ironimages

+1 until she throws a code....

BSL

Unfortunately my winter beater has been throwing a Service Engine light in the cold months (my registration expires in March) because of a faulty fuel level sensor--a 2003 Merc Mountaineer with 135k on the clock isn't worth the cost of replacing the pump to me, so might need to be replacing it this winter...

Rinty

And Alberta is probably the right-most. If the government proposed regular car testing here, they'd have a revolution on their hands.

Every time I read about somebody's nightmare annual test, I thank my lucky stars.

ggg1ggg

You'd think so, but you should look at the requirements here in Texas.

The most stringent ones are driven by the large municipalities themselves, which are more regulation-loving, liberal, and like to keep lots of people employed for no apparent added value. So, Austin, Houston, Dallas have emissions tests, and most of the other areas are safety checks only.

I lived in Edmonton for a while and I could definitely see some of those wacky alderman getting some mandatory emissions testing through city council. Just like when I was in Chicago when they were the first city to outlaw Foie Gras (activist city council, again). In restaurants, I mean. Not cars.

Rinty

Agreed; the big municipal councils are the worst.

ande5000

No inspections in Nebraska where I live, thankfully. Farmers and ranchers would foment revolution if the legislature tried to mandate it. Land of the free, home of the Huskers.

2Many Cars

Most probably this is the municipality responding to exceeding the max number of "unhealthy air" days. The Feds monitor the local air quality and if it exceeds a national, minimum standard the local authorities have to address it or else lose a big chunk of highway funds. It's most frequently an issue in the winter months and is why many cities are forced to require the sale of oxygenated gasoline for part of the year. If that doesn't work then it's on to emissions testing to "clean up" gross polluters. Not surprisingly this isn't an issue in smaller cities so much. By the way this rule has been in place a long time, it's just that more and more cities are becoming non-compliant as their traffic grows.