More on AB2683, Repeal of the 30 year smog exemption Options

[lapuwali]

Been watching this one.

An analysis done on the 21st stated that an obstacle to the law is the DMV states they need to know if 1976 cars will be exempt or not by July of this year in order to get proper notification out to owners of 1976 cars. However, with the legislative process being what it is, the analyst felt that it couldn't get to Schwarzenegger's desk before September. So, they suggested moving the cutoff to 1977 to solve the timing problem with the DMV.

So far, no word on whether or not this will happen. If so, all 914s would be exempt, and they'd be COMPLETELY exempt, as in they'd be exempt from the regulation, not just the test. If not, there's a chance this may die in the appropriations committee (where it's sitting now) from lack of attention. In any case, there's a decent chance owners of '76s be able to escape this. If it were reintroduced next session, it would have to have a '77 or later cutoff date.

[lapuwali]

I want to see cars from the 80s taken off the road because they haven't been maintained and can no longer pass smog.

I've heard the same attitude expressed about 70s cars, or even 60s cars. The entire rationale behind the 30 year exemption is that if it's made it that long and it's still running, the odds are very good that it's owned by someone who loves it and is maintaining it. Sure, there are a number of 80s "smokers" out there, but there were the same number of 70s "smokers" 10 years ago. Most of those have finally expired and were junked (or they're sitting in someone's driveway or sideyard unused). The statistics show the environmentalists themselves use show that 30 year old cars make up less than 3% of the cars on the road. Ten years from now, I still expect 30 year old cars to make up less 3% of the cars on the road, no matter what laws pass between now and then. I've talked to people who tell me they see "several" 70s cars belching out black smoke on the freeway to work every day, saying "they all oughta be outlawed". They fail to remember that: a) there are actually laws about producing visible amounts of smoke, (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool.gif) that single car is surrounded by thousands of other cars that producing 0.01% of the emissions it does, so that one car affects air quality about as much as one smoker in a crowded football stadium, c) that 70s smoker won't likely be on the road next year, probably not even next month. Cars can't do that for long before they die.

I'm all for clean air. I just don't think the current test regimen is the way to get it. I'd be quite happy to submit to a regular test for ALL of my cars, regardless of year, so long as I didn't need to meet the visual test requirements. While I can, as you state, upgrade my car to a newer engine complete with all of the smog gear and pass, I cannot replace a carburator with modern EFI and pass, even if the emissions numbers are substantially better with the EFI setup. I cannot remove an air pump even if it contributes NOTHING to emissions reductions (and it doesn't, unless the mixture is wildly rich, which is why you don't see them anymore). If my air pump doesn't work and I can't find a replacement (a common situation), I cannot pass, even if I pass the sniff test with excellent numbers.

The system, as it's set up now, is designed to stop the tiny fraction of people who would try to circumvent the system by altering their cars in a way that would pass the sniff test, but somehow produce more emissions. Most people just aren't that smart, and even fewer are really interested in doing something so silly. California is the ONLY state I know of with a visual aspect to the test. All of the other states assume if you pass the tailpipe test, you're meeting the requirements. Get rid of the visual and I'd agree that not only should the 30 year exemption be removed, but ALL exemptions should be removed (back to 1965, anyway). California is also alone (so far as I know) in only requiring testing every OTHER year. Most states that test require testing every year. A great many states also require testing of much more dangerous items, like brake hoses and steering. Air quality is one thing, but bad brakes are a much more immediate danger to the public. So, since California's testing is so bad, I'm all in favor of exempting as many cars from it as possible, esp. those cars that are very likely to be owned by people who will maintain the car. A 30 year old requirement seems a sensible way to achieve that. Let the morons with their 10 year old smoking Corollas with about to fail wheel bearings and cracked brake hoses fail smog just to get them off the road.