Humor Random Comments Thread

[Urwumpe]

Next month, my car will have its first TÜV check after three years. Afterwards, it should be biannually...

 

[Fabri91]

Here we have an inspection which is first carried out after 4 years, then after every two.

You might remember my horrible right rear light:

Still no idea what caused it, but 30€ later I got a spare part at a local scrapyard:

Decent price when compared to the 120€ required for a new unit, especially since the salvaged unit also included a full set of bulbs!

Out with the old:

In with the (used) new:

This didn't take long at all, as opposed to changing the right front 5W position light.

First, three screws had to be removed, one of which is only accessible blindly through the wheel well, in order to remove the headlight unit since clearance inside the engine compartment is nonexistent for the outermost bulbs:

Then the unit was opened up:

And here's the culprit:

Everything put back together:

 

[Linguofreak]

This varies by State. Missouri is the first one nearby that comes to mind that requires vehicle inspections annually. Here in Indiana, no inspection is required.

Texas requires emissions tests yearly in the DFW and Houston areas, outside of those areas, none are required.

 

[MaverickSawyer]

California has emissions testing for all cars on a pseudorandom basis, so some years you have to go smog test your car, some years you don't.

Washington requires you to do yearly emissions tests up until the car turns 25. Then it's no longer required.

Neither state requires an inspection for mechanical or structural soundness.

 

[Thunder Chicken]

Neither state requires an inspection for mechanical or structural soundness.

So they're worried about global warming, but if your ball joint is two iron atoms away from separating which may mean you go careening into a school bus at 75 mph, that's cool? Strange priorities. Maybe that is because rust isn't as bad out there? Connecticut is like this. Emissions every two years, and safety inspections for everything except for passenger vehicles. :huh:

Massachusetts pretty much inspects everything, always. People think that if their car is over 15 years old they don't have to pass emissions, but that applies for almost any other vehicle except for passenger vehicles.

 

[Notebook]

Good grief, has the Nader legacy disappeared?

Only joking, I'd assumed that vehicle safety legislation would have been nationwide, not state limited.

What happens in other nations?

N.

 

[MaverickSawyer]

So they're worried about global warming, but if your ball joint is two iron atoms away from separating which may mean you go careening into a school bus at 75 mph, that's cool? Strange priorities. Maybe that is because rust isn't as bad out there? Connecticut is like this. Emissions every two years, and safety inspections for everything except for passenger vehicles. :huh:

Massachusetts pretty much inspects everything, always. People think that if their car is over 15 years old they don't have to pass emissions, but that applies for almost any other vehicle except for passenger vehicles.

I can't speak for commercial, only private autos.

 

[Andy44]

In the UK we have an annual "MOT", compulsory vehicle roadworthiness check:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MOT_test



Just curious, what system is used in the US?

N.

The US differs state by state. Most (maybe all now?) states require an annual vehicle inspection. Many states also require an emissions test. There's a wide variance in this.

 

[Urwumpe]

We really need an Auto thread... why does the forum not have Auto?

 

[Thunder Chicken]

Good grief, has the Nader legacy disappeared? Only joking, I'd assumed that vehicle safety legislation would have been nationwide, not state limited.
N.

There are U.S. federal standards for safety and emissions for new vehicles. But verifying that those safety and emissions features are still operational in vehicles on the road is left to the states.

 

[Fabri91]

Well, the situation has changed in the later years:

Moreover, a couple of months ago I had the opportunity of riding shotgun in a friend's first generation Fiat Panda:

The doors, to name an example, were hilariously thin compared to any modern car.

 

[Notebook]

Unusual effect, is this the first example of light driven motion?

https://www.elektormagazine.com/news/artificial-foil-undulates-under-the-influence-of-light

N.

 

[Urwumpe]

The submarine UC3 Nautilus, which supported the Copenhagen Suborbitals launch attempts, sunk today under mysterious circumstances.

According to the designer and owner, he did some tests with the submarine until the ballast tank system failed. He was rescued by the coastguard.

 

[Andy44]

Unusual effect, is this the first example of light driven motion?

https://www.elektormagazine.com/news/artificial-foil-undulates-under-the-influence-of-light

N.

I'm pretty sure solar light pressure affects every spacecraft, and is modeled in orbit and attitude control software.

 

[Notebook]

True, but this goes backward if you shine light on the other side!

N.

 

[Andy44]

Something I just noticed: In a BBC article posted by Notebook in the Webb thread, the BBC writes NASA as "Nasa", even though it's an acronym and not a real word. Interesting.

 

[Notebook]

Shame, Jonathon Amos is usually good.

N.

 

[Andy44]

Shame, Jonathon Amos is usually good.

N.

It seems to be an editorial decision by the BBC:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acronym#Pronunciation-dependent_style_and_case

 

[Notebook]

Well, that's moderately making sense. I suppose I do say Nasa, but spell USA and FBI or MMB(Milk Marketing Board, UK, long gone).

N.

 

[Andy44]

About 20 minutes ago my smart phone started acting wonky and suddenly won't charge.

I'm about to go on a 4 day trip out of town and was counting on it working.

Murphy's Law strikes again!