Inspections? I'll be swizzled.
I guess the California equivalent is-
"I pulled you over because you're missing a mudflap..."
*checks cab with flashlight*
"...Have a nice night."

 

If by "civilized" you mean places that have unnecessary rules and fees simply to get money out of hard-working people, then yes. Why is it fair that we have to pay to have the car tested to prove that it is ok when the vast majority are perfectly fine? Fair to me would be, take the test and if you pass then great, no charge (or the state can pay for it if they want to have emission standards). If it fails then the owner should pay for the test and the repairs. Having to pay to prove your car runs good is "guilty until proven innocent". and it's just another BS way to steal money from the taxpayers. Civilized to me is let the cops do their job and when they see that '82 Buick smoking and backfiring down the road, they can pull him over and give him a fix-it ticket. My '05 Honda CR-V runs great and I would bet $100K that it will pass right now, why should I have to pay to prove something that I'm already certain of to appease the suits in the capital? If they really cared about the environment and not money, why is there no standards on buses?

 

Hahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!
Sounds kinda like down here in sc.
Except ive had them say...
"I pulled you because you were doing 67 in a 55..."
"Im sorry ma'am, i actually just got new tires and i dont know exactly how fast i was going, my speedomoter said 60"
"mhm...Well im gonna write you a warni....Whats in the cooler sir?
"Unfortunatly its empty"
"....Slow it down for me, K?"

 

Most US states and countries with the highest standards of living do not think it is an unnecessary expense.

I would argue the opposite, the vast majority are not fine, because most people are not car enthusiasts that are capable of routine maintenance. A good portion barely remembers on which side the gas fill hole is.

Money doesn't come from thin air, somebody has to pay for the test, pass or fail. Charging actual car owners seems much more fair than collecting money through taxes, from people that possibly do not even own a car.

That is only logical, that with time passing your car is likely to have more worn brakes, tires, and other parts. I haven't heard of cars that get more mechanically sound with age.

Because having a centrally regulated and professionally done inspections is the best and cheapest workable solution as far as getting all cars properly inspected for road safety.

I'm personally not sure you can do safety inspections, maybe you don't even have $100K to bet, so better pay that evil car insurance, that sucks money from hard working people

 

Of course they don't think it's an unnecessary expence, it generates money. The big polluters aren't cars. Factories, power plants, public transportation, jets, ships, etc.. create so much pollution that when our country is worried about our personal vehicles, that's like worrying about dusting a house after a tornado has destroyed it.

It takes a lot of neglect for a modern engine to not pass smog. I do believe that probably 95% (or more) of all cars on the road that are 10 years old or less would pass smog right now without any repairs. Why make the 95% of the population pay for the 5%? I've never failed a smog test in any of my cars in my life, but I've paid hundreds if not thousands to prove it and that I feel is unecessary.

It's the same thing with the seatbelt law - it's all about generating more $$ from taxpayers just like smog inspections are. If they cared about our safety, why do school buses not have seat bealts? Those are children for God's sake!

Nobody needs to pay for the test IMO. The test doesn't have even a slight impact on the environment IMO. It's those factories and power plants - and China that are the big polluters. The test is just to make money, period.

I'm only talking about emissions testing. CA doesn't do vehicle inspections. Those make more sense to me than smog checks because at least going around the car and looking for problems might save a life.


Again, only talking about emissions.

Of course you're not sure if I can do safety inspections, you know nothing about me. I don't have 100K to bet, but I would do my best to find it if someone wanted to bet me that my Honda wouldn't pass smog. I'd make a real quick $100K.

If you think insurance is comparable to this topic and it's evil and sucks money from people, then I'm sure you would never think about making a claim if something bad happened right? Because it's evil? I know a lot of people who got settlements for 10, 20 even 100Xs more than what they ever paid in insurance premiums - especially in life insurance.