It’s Saturday, May 7, and today I must get the Ceiling CatMobile emissions tested. This is always a traumatic time, which resembles my exams in college. Will the car pass? It always has but it’s now 16 years old. . . .
But enough First World problems. On this day in 1824, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony was premiered—in Vienna. In 1915, the Germans sunk the Lusitania, and, in 1945, General Jodl signed an unconditional surrender on behalf of Germany, ending the war in Europe. Notable births on this day include David Hume (1711), Johannes Brahms (1833), and, exactly 7 years later, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Gary Cooper was born on May 7, 1901, and Jimmy Ruffin on the same day in 1936. Those who died on this day include Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. (2000).
Meanwhile in Dobrzyn, Hili is relentless in her pursuit of birds, and has all kinds of schemes to catch them:
A: Hili, what are you plotting?
Hili: I’m pretending that I’m practicing yoga. Maybe the bird will be fooled.
Ja: Hili, co ty knujesz?
Hili: Udaję, że uprawiam jogę, może ten ptaszek się nie zorientuje.
Lagniappe: Cat? Or elephant? (h/t: Taskin):
Have you ever tried something like this product, PCC(E)? Works for us.
(i.e. the Guaranteed to Pass product.. looks like the ad link doesn’t work.)
Definitely an elephant.
Catifant.
Elefeline?
Surprised to hear about the need for emissions test over there in Illinois. Many states that started this some years ago have stopped. Maybe California still does it but I’m not sure. Similar to those inspections of other things on cars they once did. Mostly they were state sanctioned ways to get your money and accomplished zero. Sometimes, not always of course, regulation is a mistake.
One thing the great science posts of the last couple of days reminds me to consider — Science is one area unique in the area of regulation. It seems evident that self-regulation is the standard and maybe the only way in the various fields of science.
Ummm, why would they have stopped emissions testing? For vehicles old enough to be without a catalytic converter (and the associated integrated controls, checks, etc with alaerts integrated into the engine management computer. However egregiously the software has been doctored by the manufacturer.), then naturally you still need to do the emissions checks. And for cars with a “cat,” then they are still subject to leaking fuel injectors, holes in the pipework etc leading to incorrect cylinder and cat chemistry, which still need inspection. So, why would a motor regulation department stop testing emissions?
Anyway, on a different tack …
I don’t know the state in the US, but it is possible in the UK to rent an emissions tester rig to check your vehicle before the official test. So you know if you need a big service, little service, or crusher.
I suspect that was what SmokedPaprika was trying to link to above?
Also, if the University has an appreciable vehicle fleet themselves (for grounds and buildings maintenance, internal deliveries, etc), there is a fair chance that their motor workshop has a tester for exactly the same reasons. Gastronome professors, no matter how emeritus, can probably find sufficient common grounds with mechanics at lunchtime to get a pre-exam check done. (Certainly that was what my Dad did before he retired ; factory motor pool for similar reasons.)
If you desire all the facts, you can certainly look it up on line. Vehicle inspections and emissions testing are covered by state. It is a mixed bag on both with several states doing nothing and parts of some states doing something and on and on.
For those of us who have lived in various states we have seen it all. I lived in Texas for quite some time and they had these yearly inspections but never emission tests. The inspections were a joke and the mechanic at the gas station would adjust your headlights and charge you for each adjustment.
Cars in the U.S. have required catalytic converters since 1975 so if you are driving older stuff you probably live in Cuba. We also went to unleaded gas way before anyone else I think. If you were moving to Europe and wanted to ship your car you needed to determine if you planned to bring the car back into the states. They had regular gas in Europe and it would ruin the catalytic converter as soon as you put reg. gas in. You could remove the pebbles and then put them back in when you returned to the states. Promise…I am not making this stuff up.
I wouldn’t even know where to start for the US state, let alone the other 50 (51? – does DC have distinct regulations).
So, many people would keep their vehicles registered at their cousin over the state line, to avoid inspection? That is precisely why the three nations of the UK have identical rules – to avoid such border effects? And the regulations on the mainland of Europe are pretty homogenised too (at least, those I’ve bothered to consult when driving on the wrong side of the road).
I have literally never heard of anyone proposing doing that. The tax fees in addition to the technical issues you mention would make it such a minefield. And why – it is just a machine for getting from point A to point B, after all. Its not like it’s that difficult to learn to use a manual gear box, and drive on the “wrong side of the road”after all.
California still does emissions tests.
For our new car (2007 Prius), tested for the first time last month, it’s basically a look under the hood to be sure everything is there, and plug the testing equipment (which is connected electronically to the Department of Motor Vehicles’ computers, so stations can’t misrecord test results) into the car computer to be sure everything is working – and according to our local mechanic, that’s the way it is for post-2000 cars.
But for older cars, there’s a dynamometer test. I like the idea of getting/keeping polluting cars off the road, but our old car (1997 Civic) always comes in well under the limits and yet has to go to a “test only” station every 2 years to have its emissions roadworthiness confirmed.
There ought to be a system that sets the testing interval based on past test results.
My 1993 Toyota Celica passed the test again three days ago and has never failed a smog check.