The Vehicle Safety Inspection (or Not) Thread

[duramaxsky]

If done by private shops bribes will normally work. Big rigs get stoped and inspected roadside or at scales. They will always find something. Even if they have to lie. But we keep our trucks up to prevent out of service violations. So it kinda works. And they need an annual inspection. But if you have mechanical experience and an air brake certificate you can do them yourself. I have done hundreds of them. You want them to be right because if the truck fails a roadside because you missed something it doesn't go well.

 

[LD48750]

There is no evidence because cause isn't collected at accident scenes, as pointed out in the link which I both quoted and provided. Are you saying that everybody does the proper maintenance on their vehicles, and nobody is driving around with bad brakes, inadequate tires, sloppy front ends, no taillights?

No.

To begin with, I don't use "everybody" or nobody", to many people included.
By what standard are you diagnosing "bad brakes, inadequate tires, sloppy front ends, no taillights" ?
Have you ever driven a vehicle with one of your unsafe conditions?

To another post,
Would everyone that reads this post how many times in the last year they actually used an emergency brake?
I know I haven't used one in the last 20+ years.
But it's still in the inspection.

 

[4570Man]

I use the parking brake every day in my straight shift but I’ve had automatics without working parking brakes for years and never missed them. Calling them an emergency brake would be a real stretch.

 

[Jstpssng]

"Everybody" is accurate because I would like to think that any vehicle I meet at least has the basic functions needed to go where it's steered and stop when it's supposed to. I also like taillights at night, and brake lights to indicate that you are stopping. Turn signals are nice also, but too many people don't seem to know how to use them.
Metal on metal is bad brakes... no back brakes is bad brakes. Leaking wheel cylinders or brake lines. There was a link to a video posted on TBN a few months ago showing a car on a lift, and the mechanic traced an odd brakeline from the front of the vehicle all of the way to the rear axle, ypassing the original brake line and neither was hooked up.

Sloppy front ends is when the car wanders down the road, up to and including when the tie rod end fails or the hub assembly comes apart.

Bad taillights is when you don't have any.
I use my parking brake any time that I'm parked on a hill, when I'm changing a tire, rotating them, have them off for any reason (except to check my rear brakes of course) or anytime that I'm crawling underneath for any reason.

I also agree with the poster above that calling them an emergency brake is rather inaccurate.

 

[LD48750]

"Everybody" is accurate because I would like to think that any vehicle I meet at least has the basic functions needed to go where it's steered and stop when it's supposed to. I also like taillights at night, and brake lights to indicate that you are stopping. Turn signals are nice also, but too many people don't seem to know how to use them.
Metal on metal is bad brakes... no back brakes is bad brakes. Leaking wheel cylinders or brake lines. There was a link to a video posted on TBN a few months ago showing a car on a lift, and the mechanic traced an odd brakeline from the front of the vehicle all of the way to the rear axle, ypassing the original brake line and neither was hooked up.

Sloppy front ends is when the car wanders down the road, up to and including when the tie rod end fails or the hub assembly comes apart.

Bad taillights is when you don't have any.
I use my parking brake any time that I'm parked on a hill, when I'm changing a tire, rotating them, have them off for any reason (except to check my rear brakes of course) or anytime that I'm crawling underneath for any reason.

I also agree with the poster above that calling them an emergency brake is rather inaccurate.

Ok so.... are you saying because your state has inspections nobody ever drives with any kind of safety defect?
Then all the accidents in your state are because you have crappy drivers & everyone else should stay out of Maine for safety .

 

[oosik]

One of the advantages - living out in the sticks. No vehicle inspection, of any type, at any time. We do just fine without - thank you.

Now in the big city - screeching brakes, burned out tail lights, turn signals that, apparently, don't work for lane changes, modified LOUD exhausts, cracked windshields - etc, etc. I have never lived where there is any type of vehicle inspection. Twenty two years in AK - thirty eight here.

One of the reasons I only go into the big city if I ABSOLUTELY must.

 

[Jstpssng]

Ok so.... are you saying because your state has inspections nobody ever drives with any kind of safety defect?
Then all the accidents in your state are because you have crappy drivers & everyone else should stay out of Maine for safety .

No, I never said any of the above.

 

[Copperhead]

I am fortunate. No vehicle inspection or emission testing required in my state.

 

[jaxs]

My beef with state mandated vehicle safety inspections is that #1 they are often farmed out to businesses out to make a profit which they do by#2 making the repairs, needed or not. #3 I'd prefer that any inspections be done at states facilities who have no profit motive. #4 But then people would gripe about 'big government', so ....

I numbered your beefs. My beef is with your beefs.
#1 This is the USA where business owners are expected to earn profit. Where else do you think liberials get money to waste?
#2 Not once in over half a century has an inspector tried sell me something that wasn't necessary. During that same period,several things on my vehicles failed inspection but never once was I required to hire them to fix it. To the contrary,they explained I could have them fix it for xx dollars or I could pay normal inspection fee and take it elsewhere to have it repaired and return within a week. Upon return,the tech only inspected the item(s) that failed. If items now passed,vehicle is given approval WITHOUT ADDITIONAL FEE. If Item failed, fee for normal inspection is charged and the process is repeated.
#3 Typical liberal thinking we need to create another government agency. Government facilities ALWAYS cost more than free market.
#4 You are 100% correct,I do not like nor want to move any closer to socialism.

 

[JJZ 109]

If you can't show statistical evidence that the inspections actually make the hyways safer, why force people to spend the time & money to comply?

Between the 2 threads you've said this a couple of times. Yet I don't see you posting any stats to bolster your argument.
Personally, I don't much care either way about this subject. But if you're going to keep asking others to post stats for their view, you should be prepared to do the same.
I understand that 89% of all stats are made up on the spot anyway.

To another post,
Would everyone that reads this post how many times in the last year they actually used an emergency brake?
I know I haven't used one in the last 20+ years.
But it's still in the inspection.

I can't post how many times because there are too many. Whenver I park my manual shift Mustang I pull the E brake. Not always but often I pull the brake on my truck when hooking up to a trailer so that it doesn't roll back that couple inches to mess up alignment with the trailer ball.
What your statement implies is that because you haven't used one in 20 years, nobody else has either so should not be part of inspections in the places that conduct them.

Equipment violation citations. Once cited by an officer, the vehicle owner has X days to have it repaired and inspected by the Officer again. They could do the repair themselves or have a shop of their choice do it. No private shops to do the inspections and charge for repairs on site.

In my state this is often called a "fix it" ticket. But you are issued a traffic ticket and have to appear in court with some type of proof that you actually addressed the problem. Doesn't necessarily mean that you have to take to a shop. I don't know that an officer inspection is such a great idea as most are not certified mechanics. Maybe for something obvious like a broken lens, burned out bulb or bald tire. But anything else is giving an LEO too much latitude.