so I don't want to
>upset any tree huggers out there, but emission tests are a fraud. We had
>them instituted in Minnesota about 7 years ago. The state did a study over
>the next five years that showed that the emissions in the state did
>nothing. That's right, they did nothing, neither went up or down. So the
>state, in one of it's more intelligent moves, stopped testing vehicles.
>That's right, I don't have to pay the $15 fee once a year, have idiots mess
>with my car, or sit in a line for an hour. All of you out there should
>petition your state government to get rid of these hassles, I mean tests.
>Tell them to look at what they did in Minnesota.
>Peace,
>Peder
>'84 Westy

I agree to all the negatives of the various testing regimen's; in Florida we
had testing for a number of years.  Then a governor- who supposedly had a
very bad experience with the process- was voted in to office.  The entire
state-wide inspection system (which covered many systems such as brakes,
lights, seatbelts, etc.) was subsequently closed.   The number of cars on
the road with obvious problems like terrible exhaust plumes, dead
headlights, etc went up cosiderably.  I can't imagine how many accidents
have come about due to poor brakes that were never fixed.
        But on to the debate about emissions testing: just because the
emissions have not changed (when judged by those particular measuring
standards) doesn't neccessarily mean the testing itself is bogus.  Many
federal and state emission laws/rules have been changed or enforced so
poorly that it would be impossible to determine which portion of the
emissions came from a particular source. Not to mention the huge number of
SUV's that have come on to the market, which have generally poorer gas
mileage, putting out more emissions of all types. Oh well, I guess I'm just
another tree hugger with a thin skin.