Smog Schmog
People keep saying I need a new car. The latest car drama is that it won't pass the smog test. Maybe because I'm blindly optimistic about my car, but I didn't notice until this car registration period that every time I have to get it tested, it has failed. I figured the timing was set off and I never looked to see that actually the emissions test was failing. Well the DMV caught on before I did and sent me to a Test Only site with the label "High Emitter Profile." It might just be a coincidence that I've failed so many tests, since they also send a random group to Test Only, but it's not looking that way.
Anyhow, in my denial, I happily brought my car to the Test Only station where it of course failed. Usually when that happens the mechanic fixes it and tests it again so I pass. Sadly, this cannot happen at the Test Only place. Since now passing the smog test required an additional step, I procrastinated for a few more weeks, growing ever more paranoid about getting pulled over for my expired tags, but still not enough to get my car fixed. Sure enough, on Friday night, maybe 100 feet from my exit, a dark car pulled in behind me. Just as I spotted the telltale bulbs on the side, the siren lights went off. Some eagle-eyed CHP spotted my expired tags from a lane over at night in the rain. He was very nice about it but it was enough to motivate me to fix my car and get it smog tested again. I passed! Yippee.
(Apparently, when you get pulled over on the highway, the officer usually approaches the car on the passenger side, I assume so they don't get hit by highway traffic. I know most cars these days don't have this problem, but rolling down the windows in my car actually requires someone to crank the handle on the door since I don't have power windows, or power anything except steering, for that matter. It isn't the easiest thing for me to be in the driver's seat and roll down the passenger window. Luckily I have long arms. The CHP officer laughed at me.)
(The mechanic told me to make sure I used a higher grade gas and to bring it to the smog test warmed up. So on my way back from San Jose, I drove to the smog test station. There was a woman ahead of me in line and she apparently drove 45(!) miles to warm up her car. During my test, I noticed the parking brake was on, and asked the technician about it, and he sneered, "Don't you know where your brake is?" Now I do.)
Anyhow, in my denial, I happily brought my car to the Test Only station where it of course failed. Usually when that happens the mechanic fixes it and tests it again so I pass. Sadly, this cannot happen at the Test Only place. Since now passing the smog test required an additional step, I procrastinated for a few more weeks, growing ever more paranoid about getting pulled over for my expired tags, but still not enough to get my car fixed. Sure enough, on Friday night, maybe 100 feet from my exit, a dark car pulled in behind me. Just as I spotted the telltale bulbs on the side, the siren lights went off. Some eagle-eyed CHP spotted my expired tags from a lane over at night in the rain. He was very nice about it but it was enough to motivate me to fix my car and get it smog tested again. I passed! Yippee.
(Apparently, when you get pulled over on the highway, the officer usually approaches the car on the passenger side, I assume so they don't get hit by highway traffic. I know most cars these days don't have this problem, but rolling down the windows in my car actually requires someone to crank the handle on the door since I don't have power windows, or power anything except steering, for that matter. It isn't the easiest thing for me to be in the driver's seat and roll down the passenger window. Luckily I have long arms. The CHP officer laughed at me.)
(The mechanic told me to make sure I used a higher grade gas and to bring it to the smog test warmed up. So on my way back from San Jose, I drove to the smog test station. There was a woman ahead of me in line and she apparently drove 45(!) miles to warm up her car. During my test, I noticed the parking brake was on, and asked the technician about it, and he sneered, "Don't you know where your brake is?" Now I do.)
posted by wchien at 5:05 PM
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