection to dmv to get temp registration, go back to inspection place with temp registration (which does not allow you to ride it) and "pass" inspection. Take passed inspection and bike home - not riding it of course (yeah, right) and then go back to DMV to get stickers. And of course the only bike inspection places are usually on the other side of the island than where you live.

Talk about beauracracy at work.

[Dopesick]

Originally posted by saturn tech
hey dopesick. actually anyone can repair a emissions related problem. unless you have been certified as a "gross polluter" then you have to take it to a "gold shield " shop and have it repaired.

i personnaly like smog laws. some magazines have even shown that removing the cat can cost horse power since some of the ne high flow cats actually have a venturi effect and increase flow. better then if it had a straight pipe. and some "quiet " mufflers produce a negative back pressure wich will increase horse power.

just some food for thought

The cat thing always killed me... Not many people know or understand "easy" theories. I thought I remember from my previous smog certs that only a "licensed smog tech" is able to perform repairs. Then again.. mine is WAY expired... I bailed when I heard EA licenses were going to be defacto standard. I was EB and worked on heavy equipment. Never went for a EU level so I could do diesels.

[grandmastershake]

hey dope.

Know anyone that wants a MAC mentor scanner? i am getting rid of mine. it is like 3 months old i want cash to buy a bike. :)
i miss working on diesels. i was the shop foreman at san francisco mitsubishi diesel. but know i work on lil ol saturns. guess i got tired of getting dirty.

[grandmastershake]

oh yeah i would also trade it for a nice bike.

[Dopesick]

Yeah I miss working on Diesels now too. I work for uhhh a "Emissions related" company. I wrench on performance cars on the side. How much are you asking.. I could use a scan tool. :teeth

[grandmastershake]

it is fully loaded. and has a the additional 4 channel oscilloscope and Kv module. so i think $ 5000.00 the only cables i dont have are "OBD 1" bmw, vw. i have the mercedes cables and it has the asian import. so with all it gots that is not a bad price. or like i said i will trade for a similer priced bike. and still has 2.5 years warranty. so if your interested or know some one that is lemme know.

thanks .

[mcguirezone]

One reason for safety inspections is to help prevent neglect that leads to brake failure, which can be quite dangerous.

As a motorcyclist, I prefer to breathe clean air in traffic. Maybe I have a sensitive nose (I can smell a truck way before I see it, on the backroads), but I am all for strict emissions standards. When I travel back to Texas for family visits, I definitely notice a difference in the smell of car exhaust. It smells like sulphur out there. The air really stinks in traffic! But in California traffic, I don't smell much at all, unless an engine is cold. What currently stinks in California, are Diesels. I am looking forward to strict emmisions regulations on diesel engines.

I would also agree that gas pump vapors are a nasty contributor to air pollution, at least there is an attempt at vapor recovery in urban areas around the State. But those nozzle-boots don't do shit for recovering vapors while filling a motorcycle. (Shell used to have motorcycle-friendly-bootless pumps, but they're all being replaced.)

FYI, some of the extra cost for gas out here is because the refineries have to produce boutique gas (formulated to burn cleaner). The extra processing and additives, simply cost more to produce.

[grandmastershake]

those vapor recory things are a joke. my friend was a gas truck driver. he said the only reason they are there is for safety. they collect the vapors in thier truck and once they refill the tanker they vent it into the atmosphere. so it is cleaner at the truck but in the end it all comes out into the air.

and as far california air. i agree. i lived in texas for some time and the air out there would make you feel sick. s.f. has good air for a metropolitan hub city.

[arnoha]

Originally posted by saturn tech
those vapor recory things are a joke. my friend was a gas truck driver. he said the only reason they are there is for safety. they collect the vapors in thier truck and once they refill the tanker they vent it into the atmosphere. so it is cleaner at the truck but in the end it all comes out into the air.

and as far california air. i agree. i lived in texas for some time and the air out there would make you feel sick. s.f. has good air for a metropolitan hub city.
Your friend with the gas truck is right about a bunch of vapors ending up in the air, but he's not as up on his physics. Ideally, of course, the vapors in the underground tank would be traded up into the gas truck's tank, which would be closed loop, but, barring that, this is much better. That would require a second hose and extra plumbing, which doesn't exist right now.

Think about it this way: Gasoline is highly volatile (meaning it evaporates quickly, not that it ignites). The airspace in the tank very quickly fills up with gasoline fumes, up to the vapor pressure of gasoline at that temperature. Kind of like 100% humidity for gasoline. This happens regardless of the vapor recovery system. After that, any further vapors that are introduced from the vapor recovery actually recondense into liquid gasoline. That space can't hold any more gasoline vapor; it's got to go somewhere.

In other words, when the tanker fills up the gas station, the volume gas pumped in is the volume of fumes that are released (from the displacement, anyway...further fumes are released just 'cause the system is open to the air at that point). They would be released whether the station had vapor recovery at the pumps or not. In other words, the vapor recovery does succeed in keeping some percentage of the gas fumes out of the air. How effective it is, I don't actually know. But it is unaffected by the tank filling.

[Webdev511]

Originally posted by beaker
As much as inspections would be great for some of these tin cans on the road, we really don't need another layer of bureaucracy to pay some civvie servant to stare at a few things each year. Almost as silly as paying for miniserv in Oregon.

It's silly until you get in an accident where someone else's "modifications" or neglect kills or hurts someone you care about.

A combo Smog/Saftey Inspection would be worth every life it saved. As a result, insurance should go down too. Less mechanical failures, or accidents caused in part by "poorly engineered" modifications should mean lower rates.

Some ask "What if I WANT to modify my vehical, have a special construction, or classic car?"

Guess what? You get special plates and limited milage per year. Not really enforceable but keep the honest people honest at the least. If you want to pass current saftey regs, you'd better upgrade those cable actuated drum brakes to discs.

It could get stupid really fast, but even just a simple inspection would go a long way to saving the LEOs a lot of time and the rest of us grief and money.

[grandmastershake]

plus just think of all those landscape and construction trucks you see that are falling apart and deliberatly neglected to save money. i worked on fleet vehicles and the stuff i would see would scare me. brakes metal to metal and told driver to finish what they are doing before they fix it. bumbers held on by 1 bolt etc etc. i can bet that with only that small amout of vehicles fixed properly would save atleast a few lives. some of those trucks dont even have proper mirrors. wich means they deffinatly wont see a motor bike.