Date:         Sat, 9 Oct 1999 02:27:09 -0700
Reply-To:     David Snyder <dsnyder@GOODNET.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         David Snyder <dsnyder@GOODNET.COM>
Subject:      Re: Inspection Horror Story!
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Had a similar experience with stupidity at an Arizona inspection station
with my 1982 Turbo Diesel Rabbit (Caddy) Pickup.  The guy goes to pull it on
to the big roller wheels and pulls the front wheels past the rollers and
begins lining up the rear wheels on the rollers.  Seeing a big 4X4 lifted
truck right in front of my pickup, I know when he pops the clutch, my front
wheel drive truck with a nice and straight front end, a full charge of
really expensive Freon and a custom radiator is going to crash right into
the nasty back end of a big iron American vehicle.

I run out into the shop yelling at him to stop and immediately a supervisor
and another guy accost me about not being in the shop area.  I am trying to
tell them my truck is front wheel drive and they start to argue with me, all
of them saying that there are no front wheel drive pickup trucks and I need
to get out of their way and let them do their job.  Finally, I implored,
threatened, and bribed them enough ("Hey guys, we could find out if it is
front wheel drive by looking at the big mirror that checks for a catalytic
converter to see if there is a drive shaft going to the back wheels right?
If there's a drive-shaft there, I'll buy you all beer-  but, you've got to
look.")  to take a second and verify if it was front wheel drive. They took
a look and didn't say much.    I did not even ask them if they knew about
full time 4WD vehicles, I figure they'll learn the hard way.

 My bunny truck survived, never to go to inspection again if I can possible
avoid it.  I am breaking the law by registering it out of county (where
inspections are not required) and driving it to work in my county (where
they are).  So, if I am caught, I hope you all realize that I am taking a
stand that Jefferson, Henry, Franklin and Adams would be proud of.  Somebody
said a little rebellion is good for the country.

The saddest part of it is my diesel passes every time since they test for
opacity (amount of smoke in the exhaust) and I am on the same standard as
diesel buses, trucks etc...  The real pollutants that come out of a diesel
that is not running right are not even tested.  I know it's running clean
because I maintain it correctly and am getting appropriate mileage and
power.

Oh well, they breath carbon monoxide all day and I don't.

Dave