Inspection follies

[Mike Arman]

State of Florida (where we never actually did count votes, just declared
ourselves the winners and left town - or do I have my metaphors mixed?) did
a study on the causes and prevention of traffic accidents.

They discovered that equipment failures and similar items that would be
caught in motor vehicle inspections were ranked #49 of 50 in  order of
decreasing effectiveness, i.e, an almost total waste of time. They declared
the inspection program as not cost effective, far more trouble than it was
worth, and thus Florida hasn't had a motor vehicle inspection program for
quite a few years now, with no particular (let alone catastrophic) increase
in equipment related failures, injuries or deaths.

This is interesting - if the vast majority of owners and drivers seem to be
able to keep their vehicles in adequately safe condition, why DO we have
stringent motor vehicle inspections if they are not necessary? Note that
this is NOT my opinion, but is statistically supported by an extensive (and
presumably expensive) study done by the State of Florida.

My own experiences with motor vehicle inspections have been farcial or worse.

1) 1956 Jaguar XK-140, New Jersy inspection: horn died right on the
inspection line, I drove up to the inspector, he said honk the horn, I
looked him right in the eye and said "BEEEP!!!". He passed the car.

2) Miami Beach, FL, 1962 BMW R-27 motorcycle, the headlight and horn were
physically missing. Inspector asked me if I would promise to replace them,
I said yes, he handed me the sticker.

3) 1967 Saab, 3 cyl 2 stroke engine. Car failed inspection in Hollywood
Florida because inspector saw smoke from tailpipe. "Yer car's burning oil".
Answer: "It's supposed to - its a two-stroke engine." Inspector "I'm gonna
have it towed away." Response - jumped in car and drove away promptly,
without further discussion. No one ever came to take either it or me away,
and the car passed through another inspection station nearby, two days
later, no problems.

4) 1972 Porsche 914 (aka - super rust bucket). Daytona Beach (Florida)
found a laundry list of things wrong, said list was longer than a gorilla's
arm. After having done NOTHING to the car, and on the very same day, I
drove it one county north to the inspection station in Bunnell. They said
it was nice to see me (!), and handed me the sticker without even looking
at the car.

In my experience (which I will be the first to admit does NOT include TUV
or all the states in the Union, etc.), every motor vehicle inspection I've
ever gone through has been a total waste of time, and if they found
anything even remotely safety related, they either didn't care or kept it a
secret from me.

I submit that many of the things they are looking for have nothing to do
with safety, and they ignore many things that do - for instance, is the
driver sober? How about even marginally sane? I think the nut holding the
steering wheel is the most important safety item on any vehicle, and THAT
never gets inspected . . .

Do inspection programs work or are they done because they have always been
done? Are inspection programs worthwhile, or are they a guaranteed income
scheme for private garages licensed as inspection stations? Are inspection
programs simply a government scheme to keep otherwise useless civil
servants off the streets?

Are the benefits commensurate with the costs, in time, money and sitting on
line for half a day?

Part of what is happening is that cars are BETTER than they were 25 years
ago, and often people don't keep them as long (at least in the US). One of
the reasons cars are better is that people will not hesitate to sue the
manufacturer if the brakes go out on the car, even if it is 25 years old,
so the manufacturer has an interest in making cars as maintenance free and
idiot proof as possible. "Whaddaya mean I'm supposed to check the brake
fluid once a decade? - It's an unsafe design to require so much
maintenance! I'm suing!"

Best Regards,

Mike Arman