Texas about to do away with auto inspections

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It uses a beam of infrared light; the vehicle emissions scatter the IR light, and a detector measures the amount of scatter to determine the amounts of CO2, CO, and HCs present.

https://www.opus.global/vehicle-inspection/remote-sensing/
I'm going to go with my Sportwagen would fail ahahahahah. Aftermarket downpipe/high-flow cat...300CEL I believe. You can smell it so I know it's not passing that way. What do they do if you go through it and don't live there?
 
Like most things like that: nothing. If I leave SC where there is no inspection and no sticker and drive to PA or anyplace requiring inspections and stickers, or to a "pass by sniffer state", no fine for me.

There are some fine folks in Virginia who know their junk won't pass emissions so they register it at a cousin's house in Fauquier county (where emissions tests aren't required) despite the fact that the vehicle is actually garaged in Prince William county (where they are). I figure the data from the road side emissions testing might catch some of this.

EDIT: This site says:

Mobile emissions testing equipment is being set up at busy intersections in Northern Virginia. The new technology can measure tailpipe emissions and snap a picture of the license plate of the offending vehicle just as easily as a speed camera can catch speeders. If the vehicle is from Virginia, they will be required to get an emissions test regardless of what county they are from. If they are from out of state there may be jurisdictional problems, but at least we will know where the pollution is coming from.

https://wiygul.com/support/1949/changes-in-emissions-program-may-spell-relief-for-northern-virginia/

EDIT: Virginia law code here says that any vehicle primarily operated in Northern VA is subject to these requirements regardless of where in Virginia it's registered: https://law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title9/agency5/chapter91/section30/
 
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l'm in favor of state inspections. Some people never look at their cars or fix anything on them.
l know, lf l'm buying a car, l'd rather buy it from one of the states that have state inspections.
 
It’s just another indication of relaxed standards of everything everywhere. I can remember going to inspection with my Dad. Car goes up in the air, inspector jiggles the tires, checking for looseness, excessive tire wear, etc. etc. Now in Jersey it’s a joke, in and out in 2 minutes while we’re paying someone to do essentially nothing. Plus in New Jersey they have state approved repair shops who will do the same relaxed inspections for a fee. As if you don’t have time to actually go to an actual inspection station (they’re open 6 days a week from dawn until dusk). They’ve frequented by those who can’t get thru even the most relaxed emission standards set by the state so they go to a trusted Indy to look the other way and issue you a tag for a hefty fee. You wonder why flying is statistically safer than driving? Probably one third of the cars on the road would be “grounded.”
 
I'm in Maine and have my state inspection license from when I worked at a shop. Maine is definitely a rust state and generally vehicles never make it to the 15 year mark if they are driven in the winter.

Anyone else watch any of the "just rolled in" or "customer states" youtube videos. Those alone should tell you that safety inspections are a good thing.

I always overlooked non-safty stuff, window tint and loud mufflers aren't gonna kill anyone. And a check engine light is supposed to fail, but I never cared about that.

Your tires need to be ok, brakes good, all suspension components tight, wipers good and actually work, and the lights need to work. No rust holes.

You wouldn't believe the amount of fuel leaks and oil/power steering leaks we would fix. I always would bring the customer out and show them the underneath of their car to explain things. Most trusted us and just said fix what needs to be fixed. I have no problem with that.

We also had a wrecker service, whenever there was a fatal car accident it was impounded at the shop for the state police to investigate the vehicle. That was sobering, as sometimes it was a mechanical failure and the cops followed up on who looked at the vehicle.

I took the safety aspect very seriously.
 
I live in northern Va and it always seems that they place those roadside emission testers on exit ramps or on an incline to where you would typically have to accelerate.

I’ve probably driven past 100’s of them over the years and I always take my foot off the gas and coast past them. I’m not sure if it makes a difference or not.

Regarding safety inspections there are plenty of decent ones ( typically gas stations ) around where they check only the basics.. lights, brakes, horn, glass, etc. The worst are the tire shops and dealerships. They look for anything and everything and just gouge you.

I suspect it’s just a money grab here. I don’t see a lot of old junky vehicles on the road around here anymore. Occasionally I see something newer with a rejection sticker on it. I always figure it’s for lights or brakes.
 
Drive by sensors sounds extremely inaccurate.

Accurate enough to supply this kind of information...back in 2006:

1685411721429.webp
 
The driver behind you probably notices a difference and wonders what you're doing?

Haha probably not. I always speed up a bit before and accelerate again as soon as I completely clear the green box.

A friend of mine had an old 7.3 diesel econoline that would cough a bit of black smoke when you laid into the the throttle. He would always floor it past those testers.
 
Haha probably not. I always speed up a bit before and accelerate again as soon as I completely clear the green box.

I actually had a car of mine pass it's emissions test by driving past one of those. Still had to pay $30 but at least I didn't have to take it in for the test.

I don't drive past them anymore since they don't put them in the places I drive these days.
 
I actually had a car of mine pass it's emissions test by driving past one of those. Still had to pay $30 but at least I didn't have to take it in for the test.

I don't drive past them anymore since they don't put them in the places I drive these days.

Same for my wife. At least twice she got those letters in the mail saying she passed and could renew her tags.

I’m not sure if this has been covered, but at one time did Virginia have safety inspections twice a year?
 
I remember my first car failing inspection here in VA ('67 Cougar my dad gave me in the late '80s) b/c it had a rusted hole in the p. side floorboard. I riveted a license plate over the hole and it passed. AHAHAHAHAHA
You can then put tiger hair over the metal patch, and spray it with undercoating perfect repair!
 
I'm in Maine and have my state inspection license from when I worked at a shop. Maine is definitely a rust state and generally vehicles never make it to the 15 year mark if they are driven in the winter.

Anyone else watch any of the "just rolled in" or "customer states" youtube videos. Those alone should tell you that safety inspections are a good thing.

I always overlooked non-safty stuff, window tint and loud mufflers aren't gonna kill anyone. And a check engine light is supposed to fail, but I never cared about that.

Your tires need to be ok, brakes good, all suspension components tight, wipers good and actually work, and the lights need to work. No rust holes.

You wouldn't believe the amount of fuel leaks and oil/power steering leaks we would fix. I always would bring the customer out and show them the underneath of their car to explain things. Most trusted us and just said fix what needs to be fixed. I have no problem with that.

We also had a wrecker service, whenever there was a fatal car accident it was impounded at the shop for the state police to investigate the vehicle. That was sobering, as sometimes it was a mechanical failure and the cops followed up on who looked at the vehicle.

I took the safety aspect very seriously.

I've watched a few of those YT videos and it's kinda scary to see vehicles which are driven to the shop with paper thin brake discs and suspension components either fully detached from the body or held together with bungie cords.
 
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