Date: Sun, 17 Sep 2000 14:59:41 -0700
Reply-To: Ari Ollikainen <Ari@OLTECO.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Ari Ollikainen <Ari@OLTECO.COM>
Subject: Re: SUV Roll Overs = Death Patch = lack of free air?
In-Reply-To: <3.0.5.32.20000917132610.007e1ec0@pop.loop.com>
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At 1:26 PM -0700 9/17/00, Chuck & Lillian wrote:
>I strongly agree! Free air is also rare to nonexistant in the So Calif
>area. I was about to email my congressman to suggest that in their
>debates over the Firestone fiasco that they take this opportunity to
>mandate free air for everyone. I suggest that everyone else write
>their C-people. Maybe we can help save a couple of lives.
Air and water is FREE to service station customers in California
as of 1/1/00.
You might want to draw the attention of the service station
operators you frequent in Southern California to the provisions
of Section 13651 of the Business and Professions Code, relating
to service stations...as in the following:
AB 531, Soto. Service stations.
(1) Existing law requires every service station in this state to
provide, during operating hours, water, compressed air, and a gauge
for measuring air pressure, to the public for use in servicing any
passenger or commercial vehicle, as defined. Existing law provides
that the failure of an owner or manager of a service station to have
adequate water and air facilities for use by the public for 5
consecutive working days constitutes a rebuttable presumption that
the owner or manager has intentionally violated these provisions. An
intentional violation of these provisions is an infraction
punishable by a fine not to exceed $50 per day.
This bill would require that these air and water services be made
available at no cost to customers who purchase motor vehicle fuel, as
defined. The bill would require service stations to place and
maintain a specified sign regarding these services.
The bill would create a specified enforcement system by which
consumers may report complaints via a toll-free customer complaint
telephone number to the Division of Measurement Standards. The bill
would provide that upon inspection, or upon notice of a complaint,
employees of the division would be empowered to investigate
complaints and issue citations, punishable by a fine of $250 per
valid complaint, unless the citation is challenged in court. The
issuance of a citation would be precluded if the air and water
equipment is in good working order upon initial inspection, or if the
air and water equipment is repaired to the satisfaction of the
inspecting entity within 10 working days of that initial inspection.
The bill would also exempt from the issuance of a citation air and
water equipment that is the target of repeated vandalism, as
specified.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares that air and water
are essential to the safe operation of motor vehicles, and therefore
public safety requires that free air and water be accessible at all
service stations.
SEC. 2. Section 13651 of the Business and Professions Code is
amended to read:
13651. (a) (1) On and after January 1, 2000, every service
station in this state shall provide, during operating hours, and make
available at no cost to customers who purchase motor vehicle fuel,
water, compressed air, and a gauge for measuring air pressure, to the
public for use in servicing any passenger vehicle, as defined in
Section 465 of the Vehicle Code, or any commercial vehicle, as
defined in Section 260 of the Vehicle Code, with an unladen weight of
6,000 pounds or less.
(2) Every service station in this state shall display, at a
conspicuous place on, at, or near the dispensing apparatus, at least
one clearly visible sign which shall read as follows: "CALIFORNIA
LAW REQUIRES THIS STATION TO PROVIDE FREE AIR AND WATER FOR
AUTOMOTIVE PURPOSES TO ITS CUSTOMERS WHO PURCHASE MOTOR VEHICLE FUEL.
IF YOU HAVE A COMPLAINT NOTIFY THE STATION ATTENDANT AND/OR CALL
THIS TOLL-FREE TELEPHONE NUMBER: 1 (800) ___ ____." This sign shall
meet the requirements of Sections 13473 and 13474 with regard to
letter size and contrast. As used in this paragraph, automotive
purposes does not include the washing of vehicles.
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