			Emission Laws... Are They Necassary?

"PLEASE EXCUSE MY LANGUAGE IN THIS FILE.  I HAVE TRIED HARD TO SOUND AS PROFESSIONAL AS I CAN IN GETTING MY POINT ACROSS, BUT I HAVE TO VENT A LITTLE, FOR I FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT MY VIEW.  I'M SURE MANY PEOPLE DISAGREE WITH ME, BUT THEN AGAIN, MANY PEOPLE AGREE.  BUT IN THIS COUNTRY, WE HAVE THE FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND ARE ENTITLED TO OUR OWN OPINIONS, AND I FIND THIS AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXERCISE MY RIGHT.  SO, HAVING SAID THAT, PLEASE ENJOY MY FILE AND TRY TO LOOK AT IT FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, YOU MAY EVEN LEARN SOMETHING!" 

A LITTLE ABOUT ME:  I AM 19 YEARS OLD AND I OWN A 1979 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS SUPREME.  UNFORTUNATELY, I HAVE TO GET MY CAR SMOGGED EVERY YEAR, BUT I STILL MAKE MODIFICATIONS TO MY ENGINE TO SQUEEZE OUT AS MUCH POWER AS I CAN WITHOUT REPLACING THE ENGINE.  IN ABOUT SIX YEARS WHEN MY CAR GOES EXEMPT, I PLAN TO HOT ROD IT.  I AM LEARNING ALMOST EVERYDAY ABOUT VARIOUS COMPONENTS.  SO FOR YOU HOT-RODDERS OUT THERE THAT READ MY FILE, PLEASE EXCUSE ANY ERRORS THAT I MIGHT HAVE MADE AND BEAR WITH ME, BECAUSE REMEMBER, I AM STILL LEARNING.  DON'T FORGET, YOU WERE IN MY POSITION ONCE.  OK, ENOUGH RAMBLING, READ ON!



	If you're like me, then you own a pre-1980 vehicle, and have a love for high performance.  But you also have insufficient funds to buy a car that is smog exempt.  So what you're stuck with is a smog law car as your daily driver and want to squeeze the most performance out of it as you can.  But let's face the facts!  As of right now, (April, 2000) all vehicles that are pre 1974 are smog exempt.  Which means, they don't have to be smogged every year.  So you can literally bolt in any engine you want, without the need for power-hogging smog devices.  

	Ask yourself this: How many pre-1974 vehicles are operating on our nation's highways and streets right now?  Quite a few, no?  Also, any two-cycle engines, aircraft, marine vessels, diesel powered vehicles, military vehicles, etc. are exempt from smog, as well as the states that have more leniant smog laws.  If the smog problem was so bad like they say it is, then everything with an engine would be under the laws.  

	Consider this: The emissions from a single volcanic eruption FAR outweigh the combined emissions of mankind.  The constituents of an eruption are very similar to vehicle exhaust.  The main products are: carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide (comes from using low grade gasoline, you know the rotten egg smell coming from the catalytic converter.  Hydrogen sulfide is the main ingredient is practical joke stink bombs, and this gas combines with rain to form acid rain), nitrogen dioxide (contributes to the characteristic brown color of smog, a lung irritant), and solid particulate matter.  Since volcanic eruptions have happened for millions of years before the existance of mankind, the earth has "healed" itself for all these years.  It still can. 

	Any hot-rodder knows that the muscle car era was the late-50's - the early 70's, where the advent of the Chevrolet big block and smallblock encouraged young drivers into hot rodding their cars.  In the 60's, high performance engines were factory!  Many Chevelle's came with a bigblock that produced tremendous horsepower!  Then in the 70's, the "I don't know what a spark plug is" environmentalists screwed up the muscle car era.  By 1974 it was dead.  Now you had cars that were dying to have high performance engines put into them made into econo-cars.  What I have to say to environmentalists..... Thanks a lot for fucking it up for us hot-rodders!  Not only did you kill the hot rod era, you made unnecassary fees for us!  Like the smog certificate, not to mention the smog test itself, which costs around $50.  Just because your stupid ass doesn't want to learn how to change the oil on your car, perform a simple tune-up, or even keeping your tires properly inflated, (which all these operations when carried out properly and at regular intervals will significantly reduce emissions) doesn't constitute a reason to raise a fuss about smog.  Checking and changing fluids regularly, performing a simple tune-up, and even knowing how to keep your tires inflated are the responsibility of the car owner.  If you simply cannot do this, then at least take your car to an honest, competent garage REGULARLY.  

	I have found through research that an engine (without smog equpiment) that is serviced regularly and well-maintained, will have equal to or lower emissions than an engine that has smog equpiment.  Plus, driving habits contribute to emissions as well.  If your a poor driver that HAS to rush up to a red light and slam on the brakes, accelerate all the time to cut off drivers on the freeway, then all these behaviors cause more emissions, because your engine consumes more gasoline to perform these maneuvers.  Now, I may be sounding like I am contradicting myself, but having a high-peformance car will not entice me to rush up to a red light or start cutting people off on the freeway, which I see people doing all the time.  

	High emissions also come from vehicle neglect.  I have seen countless cars that have under-inflated tires.  If anyone has taken high-school physics, you will have learned that an under-inflated tire will produce more rolling resistance, which in turn slows you down, which in turn makes you use more throttle, which in turn makes more pollution.  So keeping your tires inflated not only keeps emissions down, it will help your pocketbook by saving you on gas and on tires when it's time to replace them, since your tires will wear out more slowly than they would if they were under-inflated.  

	It's not too hard!  The solution is to make auto-mechanics class mandatory in high school.  I find it justifiable because a car is a necessity in today's world.  And learning how to take care of yours is essential.  The two high school requirements: american government and economics.  Everyone has to pass them to graduate high school.  I find american government a complete waste of a class, unless you plan on becoming part of the senate.  Honestly, did you absorb everything you learned in that class?  Quite frankly, I could give a shit about the majority whip, pork barrel legislation, 2/3 senate vote, etc (isn't that ironic?  I still remember some terms!) On the other hand economics was a very informative class.  I learned how to write a check, finance and budget your money, in other words, it prepared you for the real world. So mandatory auto mechanics classes will at least teach people basic maintainence.  The added benifits will be that auto classes in urban areas may spark an interest in young people.  Instead of "gang banging" and holding a gun, they'll be "garaging" and holding a wrench.  

	I understand that not everybody is mechanically inclined and even has a remote interest in cars.  But, it is the responsibility of the owner to keep it maintained.  You make this vow when you recieve the pink slip and keys.  If you don't like to wrench and get your hands dirty, then take it to a garage at regular intervals, and don't "forget".  When you have a baby, will you "forget" to change its diaper or feed it?  You make the vow when its born.  However, if you want to get your hands dirty, then I recommend a "Haynes" or "Chilton" shop manual.  They have them for almost any car, for about $15 at any automotive retail store.  And beleive me, it pays for itself! 

	But my point is: smog equipment would not be necassary if everyone serviced thier car regularly.  Smog fees are only a way for the government to get their hands on more money.  From a teenager's point of view, not all teens have the luxury of parents that will buy them a brand new car.  Most of the time all they can afford is an old car.  Unless the teenager is mechanically inclined or has a relative that will bring the car to good running condition for free or a low price, much money must be spent on repairs.  Then add the cost of the smog test and license, now we're talking about over $1000.  I don't know of many teenagers who can drop that kind of money and not be hurt. Smog laws are just a way for uncle sam to get more money.  Since smog equipment is mandated by law, why doesn't the state pay for repairs made to the smog systems and smog tests?  If it was an option at the dealership I'm sure many people would choose not to have them installed.  

	Since my dream of big blocks free from smog devices coming out of the factory on cars of the future will never come true, I can only voice my opinion, since I am powerless in this world of politics.  If I was president, you can damn well bet that auto mechanics will be a mandatory class in high school, and smog devices and testing fees will be paid for by the government.  Well, that is how I feel, and I hope you enjoyed reading. I also hope that you have taken the time to take my perspective for a moment and understand my views.  Please read my upcoming file about squeezing the most power from your smog-mobile.