dabsevo

There was a lot of buzz about this around 2012 and 2011 but I have never seen one to date. Such a waste of money.. Anyway there seems to be 2 kinds... one is an actual mobile smog station with workers and the other is a mobile detector on the freeway onramps that take your car's picture if it's emitting too much gas and sends you a reminder letter in the mail.
Are these still going on? Any of you californians (socal particularly) running xpipes and hpipes and have encountered such a thing? I hear they exist, never seen one. I'm wondering if it's died down because whoever OKed the program realized it was such a stupid and thoughtless task to start.

danzcool

I heard about one in Norcal last summer, I guess they actually set up on a street that is 2 or more lanes in each direction and CHP direct "random" vehicles to it. Participation is voluntary, but they don't let you know that... all they can do is take down the license plate number and let you go, the real question is what they do with it? From what I've heard it's just a huge waste of time.

VistaBlue09

Okay, danzcool, how the heck do you pass smog here in CA with that beast of a Mustang?

dabsevo

damn so apparently they still have these in so cal. wow biggest waste of taxpayers money

Z28KLR

According to somebody I know who works for BAR, as mentioned above yes they are "voluntary" but they are staffed with a CHP officer as to encourage volunteers. They cannot cite gross polluters at these things, either - although while you're there I suppose an officer could ask for license, registration and proof of insurance, just to fish a little. The purpose of them is to help evaluate the effectiveness of the state's vehicle/smog inspection program.

I have heard of the one where they sit on the side of the road zapping cars with a smog gun (if such a device exists), but only in the context of legend.


OP, regarding your other concerns (and I hate to drag this into politics here, but...), when dealing with liberal ideas or policies, as our state so happens to be at the forefront of, they are never judged on the merit of effectiveness but rather intent. When effectiveness is found to be lacking - as it often is, it is explained (by the liberals defending the policy) that it needs more money and more time. Bad ideas are bad ideas, regardless of how you impliment, manage or enforce them.

Z28KLR

I have doubts that he would want to answer that publicly, haha.