Vehicle Safety Inspections....

I started to write more about the stimulus plan today but decided enough was enough. Well, I'll mention just a couple of things. First - I have to wonder and haven't seen too much on this yet - how much of the new spending is going to recur next year? How many of the programs infused with Billion's of extra dollars are going to need that extra income as part of their budget come next year? Hmmm.... this spending is going to be recurring, I'm afraid. Not entirely but a large percent will be. The Medicaid funding, food stamps, etc. I'm sure someone's crunching those numbers as I type this. Secondly, the DJIA dropped to 73xx today - the lowest since the big dip in October. Word is that it was a reaction to some White House comments that maybe the banks need to be privately held for a time until recovery occurs. Scary stuff.


Onward with the other item that has me irritated. Representative Flowers has introduced HB1482 to reinstate vehicle safety inspections in Arkansas.

I would be 100% for this if I thought it would really remove the rolling junk from our roads. I have my doubts because we have a law now requiring auto insurance for every vehicle but I'm constantly hearing about accidents where one vehicle isn't insured. They have to be insured to register annually but what's to keep them from driving illegally or perhaps getting insurance so they can get registered and then canceling?

I can also remember years ago when motor vehicle inspections were required here and the inspection consisted of a 1-minute headlight, taillight, blinker, and wiper check. That is - if you knew where to go. You know - some Bubba you knew who would (wink) (wink) pass you without much involvement.

As I read the bill, I immediately noticed that the inspection station has little incentive to perform a thorough inspection. They can charge no more than $10 for a standard automobile and from that the station has paid $1.50 to the State for the sticker. This station stands to make $8.50/inspection. Not much when mechanic labor is maybe 10-15 times that!

I see two outcomes. They'll either spend 1 minute on the inspection and not do a very good job so that they can do a large volume of inspections or they'll find things wrong and fail the inspection in hopes of selling you a headlight polishing kit or new wipers or new brake pads. Either way = failure for this bill in my not so humble opinion.

You want to know the other thing that stinks about this bill? It wasn't borne out of desire to increase safety on Arkansas roadways. Nope. Instead, it exists as a way to fund a couple of causes. Now before I get attacked - I don't have anything against the three causes (autism, community health centers, and non-Medicare primary retirees). I do have a problem with designing a bill to fund a specific cause but I know that's how politics works. If anything, I think a bill like this ought to fund our roadways. What a mess they are in! I travel A LOT and I don't see much worse. :(