Share Pics of People Hauling or Towing Something Wrong

[two_bit_score]

I'm not the one who says that they don't. I know of numerous accidents due to mechanical failure, including two which I have cited in this thread. This spring a state trooper was killed while helping a motorist who went off the road; he was struck by a tractor trailer tire and wheel which had come off a passing semi. A local man was seriously injured a couple of years ago when he hit a bump and the frame on his Subaru failed.

A question I've asked before, yet nobody has answered; even though you don't have inspections, are you still required to keep them safe?
If an officer hears metal on metal when you put on the brakes, is he allowed to pull you over and require that you get it fixed? If so, does it happen?

There are 3 really good ways to keep an unnecessary law on the books. 1) claim it’s for the purpose of “public protection or 2) claim its “for the children” or 3) both.

99.9% of the time it’s really about money that can be made as the result of government compelling compliance with needless but meddlesome and aggravating regulations.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

There are 3 really good ways to keep an unnecessary law on the books. 1) claim it’s for the purpose of “public protection or 2) claim its “for the children” or 3) both.

99.9% of the time it’s really about money that can be made as the result of government compelling compliance with needless but meddlesome and aggravating regulations.

Like emissions inspections, only a very small number fail.

 

[4570Man]

I saw this guy today.

 

[DieselBound]

There are 3 really good ways to keep an unnecessary law on the books. 1) claim it’s for the purpose of “public protection or 2) claim its “for the children” or 3) both.

99.9% of the time it’s really about money that can be made as the result of government compelling compliance with needless but meddlesome and aggravating regulations.

Injecting "unnecessary" pretty much biases your point, does it not?

YOU may believe that something is "unnecessary," but that don't mean that it is.

Anecdotals for extremes for just about everything can be found.

If inspections are meaningless then we ought to consider getting rid of all of them, even for trucking. And while we're at it, let's do away with driver certification as well.

 

[4570Man]

And while we're at it, let's do away with driver certification as well.

You might as well. What would it take to fail? Crashing and killing the examiner maybe?

 

[two_bit_score]

I'm not the one who says that they don't. I know of numerous accidents due to mechanical failure, including two which I have cited in this thread. This spring a state trooper was killed while helping a motorist who went off the road; he was struck by a tractor trailer tire and wheel which had come off a passing semi. A local man was seriously injured a couple of years ago when he hit a bump and the frame on his Subaru failed.

A question I've asked before, yet nobody has answered; even though you don't have inspections, are you still required to keep them safe?
If an officer hears metal on metal when you put on the brakes, is he allowed to pull you over and require that you get it fixed? If so, does it happen?

There are so many flaws in the logic of this post it’s unreal. First of all you didn’t ‘cite’ any case. You mentioned two anecdotes without actually citing any verifiable references of causal connection between a safety inspection and the two situations you mention.

Your final statement is an argument against your first. In those two situations the failure was the cause of enforcement unless you expect us to believe that nothing was done to penalize the operator IF in fact they had some responsibility for the failure.

Just because a mechanical failure occurred doesn’t automatically mean it would have been prevented by a law requiring the normal vehicle inspection. Your statements imply that because states require motor vehicle inspections that there would never be accidents caused by mechanical failures because everyone complies with the law.

That’s the same thinking as assuming that government can eliminate crime by having gun free zones.

And most states do have laws prohibiting operation of dangerous vehicles on public roadways, by the way.


.

 

[DieselBound]

You might as well. What would it take to fail? Crashing and killing the examiner maybe?

Of course. And, we should get rid of airline safety too! Big corporations would be able to get out of any damage claims because, well, because: "It was an act of god!"

 

[4570Man]

Of course. And, we should get rid of airline safety too! Big corporations would be able to get out of any damage claims because, well, because: "It was an act of god!"

The testing for a CDL is more strict but do you think a regular DL is much more than a piece of plastic? Maybe a useful piece of ID but completely useless for a qualification on your driving ability.

 

[two_bit_score]

And while we're at it, let's do away with driver certification as well.

You might as well. What would it take to fail? Crashing and killing the examiner maybe?

The fact is that many states pretty much have already. Some allow parents to teach kids how to drive without using any formal school or curriculum. As long as the kids can pass a very short road test with an officer that doesn’t even include parallel parking they get a license. Both my sons were licensed this way and neither has ever been in an accident. They are very safe drivers.

 

[two_bit_score]

Like emissions inspections, only a very small number fail.

Ahhhh, emissions. What a scam that is. In some states emissions testing only applies to certain counties! So in Harris County I have to be emissions tested but the next county over somehow has an invisible barrier that keeps the emissions out!? Kinda like the old ‘smoking section’ that was right next to the ‘non smoking section’!!!

In reality speed probably is the most dangerous factor and states are raising the speed limits on rural highways to ridiculous. You can drive 85mph on some highways now.

The fact is you are never going to regulate human behavior to such an extent that ALL accidents will be eliminated.


.

 

[two_bit_score]

The testing for a CDL is more strict but do you think a regular DL is much more than a piece of plastic? Maybe a useful piece of ID but completely useless for a qualification on your driving ability.

Exactly! And there is a big difference in a commercial vehicle carrying a 30k load with a single 1 inch strap rated for 1k draped over it and a trucker who has a flat changed and the shop doesn’t torque the lug nuts correctly causing the wheel to come loose 20 miles down the road and kill someone.

 

[Fallon]

I saw this guy today. View attachment 610088

I'm trying to see the obvious problem & failing. It's a big trailer & the back is sagging a bit, but nothing definitive. If its empty or has a couple bikes in it, it's well within the capabilities of a half ton truck. Might need to re-ballance the load a bit, but better a bit much tongue weight than not enough.

Safety chains may be dragging, but it's hard to tell in the photo.

 

[4570Man]

I'm trying to see the obvious problem & failing. It's a big trailer & the back is sagging a bit, but nothing definitive. If its empty or has a couple bikes in it, it's well within the capabilities of a half ton truck. Might need to re-ballance the load a bit, but better a bit much tongue weight than not enough.

Safety chains may be dragging, but it's hard to tell in the photo.

There’s no problem until a cross wind puts him driving on his side.. well that and the truck is nearly dragging the ground.

 

[lilranch2001]

I think he is in at Kentucky Fried bulking up for the cross wind!

 

[LD48750]

I'm not the one who says that they don't. I know of numerous accidents due to mechanical failure, including two which I have cited in this thread. This spring a state trooper was killed while helping a motorist who went off the road; he was struck by a tractor trailer tire and wheel which had come off a passing semi. A local man was seriously injured a couple of years ago when he hit a bump and the frame on his Subaru failed.

So..... you are saying in spite of your states "Safety" inspections, these equipment failures STILL happened.

And yet you argue for the value of them?

 

[Jstpssng]

So..... you are saying in spite of your states "Safety" inspections, these equipment failures STILL happened.

And yet you argue for the value of them?

I'm arguing that people should be expected to keep their vehicles safe and giving examples of how people don't know or care that they aren't. I'm also still waiting to hear if people in states without inspections have standards to meet such as adequate tires, brakes, exhaust, and steering components; and if there are penalties for failure to do so. I know that I do major front end work about every other year because I like going down the road in a straight line, and check my front end and pull a wheel at least twice a year; yet how many people don't have a clue what to check? I know of one person who argues that he really doesn't need back brakes because the front ones do most of the stopping; and another who thought that adding brake fluid was all that she needed to do even though you could hear the metal scraping on metal.

This isn't a unique discussion; this 2015 article discusses the pros and cons. A couple of highlights;

That doesn't mean that inspections do not help, the GAO says. Their effectiveness is hard to measure because of a lack of national data on crashes, and because police have little time to investigate whether safety problems contributed to an accident.

and

Dougall argued, as the GAO report says, that few crashes are reported caused by equipment failures, and he wanted to use money saved by eliminating the program to hire more Highway Patrol officers to better enforce driving laws. Others argued halting inspections would compromise safety.

I know that some of the above will be taken out of context to prove a point, but it really states that there is no way of knowing if vehicular failure is the cause of many accidents because nobody has the time to check.

 

[lilranch2001]

This is an argument that could go on for months, lets move on to funny pics!

 

[Code54]

So..... you are saying in spite of your states "Safety" inspections, these equipment failures STILL happened.

And yet you argue for the value of them?

Why could it not still happen??? The state inspector has maybe 20 minutes to look at the car once a year - he does not drive home with you and live in your garage so he can monitor the car and its usage..... Vehicles are only inspected yearly in most states, a LOT can change in 11 month - some people drive a 1000 miles other could drive 30000 miles in that same time frame. These inspections are set up for people who don't take care of their vehicle, not the DYI people that care about their stuff and safety of the vehicle and others. Around us it is not unheard of that people will borrow tires. - they will literally switch the rims and tires from a vehicle with another to get through inspection then switch them back. You see "lift kits" on trucks where they weld pieces of bed frame to their truck frame to lower spring mounts to make it higher.
I have personally witnessed several vehicles where the state inspection has help correct an unsafe condition or kept a car off the road. Even if it only prevents one death a year isn't it worth it? Do you want that unsafe car busting a ball joint and slamming into someone you love and care about? I know I don't.....

 

[PILOON]

Re safety inspections---------
Guy had a big van that the catalytic convertor had been removed and needed to be inspected.
The farce is that the inspection only covers safety related items and not the convertor as that's an environment issue.
In the 'not my job' category.

 

[LD48750]

Why could it not still happen??? The state inspector has maybe 20 minutes to look at the car once a year - he does not drive home with you and live in your garage so he can monitor the car and its usage..... Vehicles are only inspected yearly in most states, a LOT can change in 11 month - some people drive a 1000 miles other could drive 30000 miles in that same time frame. These inspections are set up for people who don't take care of their vehicle, not the DYI people that care about their stuff and safety of the vehicle and others. Around us it is not unheard of that people will borrow tires. - they will literally switch the rims and tires from a vehicle with another to get through inspection then switch them back. You see "lift kits" on trucks where they weld pieces of bed frame to their truck frame to lower spring mounts to make it higher.
I have personally witnessed several vehicles where the state inspection has help correct an unsafe condition or kept a car off the road. Even if it only prevents one death a year isn't it worth it? Do you want that unsafe car busting a ball joint and slamming into someone you love and care about? I know I don't.....

So.. again you are saying the inspections once a year don't prevent the accidents you fear most.

The only thing they accomplish is costing drivers $$$$$ .