Inspection follies

[Rave Racer]

>
> 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.

> ----snip-----

> 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?
>
        In my experience, quite a few Florida drivers leave alot to be
desired in the ability area, both when it comes to performance or safety
oriented driving.
        I new two girls in Florida that didn't know each other, both owned
Honda Civics, less then 2 years old, and paid someone else to tune their
cars profesionnally.
        BOTH CRASHED into STATIONARY OBJECTS!  The first oversteered her FWD
(Prone to understear) into a palm tree on the inside of the turn in dry
weather.  The other smacked full throttle into the back of a LIGHTED "lane
closed" signal truck.....  you know, the one with the big flashing arrow on
it.
        All this while the Ft. Lauderdale Police were hunting down my loud,
smoking, white striped, high reved, stop light drag racer 16V Jetta
GTX........    that was far from safe BTW.
        Accidents in Florida (other then the side of the highway bonfire
specials) are mostly caused by ....     you guessed it, stupid people.
    Rant over, Flame suit on.

RR