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Car Guy
Bald Tires and Worn Out Brakes
The safety inspection racket at an Officially Authorized service station near you.
One of the hallmarks of the Clover Mind (that is, of the anti-liberty mind) is acceptance, as an article of faith, that most people are too dumb to do that which is in their self-interest without the prod of “the law.” Vehicle safety inspections are a case in point.
Many states require you to waste an hour or more (in some cases a lot more) of your time every year — for every vehicle you own — waiting in line to have the vehicle given a once-over at an Officially Authorized service station. In return for your time (and money) you get an ugly little sticker for the windshield, your permission slip to continue operating the vehicle.
The argument, as presented by Clovers, is that most people would never check their brakes, or drive around on bald tires, were it not for these annual safety inspections. In other words, most people (in the Clovers’ worldview) are just too dumb to keep track of such things for themselves. And in a way, they’re right. But not for the reasons they think.
Cloverism breeds Clovers.
That is, the taking away of personal responsibility by “for your own good” laws tends to breed people (Clovers) increasingly incapable of exercising either personal initiative or personal responsibility. Instead, they Wait to be Told What to Do.
And I think that is just what is wanted. Herd-cattle. Compliant, unquestioning.
With regard to vehicle inspections: The average person no longer takes any interest in the functional aspects of his or her car. It has become an appliance — and they’re as likely to pop the hood and check the oil (or notice that the tires are looking ratty) as they are to read up about the role of the Federal Reserve and fiat currency as they relate to our current economic woes.
Let someone else take care of that.
Responsibility is not eliminated — just transferred. Instead of mentally awake people taking responsibility for themselves and their own lives, they surrender both to the Clovers — who know best. This has become so ingrained, so commonplace, that most people aren’t even aware of it anymore, much less offended by the degradation it implies.
Consider: The mentally awake person who does take responsibility for his life — and thus for his vehicle’s upkeep — will pay attention to such things as the condition of the tires and the function of the brakes. He will look at whether the exhaust note has changed and whether the windshield wipers have begun to streak. He will notice such things — and take the appropriate action — because it is in his self-interest to do so. Only an idiot — a Clover — would drive a car with worn-out tires or bad brakes (or both).
But because there are so many Clovers out there (more of them all the time, it seems) the mentally awake, responsible car owner who takes good care of his car — because he is mentally awake and responsible and understands that by doing so he is taking care of himself — must nonetheless join the Clover Queu at the gas station, waiting pointlessly (and expensively) in line and going through all the rigmarole in order to get his little sticker confirming that, indeed, he is not a moron.
It’s a cynical, circular, and self-fulfilling way of viewing the world: People are irresponsible so we’ll “guide” (that is, force) them along the proper path. This has the effect of making people less and less responsible, which in turn requires more and more laws (and more and more force).
The excellent (if not well-known) film, Idiocracy, showed us how this dynamic ultimately plays out, but we can see it all around us already: The passivity; the servile acceptance; the cow-like instinct to just go along (and never go it alone).
This is probably the conscious ultimate goal of the uber-Clovers, the ones running the show. Orwell called them the Inner Party; Lenin the Vanguard of the Proletariat. The names don’t really matter. But the ends (and means) do.
Motor vehicle safety inspections may seem like a trivial thing. But the principle at issue is of extreme importance.
About the Author
Eric Peters is an automotive columnist and author of Automotive Atrocities: The Cars You Love to Hate (Motor Books International) and a new book, Road Hogs.
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Pelligrino| 8.18.11 @ 6:27AM
I believe that South Carolina does not require annual inspections for personally owned and operated vehicles. What are other states that do not require it?
Additionally, isn't the whole thing a racket to increase customer spending at the local garages and car dealerships? After all, why should a new car, a car only 12 or 24 months old require this very rapid, cursory, imprecise inspection?
Redstateboy| 8.18.11 @ 9:27AM
Racket is Right! Thank God we don't have Manditory Auto inspections in TN. but up in the People's Republic of NY - the Gulag I escaped from - they do and who precisely do manditory auto inspections really hurt..??? The person driving and can afford a New Honda Accord or the poor minimum wage schumck just trying to survive having to put along in 94' Dodge Caravan?
How bout the widowed retired woman dutifully coming in and some unscrupulous piece of Schitt chargers her $128.50 because her Rear License plate Lamp is out... of course it's just the bulb itself but this piece of work cons her in to believing the whole socket and wiring are shot and blah, blah, blah.. and so she says... "well ok, if it needs it - it needs it." and she puts it on her credit card - oh but this stuff doesn't really happen in Liber-ul La-Lal Land.. in Liber-ul LaLa Land.. everythings Be-u-t-ful and ofcourse they can't be faulted.. they have the best intensions.
Dan Hirsch| 8.18.11 @ 10:11AM
Illinois and Wisconsin do not require any inspection other than the emissions testing. Which is the federally driven version of vehicle safety inspections.
Don't tread on me.
LiveFreeOrDie| 8.18.11 @ 12:55PM
Emissions testing is what I have the biggest problem with. So what if my vehicle is putting out 0.02ppm too much of C02? Another end-around to regulate carbon, a well established non-pollutant.
Tomas| 8.19.11 @ 7:01AM
If you think vehicle safety testing is only about tires and brakes, you're as dumb as the people Peters purports to be assuaging.
Years ago my little brown Honda Civic wagon sat on a lift for its annual checkup. The inspector called me into the garage, poked his finger through the rusted frame, and said, "You're lucky to be alive."
How many times a week do you get on your hands and knees and check out the frame of your car?
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Brother John| 8.19.11 @ 9:00AM
This is precisely what Peters' point is: that no one actually does look around inside and under their car because it's been "someone else's job" for far too long. Once you legitimize the lowest common denominator way of thinking, everyone gets screwed.
Paul Kotik| 8.18.11 @ 6:28AM
One of the many things I love about the State of Florida is that she doesn't know from mandatory vehicle safety inspections.
Stuart Koehl| 8.18.11 @ 12:17PM
It wouldn't make any difference. Floridians are amazingly creative in the ways they can find to kill themselves while driving mechanically perfect automobiles.
Brother John| 8.18.11 @ 7:06AM
States vary widely with regard to this racket. There are those that require it every year, every two years, only at the time of purchase or transfer. It most certainly is a racket, since the damn thing - along with yearly registration renewal, where's the rationale there?? - totals over $75 in some places.
Peters is exactly right, this breeds carelessness and inattentiveness, and it bleeds over into all other areas of life, their lousy driving just to begin with, though I've called it something like the helmet-to-helmet effect. In football, someone gets hurt, and we must therefore cover these players (who are playing voluntarily and in most cases being compensated very well indeed for it) in many pounds more armor and padding - and the play becomes rougher and uglier as a result.
Dan Hirsch| 8.18.11 @ 10:14AM
That is what the Darwin awards are for. While Darwin may have been right about natural selection in small localized environs, he is NOT proved in getting us from pre-historic oceans of slime Larry Ellison's Oracle...
P. Long| 8.18.11 @ 7:48AM
Partly nannie lawmakers, mostly just another way to make money. It's the same with a most of the laws and regs in our buttoned down society. The cow mentality is absolutely essential to survive without going stark raving mad. I.E. In Texas we are absolutely free to buy and own property, as long as we pay rent on that property in the form of property taxes----for ever!!
TrueBlue| 8.18.11 @ 10:43AM
Property taxes have always made me want to shoot somebody. If I own the land, why the hell am I still paying for it? Let alone to someone that never had any claim on it in the first place! In very few places has the state actually owned the land, and even if they did, once you pay the value of the property why are you still paying taxes on it? Property taxes are nothing but a fine by the government for having the gall to own your own land.
Mike 3/505| 8.18.11 @ 7:36PM
Once upon a time, owning property & perhaps payi g taxes on it, brought the benefit of being able to vote. It that were still true, I'd be willing to pay...especially if it precluded non-taxpayers from voting.
Regards,
Mike
Pelligrino| 8.18.11 @ 11:53PM
Correct, Mike. Although it wouldn't be perfect (nothing is), there should be a return to something akin to how our original colonists could vote. One had to be male, over 20 in age, a property owner, and churchgoer.
Now I know that last one would ruffle a lot of feathers.
But there is merit to this. A congregant that is not just a solid attendee but also a church member is 1) tied to the community; 2) kept aware of what is occuring in the community through the many assocations at church; 3) kept mindful of the needs of the community; 4) ought to be regularly provided the best wisdom and moral guidance available through Bible teaching, sermons, hymns, times of prayer; 5) always able to see where private charity, church charity/projects, or state projects differ/divide -- which they do.
I am rather certain that back then a man could not just be a very passive churchgoer; membership in a church meant dedication, a very active role with other congregants in the well-being, upkeep, concern for neighbors and real needs of the community.
It might mean something to pay property taxes if it this distinguished you from the man living 2 miles away who resides in Title 8 housing.
Today we tell you that the two of you are equal, so he is also entitled to vote. He lives on welfare and food stamps and his vote on election day nullifies yours. Thus liberalism stands at least a 50-50 chance of winning every time.
P.Smith| 8.18.11 @ 8:00AM
Vehicle inspections are not required in Alabama.
When I was a kid Georgia required inspections, but if you knew the right person it was easy to get one. One of my Dad’s best friends ran a service station that did car inspections for the state. I had a 1949 Willys Military Jeep that had no blinkers, brake lights, horn, front windshield, the suspension was loose and worn out, but I had an inspection sticker for it. I stuck it to a piece of Plexiglas and kept it in my glove box. I seldom exceeded 40 mph, drove manly on secondary and dirt roads, and I knew the vehicles limitations, so even in its sad state of repair, the old Jeep was fairly safe.
Several years later Georgia got rid of the inspection system because it was widely known to not be effective.
Gary| 8.18.11 @ 8:24AM
Well said P. Smith. I grew up in Pennsylvania during which time the state required TWICE yearly inspections. I used to run "illegal" headers on my old bugs but I knew the right guy to see (and pay) to get the sticker! Funny thing. I now live in Ohio (no inspection required) but I don't see any more rattletrap clunkers on the road here than I did in PA. Hmm?
Mike Hawk| 8.18.11 @ 10:43AM
I do not recall PA ever needing twice yearly inspections. I do see vehicles with stickers tooling around with soft tires, lights out, mufflers dragging etc. just as in the days of yore. Not sure how effective it is. I do know I maintain and repair my own vehicle as far as possible. My 95 Blazer has 250,000 miles on it and is in good shape. Cheaper to maintain than to buy a new one. If it were a 1966 Chevelle, I could disassemble the whole thing and put it back together, the later ones I just don't have the electronic machines to do some of the required mandated testing with.
DaveD| 8.18.11 @ 8:34AM
Minnesota had an inspection system, government run, for several years. Finally, after study after study showed that less than 1/2 of one percent of cars failed the inspection, the system was shut down. If this can happen in a liberal Mecca like Minnesota, it can happen anywhere.
DaveD| 8.18.11 @ 8:39AM
Nuts, hit the wrong button. Although, Minnesota's inspection was NOT completely safety related. It was about two silly minutes to make sure that (1) your catalytic converter was still attached and working, (2) your gas filler tube was still the proper size for unleaded gas, and (3) your headlights and signal lights worked. Complete waste of time.
Hillel| 8.18.11 @ 8:38AM
There ARE a lot of rattle trap vehicles on the road. One of the biggest offenders is charter buses to gambling casinos. I've been hoping that the Million Dollar made in Canada Luxo bus that is conveying our president, might slide off the road one night.
rendite| 8.19.11 @ 12:17AM
And those drivers driving the casino bound buses....they need inspecting, too. The Chinese man who fell asleep at the wheel? (driver fatigue) http://www.washingtontimes.com.....-virginia/
and http://www.washingtonpost.com/.....01436.html
Say, what's with the Chinese and their love for gambling? Atlantic City, New Jersey as a desired destination for them. (For strategic thinking over the next 20 years: Something to exploit?)
JimH| 8.18.11 @ 8:41AM
Part of the problem is that with all the government mandated crap in a modern car it is no longer maintanable by the average person. The car makers are happy to go along because of the money made servicing them.
TrueBlue| 8.18.11 @ 10:47AM
You can still maintain the majority of the vehicle, just not all of it anymore. Not all of the changes are government mandated either, sadly, the car companies caught on all on their own.
Storage Steve| 8.18.11 @ 2:19PM
I have a 2004 sonata which has 160k and every year the check engine light comes on which in TX keeps it from passing inspection, I have to take it to the dealer and for $150 he says the sensor is bad and changes it and its good for another year. Now I asked him why the sensor keeps going out and he says that's just the way they were built. So it costs me the inpection fee plus the $150. I think there was one year that the sensor lasted over a year so I only had to pay an inspection fee. Now to me that seems like a racket.
Pecos Pete| 8.18.11 @ 8:58AM
New Mexico does not have a vehicle inspection law for registration of a personal vehicle. Just registered my 1998 F-150 for a two-year period for a total cost of $120.
On the other hand, I do agree with Eric that there are lots of Clovers ruining our country.
Tiddly| 8.18.11 @ 10:48PM
New Mexico did have a vehicle inspection law, in the early 70s. I worked in a gas station while I went to college and gave out hundreds of those stickers. Headlights, taillights, turn signals, windshield wipers, and horn had to work, and then for a few bucks you put this sticker on your windshield and were good to go. I don't remember when it was dropped.
PCC| 8.18.11 @ 9:20AM
"This is probably the conscious ultimate goal of the uber-Clovers, the ones running the show. Orwell called them the Inner Party; Lenin the Vanguard of the Proletariat."
Today we call them the TSA and Homeland Security.
Dave | 8.18.11 @ 9:38AM
Let's cut through the bureaucratic feldergarb and call a spade a spade. The car inspection racket carries the same sub-definition as California's smog checks, red light cameras, taxes relabeled as "fees", parking meters, Obamacare and the always popular Personal Injury Lawyers.
When the filtering is finished and the b.s. removed, "it's all about ... the Benjamins." And at the end of the day, ain't nothing changed but ... the labels.
Totally Fed Up| 8.18.11 @ 9:47AM
I tend to agree that the Nanny-state mentality has taken over... though while I lived in Tn, I did see an inordinate amount of vehicles that were spewing so much smoke ("bug bombs") that the drivers behind them couldn't see... and heard many 20+ yr old cars come up behind me with brakes-a-squeeling... would agree to no inspections... but if you cause an accident because your car is unsafe how about you lose the car, and your license for a few years? This would only affect the irresponsible....
Pelligrino| 8.19.11 @ 12:27AM
How about just: Mandatory bi-annual very thorough inspections for vehicles 10 years old and older?
That would get the lemons off the road. When a car's sale value is below $3,000, you think long and hard before investing $1,500 in parts & repairs to keep it "legal" on the roads.
**And mandatory annual vehicle inspections for those with DUIs or those involved in bad accidents and found to be the improper drivers. (Yes, might have lost the license for a few years. Once license regained and driving, that motorist's vehicle must be annualy inspected.)
Phil the Troll| 1.27.12 @ 11:59PM
How about personal responsibility? Bi-annual inspections, really?
Petronius| 8.18.11 @ 9:51AM
This stuff is really the do good buttinski's path to political parasitism. We had an emission test mandate shoved down our throats by Republican state Rep Neil St. Onge, who's green graft cost taxpayers a ton and was next to useless. Needless to say, being in on the deal, he retired quite early.
On the safety side, inspections only prevent honest people from operating a truly dangerous vehicle. The bottom feeders who don't take care of anything usually have one road worthy car and more than one jalopy, (also untitled). They get the good one inspected. Then they put one of the plates on the wreck they drive every day. The economic choice is between taxes, insurance, and maintenance or cigarettes and booze. Way to go cloverheads! It is written in the Sagas. "If it be so ordained, another way will be found."
Just for the sake of the argument, I wonder what the reaction of all the control freaks now in office, messing up our lives would be to a Bureau of Character Compliance run by Real Mature Americans vested with the authority to tell people who are irresponsible they will not be allowed to reproduce. Any takers?
Remember what happened the year after women got to vote: Prohibition!
Our polity is brought to you today by the letter E; for economics, envy, enmity, and worst of all, Emotion.
Kingofthenet| 8.18.11 @ 9:55AM
One new idea I like for cars is 'Flex Fuel' the idea of being able to shop around on any particular day and buying the cheapest fuel that day sounds appealing, like Gas, Diesel, Bio Diesel, Natural gas or Propane. Only two problems I see, it can't add more than $1,000 to the cost of the car and what do you do when you are getting 'low' and need to refill? I mean you can't mix Gas and Diesel, it would create a mess of hydrocarbons that most likely would be incompatible, much less adding non liquid fuels like Natural gas or propane? How does that work, multiple tanks?
HoosierDaddy| 8.18.11 @ 10:41AM
People who know not of which they speak should remain silent. It is not practically feasible to design an engine that switches from running gas to diesel--the technologies are mutually exclusive due to the vastly differing compression ratios.
It's possible, but quirky and expensive to get a gas engine to run propane or natural gas. This has been tried many time with limited, marginal success.
Many new vehicles are already designed as "flex-fuel", being designed to run on normal gasoline or E85. E85 seems an attractive option at the pumps since it's noticeably cheaper than gas, but it's actually more costly than gas on a per mile basis. The reason is that alcohol has a considerably lower heat content than gasoline per gallon, therefore when running E85 you take a noticeable mileage hit.
Pecos Pete| 8.18.11 @ 12:05PM
And, all that alcohol REALLY screws up anything that is not designed to tolerate alcohol. For a less expensive test than an automobile, use E85 in your lawn mower and watch it disintegrate. Well, not entirely disintegrate, the stuff that isn't touched by the fuel will simple rust away from an inability to use the engine.
Stuart Koehl| 8.18.11 @ 12:28PM
On vacation in North Carolina last spring, I ran across gas stations that sell what they call "real gas"--100% petroleum, no ethanol added. This allowed me to do a performance comparison with my 2002 Honda Odyssey. Using standard gas (10% ethanol), the vehicle was averaging about 25 mpg on the highway (driving at typical Carolina speeds of 75-80 mph). Using Real Gas, my mileage shot up to 29 mpg, a 14% increase. At the same time, Real Gas was selling for $1.44/gallon, vs. $1.55 for 10% Ethanol--8% less. So, by my estimation, the 10% ethanol added to my gas costs me approximately 20-22% more per mile driven than just regular gas (and that does not count the indirect cost of the ethanol subsidy or higher prices for corn-based food products). This helps the economy. . . how?
Petronius| 8.18.11 @ 5:19PM
That's the scam of ethanol. Lower MPG means higher fuel Taxes for us. Add the corn subsidy to the price at the pump.
John Navratil| 8.18.11 @ 10:57AM
Kingofthenet,
FlexFuel means being able to run E85, not diesel or propane. It's also wy a Chevy Tahoe get 75 MPG for the purposes of the CAFE standard while a Ford Focus only gets 30.
Aquanomics| 8.18.11 @ 10:24AM
No safety inspections here in NV, but we do check emissions. New vehicles get a 2-year exemption on emissions check.
Can't tell you how often I see people speeding along the interstate with a 'space saver' tire on one corner. All such clearly state a max speed, but it is typically ignored. Jail those drivers, impound their cars, but leave the rest of us alone.
Kingofthenet| 8.18.11 @ 10:50AM
First thing I do when I buy a 'new' car is go to the junkyard and get a full size spare.
JeffB| 8.18.11 @ 10:57AM
I still can't believe that the state of California, the greast nanny state of them all, has no vehicle inspection aside from emmissions. With so many millions of cars and bad drivers you would expect carnage at every turn but I guess mechanical failure is almost never a cause of accidents.
All that happens here is if a cop sees you with bald tires, cracked glass or non working lights you get a fix-it ticket and have 30 days to make a repair and get it signed off,
Pelligrino| 8.19.11 @ 12:37AM
JeffB, very interesting. That surprises me then, too, for California. Please tell us about how much the annual (is it annual?) emissions test costs.
Perhaps the state government of California makes up the "lost revenue" through no inspections on annual vehicle property taxes (how high?), annual vehicle registration fees, and taxes on top of the gallon price at the pump?
Surely they know how to gouge the citizens very well in Sacramento. Or?
Kingofthenet| 8.18.11 @ 11:27AM
It's a game EVEN if it were possible to pass a law that 100% of US oil reserves went to the US, it would mean NOTHING! Why? because even with 100% of Domestic oil going to the USA, it would only account for a small percentage of what we use, OPEC would get angry and limit production so the WHOLE WORLD would be chasing after limited oil raising prices.Besides the environmental concerns there is a VERY good reason for not drilling in Anwar. Peak Oil is coming whether you like it or not, when who knows? All I know is I'd rather 'Use Up' Foreign Oil first and have a cushion to fall back on when we REALLY need it, rather than using it all up now and leaving us in a venerable spot in the future.
Rich D| 8.18.11 @ 11:49AM
Still venturing outside of your expertise, I see.
John Navratil| 8.18.11 @ 12:26PM
Kingofthenet,
If you really believed that the market for oil is not a world market and as we import most of our oil from Mexico and Canada, we would, by your reasoning, have nothing to worry about.
Occam's Tool| 8.18.11 @ 3:08PM
If you liked Idiocracy, get a hold of The Marching Morons, by CM Kornbluth. In my opinion, the MOST important 20th Century short story.
Carlos| 8.18.11 @ 3:33PM
"Clover?" Wha? Is that some kinda libertarianoid code word? Or maybe a reference to some teevee show of Eric's yoot?
Use normal AmSpec shorthand, please. The kultursmog, the Hive - that we get. Clover, schmover.
Paul from SA| 8.18.11 @ 3:42PM
The annual inspections required in Texas (about $8) are necessary, serious, cheap and convenient -- at least in San Antonio. They do not check emissions. Drivers are also required to show proof of insurance. There must be a profit motive to make the service this good, clean and honest. They want your business for the other stuff like oil changes and radiator flushes.
Many years ago, you just drove to a southside garage and they honked the horn and you passed the test. Not anymore.
In AZ, they checked emissions and the process took 1-2 hours and was expensive and hot and the inspecters looked and worked like union labor, leaving my new seat and steering wheel greasy and smelly. There was no profit motive. There was no effort to please.
Police in Texas will stop and ticket people with expired inspections stickers. We need them to keep the illegals off the roads.
The Clintidote| 8.18.11 @ 4:33PM
Some of my simple rules for a happier life:
1. Never live anywhere car dealers put permanent metal advertisements on the rear end of your brand-new car.
2. Never live anywhere they have "Safety Inspection Stations" - they are just government/union-thug extortion.
3. Never live anywhere the broadcast TV and/or radio stations begin with W.
4. Never live where Kennedys or Clintons live.
Simple, effective, works well for me.
Jordan| 8.19.11 @ 4:34AM
Illinois and Wisconsin do not require any inspection other than the emissions testing. Which is the federally driven version of vehicle safety inspections.
http://www.summer-products.com
http://www.jerseys-hats-store.com
Mike| 8.19.11 @ 4:35AM
Today we call them the TSA and Homeland Security.
http://www.ainibag.com
http://www.honey-gifts.com
chris haynes| 8.19.11 @ 3:50PM
My best friend's car, back it grad school.
A Volkswagen "automatic stick shift"
He was forced, by heartless government intrusion, into counterfeiting his inspection sticker.
Here's why: The Nanny State does a brake check. And for over 2 years, he had only the emergency brakes.
He drove it at snail speed. No more than 40 on interstates. To stop, he put it in reverse and stepped on the gas, and it would gradually slow down, like a ship.
So when you say "Only an idiot --- would drive a car with worn-out tires or bad brakes", youre right. But then, there are lots of idiots.
I figure this. Protecting citizens from idiots without brakes is a duty of the state. Guess I'm a Stalinist at heart.
chris haynes| 8.19.11 @ 3:50PM
My best friend's car, back it grad school.
A Volkswagen "automatic stick shift"
He was forced, by heartless government intrusion, into counterfeiting his inspection sticker.
Here's why: The Nanny State does a brake check. And for over 2 years, he had only the emergency brakes.
He drove it at snail speed. No more than 40 on interstates. To stop, he put it in reverse and stepped on the gas, and it would gradually slow down, like a ship.
So when you say "Only an idiot --- would drive a car with worn-out tires or bad brakes", youre right. But then, there are lots of idiots.
I figure this. Protecting citizens from idiots without brakes is a duty of the state. Guess I'm a Stalinist at heart.
Bill| 8.21.11 @ 12:50AM
I live in Japan. here, vehicle inspection is nationally mandated for every two years. The inspection takes up to two days and can cost into the thousands of dollars.
One of the reasons it is so expensive is they will replace any part that looks old, regardless of its whether it's in good shape or not.
Another reason is so expensive is when the customer pays for the inspection, they also have to pay a vehicle weight tax (which for my minivan type car, amounts to $600). Isn't that convenient?
In addition to the tax mandated during inspection, there is an annual car tax here. This tax is based on how badly your vehicle destroys Mother Earth. I pay $400 for this every year.
Needless to say, I'm not staying in Japan much longer...
Francis Godici| 8.21.11 @ 8:34AM
Great Logic! Should be applied to many laws. I've been asking "Where is the ACLU when it comes to the 4th amendment?"
Curfew Laws
DUI Stop Laws
Motor Vehicle Inspection Laws
Open Container Laws
Cell Phone While Driving Laws
Discriminatory Tax Laws
Motor Cycle Helmet Laws
Seat Belt Laws
Child Car Seat Laws
Three Strikes and You’re Out Laws
Hate Crimes
Anti-Smoking Laws
Eminent Domain Laws....