VA State Inspection

[autumn420]

Originally Posted by Coconut1

Also, autumn, what's the 420 in your name for?

Do as I say, not as I do?

First of all just because I support legalization of marijuana does not mean that I use it. If you want to talk about padding pockets talk about the drug testing industry (urine tests). The war on marijuana and the revenue it brings in and the industries it supports and the lives it wrecks are another story. My job as a transportation employee REQUIRES (federally) that I submit to random drug testing in order to keep my job.

Do I wish pot were legal? Oh yes
Do I use Pot? Nope
Do I like pot? Oh yes
What would I do if an employee came to work high (even if it were legal)? Gone.
Do I use that dangerous legal drug that wrecks many lives every year (alcohol) Very rarely.

Now. Let me ask you. Do you oppose the state inspection of school buses because you feel that it's a waste of time and the kids might get killed by an out of state truck anyway?

The Va State Inspection program pads no ones pockets. If you ask most honest inspection stations they will tell you that they LOSE money doing inspections. You get a complete safety inspection of your vehicle for what-- 20 bucks? How long does it take a mechanic to do an inspection? Do the math. And you're bitching about it? A state inspection should cost 75 bucks. If you feel that an inspection station is trying to take advantage of you-- REPORT it to the state police. That's how we weed out the scum.
I have no dog in the money fight because I work at a private station and inspect only our fleet vehicles
Yes-- the yellow school buses that your kids ride everyday. Believe me buddy those vehicles are safe.

When I have to REDO an inspection on a bus because some **** ant like the OP steals the inspection sticker off the bus (happens often) well-- I get cranky.
He's too damn cheap to get his car properly fixed.
Which makes my case. His car is UNSAFE to be driven on the road so he is trying to ILLEGALLY bypass that safety check--- FOR YEARS.

[LilyLady]

Originally Posted by brittle757

In so many words, that is what I'm looking for lol

I was going to comment on this, but autumn420 seems to have done just fine. Have you ever considered just fixing what is wrong with the vehicle so you won't have to look for a crooked mechanic?

[Coconut1]

Originally Posted by autumn420

First of all just because I support legalization of marijuana does not mean that I use it. If you want to talk about padding pockets talk about the drug testing industry (urine tests). The war on marijuana and the revenue it brings in and the industries it supports and the lives it wrecks are another story. My job as a transportation employee REQUIRES (federally) that I submit to random drug testing in order to keep my job.

Do I wish pot were legal? Oh yes
Do I use Pot? Nope
Do I like pot? Oh yes
What would I do if an employee came to work high (even if it were legal)? Gone.
Do I use that dangerous legal drug that wrecks many lives every year (alcohol) Very rarely.

Now. Let me ask you. Do you oppose the state inspection of school buses because you feel that it's a waste of time and the kids might get killed by an out of state truck anyway?

The Va State Inspection program pads no ones pockets. If you ask most honest inspection stations they will tell you that they LOSE money doing inspections. You get a complete safety inspection of your vehicle for what-- 20 bucks? How long does it take a mechanic to do an inspection? Do the math. And you're bitching about it? A state inspection should cost 75 bucks. If you feel that an inspection station is trying to take advantage of you-- REPORT it to the state police. That's how we weed out the scum.
I have no dog in the money fight because I work at a private station and inspect only our fleet vehicles
Yes-- the yellow school buses that your kids ride everyday. Believe me buddy those vehicles are safe.

When I have to REDO an inspection on a bus because some **** ant like the OP steals the inspection sticker off the bus (happens often) well-- I get cranky.
He's too damn cheap to get his car properly fixed.
Which makes my case. His car is UNSAFE to be driven on the road so he is trying to ILLEGALLY bypass that safety check--- FOR YEARS.

And just because I don't support 'safety' inspections doesn't mean I don't get mine legally done.

For public vehicles I'm not against safety inspections, for private vehicles I am. I see no use for it when 68% of states don't require it for private vehicles and many times if you simply look around you while driving you'll see a plethora of out of state plates.

My last inspection took him about 20 minutes and that was at AAA. So 80 cents per minute is what he made, or $48/hr. That's a nice rate and even nicer when a bulb is conveniently burnt out or a wiper blade needs replacing.

$75?? Even if it took him an hour, a mechanic is worth $1.25 per MINUTE? Who's doing the work, Mitt Romney??

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree. I agree with the majority that private safety inspections are simply not worthwhile.

[autumn420]

Just a little tip. I do this myself as I can't inspect my own vehicles and have to take them to a public station. Check your lights and wiper blades before you go and do the minor repairs yourself. I think Advance Auto will install wiper blades for free if you buy them there. That alone can save big bucks. Keep the receipt. Once again please report any official inspection station to the state police if you feel they are ripping you off. The state police monitor this stuff. Also, the time it takes to do a "proper" state inspection will vary depending on the type of vehicle.
I don't argue the fact that there are mechanics who try to take advantage-- especially of women. I have a sister and a mother and I've seen it. Find a mechanic you can trust. Believe me, they are out there.

[LilyLady]

Originally Posted by autumn420

Just a little tip. I do this myself as I can't inspect my own vehicles and have to take them to a public station. Check your lights and wiper blades before you go and do the minor repairs yourself. I think Advance Auto will install wiper blades for free if you buy them there. That alone can save big bucks. Keep the receipt. Once again please report any official inspection station to the state police if you feel they are ripping you off. The state police monitor this stuff. Also, the time it takes to do a "proper" state inspection will vary depending on the type of vehicle.
I don't argue the fact that there are mechanics who try to take advantage-- especially of women. I have a sister and a mother and I've seen it. Find a mechanic you can trust. Believe me, they are out there.

We are lucky enough to have found a service shop that we trust. We initially went to them because of their location but now, we wouldn't take our car anywhere else. Yes, they're out there.

[Coconut1]

Originally Posted by autumn420

Just a little tip. I do this myself as I can't inspect my own vehicles and have to take them to a public station. Check your lights and wiper blades before you go and do the minor repairs yourself. I think Advance Auto will install wiper blades for free if you buy them there. That alone can save big bucks. Keep the receipt. Once again please report any official inspection station to the state police if you feel they are ripping you off. The state police monitor this stuff. Also, the time it takes to do a "proper" state inspection will vary depending on the type of vehicle.
I don't argue the fact that there are mechanics who try to take advantage-- especially of women. I have a sister and a mother and I've seen it. Find a mechanic you can trust. Believe me, they are out there.

I do make sure the wiper blades are new because they complained about that before. This time they said a license plate light bulb was out It's possible, but seems very convenient.

But it doesn't change the fact that, 364 days out of the year I could have burnt out bulbs, bad wiper blades, etc. and the majority of the time (especially with the wipers) it wouldn't matter one iota. And as I said before, somebody from South Carolina could be riding behind me and smash into me with his death trap just as easily as somebody from VA with an 'inspected' car could.

Like I said, though, we'll just have to agree to disagree.

[autumn420]

Originally Posted by Coconut1

I do make sure the wiper blades are new because they complained about that before. This time they said a license plate light bulb was out It's possible, but seems very convenient.

But it doesn't change the fact that, 364 days out of the year I could have burnt out bulbs, bad wiper blades, etc. and the majority of the time (especially with the wipers) it wouldn't matter one iota. And as I said before, somebody from South Carolina could be riding behind me and smash into me with his death trap just as easily as somebody from VA with an 'inspected' car could.

Like I said, though, we'll just have to agree to disagree.

Just remember that in VA it used to be that vehicles had to be inspected every six months. With the advance of technology cars are safer and their parts last longer (ideally). It's the guys driving around in the old heaps--cars and trucks (like the OP, maybe) that worry me the most.
I've seen tie rod ends on new busses go bad-- and I mean A LOT of play in them--in under 30,000 miles. I've also had fleet vans come in with 100K miles and every piece in the steering linkage and suspension needed to be replaced.
You know damn well that some folks are going to ride around on bald tires until they blow out in order to save money.

I think that if you are arguing that the Virginia State Police Vehicle Inspection program is flawed because of unscrupulous mechanics and garages then you have a point.
If you are arguing that because some other states don't require safety inspections then the whole program is useless, well I think that doesn't hold water.

I will search online and research other opinions on this. I must admit that your view has made me try to learn about the views of opponents of vehicle inspections and I've never really thought about that. I see some folks arguing that inspections are unfair to the lower income citizens because they don't have the funds to have repairs done.
The field that I work in just makes me consider the safety of the vehicles I work on above all else, and the public pays for that safety with their tax dollars.