Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Highway Robbery in Englewood

So my wife just got a $130 ticket because we didn't have our vehicle re-inspected (which I guess we have to do annually for some stupid reason). What highway robbery! It's a 3 year old Japanese car, like there will be anything wrong with it anyway. What is really annoying is she was driving through a not so good neighborhood in Englewood, so this highway robber could have actually been out catching real criminals (you know, people who do actual harm to others).

7 comments:

Unknown said...

In America you are supposed to obey the law. You didn't and it cost you $130. Maybe you have learned a lesson.

libertarian neocon said...

I would call it an unconstitutional excessive fine given the infraction. $25 would have been more in line with what you would expect. Or even a warning would have been reasonable. And it's not like they had any probable cause. 3 year old Japanese cars are not the ones that are causing pollution problems. It would be different if they stopped someone driving a jalopy.

And anyway, the only reason my wife got a ticket was because Englewood mismanaged their finances and need a boost in revenues. So instead of raising property taxes, which everyone would know about they go about it by finding these stupid infractions that everyone is guilty of (in one way or another) in order to boost their coffers.

jerry said...

nd, no there are no problems for the handicapped. Just push the service button or honk. Someone will help.

jerry said...

sorry for the previous post. I went on too long and it discarded most of it.

In California new cars are exempt from inspection for the first four years. Afterwards, it's every other year and can be done by any authorized shop.

How about that idiotic can't pump your own gas in NJ. ? Is the state afraid the gas will be cheaper?

libertarian neocon said...

The pumping gas thing came because of a lawsuit brought by disabled people because, like in other states, there were separate self serve and full serve lines with the full serve being more expensive. Hence it was ruled it was discriminatory against those who can't get out of their cars.

Personally I kind of like it. When its really cold or rainy you dont have to get out of your car. And gas is still cheaper than in surrounding states. The only downside is that when my wife was driving in Florida she didnt know how to fill up her own tank, she had never done it before!

jerry said...

As someone who still changes his own oil, I prefer to do as much as I can.

For example, do you know that overfilling your gas tank will lead to damaging your evaporative emmission control system.

libertarian neocon said...

Jerry you also live in California where there are only a handful of days when you don't want to get out of your car. In fact, it's a pleasure!