DriveSmartBC - Defective Vehicles

[skidmark]

What do you do with a pickup that has only one operating light, a high beam headlight, being driven at night between towns? How about another being driven in the rain with wipers being operated by the passenger who was pushing and pulling on a rope with one end tied to each wiper and run through the passenger compartment via the vent windows? One driver even put black tape over the warning light that would have led him to discover no brake fluid in one reservoir of his master cylinder if he had investigated it.

These examples are just a few of many that I ran into over the course of my career in traffic law enforcement. It's glaringly obvious that these drivers chose to put other road users at risk. What might be less obvious is the dilemma I was in. Now that I had found them I was obligated to do something about it or I would risk liability myself if I were to let them continue.

Once your vehicle is no longer properly equipped for use on the highway you are obligated to remove it immediately. In order to take it to repair you would call a tow truck or other vehicle capable of moving the vehicle safely such as a deck truck. This is the only legal way to move a defective vehicle on the highway.

If you choose not to and are a significant hazard, police will order the vehicle removed immediately, may seize the licence plates and vehicle licence document to return to ICBC. The order will also require that you repair the vehicle and pass inspection at a designated inspection facility prior to driving the vehicle on the highway again. This is commonly known as a notice and order number one.

[url=http://www.drivesmartbc.ca/miscellaneous/defective-vehicles-crash-looking-place-happen]Reference Links[url]

[zulutango]

One thing that amazed me when I first moved to Bc was the fact that the Govt had cancelled the mandatory inspection programme. As a result, unless you are a commecrial vehicle required to be inspected, you can drive a vehicle in any mechanical condition you want until it breaks down or you get caught by MVB or Police. As a result I also used to see some scary stuff out there...and even scarier stuff that had actually been inspected & passed by some inspectors at the remaining inspection stations. I can't understand how this obviously political decision has remained in legislation.

[johny]

they should scrap aircare and make it inspections instead.

[sebberry]

By all means remove unsafe vehicles from the road if/when you discover them. Please pull over cars with blown brake lights or burned out headlamps. If someone has bald tires in the snow, tow them.

I'm glad I'm not hand-held into an inspection facility every year. I keep my vehicle in good order and promptly correct any defects. We have enough government control and regulation as it is. I don't need to be treated like an idiot and forced to plaster my windshield with inspection stickers.

[zulutango]

Some countries like New Zealand have very strict mandatory inspections that must be done every 6 months. The result is that cars there are very safe mechanically and some 30 plus years old ones are daily drivers.

[Soundy]

Mandatory inspections would spell the end of hideous rice on our streets - this could only be a good thing!

[sebberry]

Originally Posted by Soundy

Mandatory inspections would spell the end of hideous rice on our streets - this could only be a good thing!

There is that.

[gars]

Originally Posted by zulutango

Some countries like New Zealand have very strict mandatory inspections that must be done every 6 months. The result is that cars there are very safe mechanically and some 30 plus years old ones are daily drivers.

the UK has it as well. their MOT tests are done annually though, but are still quite strict. People bitch about Aircare here, but imagine having to do it yearly after the car is 3 years old.

[focus]

Originally Posted by Soundy

Mandatory inspections would spell the end of hideous rice on our streets - this could only be a good thing!

unfortunately.. like always..overzealous "officials" will use this to crack down on cool cars too

[focus]

Originally Posted by gars

the UK has it as well. their MOT tests are done annually though, but are still quite strict. People bitch about Aircare here, but imagine having to do it yearly after the car is 3 years old.

yea other developed countries have driving systems, from their drivers licensing to vehicle maintenance...

over here as long as you know how to hog the left lane and make a left/right turn u get ur license(never ceases to AMAZE me how people fail the worlds easiest driving test)

and as long as you have some oven cleaner in your gas tank you can register ur car..lol

[zulutango]

Originally Posted by focus

unfortunately.. like always..overzealous "officials" will use this to crack down on cool cars too

One man's "cool" is another man's "rice".

http://www.topspeed.com/cars/auto-sh...ture59980.html

[Soundy]

Originally Posted by focus

unfortunately.. like always..overzealous "officials" will use this to crack down on cool cars too

How would they do that? By stepping outside the bounds of the inspection regulations? That wouldn't last very long...

If the car conforms to the regulations, they'd have no reason to take it off the road or require any changes.

(Un)fortunately there are no regulations for simple good taste.

Originally Posted by zulutango

One man's "cool" is another man's "rice".

http://www.topspeed.com/cars/auto-sh...ture59980.html

WTF?!?!?!

[Culverin]

Riding on 2 wheels on the road, these defective vehicles seem a lot more dangerous. I'm noticing more and more idiot drivers that turn without signalling and change lanes without shoulder checking. But when on of their rear light assemblies are smashed in or fried, I can't tell when they are going to end up cutting me off or running me over.

Coincidentally, it seems that many of the idiot drivers are also the ones with damage to their cars. Coincident? I not.

[gars]

hehehe, it's the same as how I like to steer clear of the guys who are driving courtesy cars - ie, the craftsman collision ones, etc.

I know, sometimes, accidents just happen to the best drivers - but I find - some drivers always seem to get into accidents.

[focus]

Originally Posted by Soundy

How would they do that? By stepping outside the bounds of the inspection regulations? That wouldn't last very long...

If the car conforms to the regulations, they'd have no reason to take it off the road or require any changes.

(Un)fortunately there are no regulations for simple good taste.

i guess we need to define what these mandatory inspections would inspect.. because under current VI rules my FD would be considered "modified" since its lowered et al

[zulutango]

What needs to be inspected and what standard the vehicle must meet are all listed in the Provincial inspection manual. Everything from high beam indicator, defroster, tears in seat covers, rusty body parts, front end parts, brakes, wheel size, window tint...etc etc etc. If your FD is lowered or raised from stock height then it likely needs to be inspected. The lowered amount and how you did it (cut springs, removed suspension parts, ground clearance, that sort of thing) are all things that will be checked against the minimum standards.

[Soundy]

Originally Posted by focus

i guess we need to define what these mandatory inspections would inspect.. because under current VI rules my FD would be considered "modified" since its lowered et al

So you're saying current standard would need to be lowered?

So at what point would it be okay for a car to pass a mandatory inspection, if it wouldn't pass a VI?

Answer: at no point.

[focus]

Originally Posted by zulutango

If your FD is lowered or raised from stock height then it likely needs to be inspected. The lowered amount and how you did it (cut springs, removed suspension parts, ground clearance, that sort of thing) are all things that will be checked against the minimum standards.

ok fair enough..though " by being checked against minimum standards," would that allow some room for leniency; say my car was lowered with coilovers and a modest ride height, is there a range for ride height away from OEM?

otherwise we would all be driving dull OEM vehicles, no?

ultimately killing off the revscene ..lol

Originally Posted by Soundy

So you're saying current standard would need to be lowered?

So at what point would it be okay for a car to pass a mandatory inspection, if it wouldn't pass a VI?

Answer: at no point.

lol.. ure just being presumptuous..

[zulutango]

Application
25.20 This Part applies to a vehicle that was (a) disposed of as salvage and subsequently rebuilt,

[B](b) altered by changes to its suspension height by more than 10 cm from the original basic specification of the vehicle manufacturer,[/B(d) built after January 1, 1971 from new or used parts, other than a trailer with a licensed gross vehicle weight of 1 400 kg or less, and that does not display the statement of compliance under the Motor Vehicle Safety Act (Canada).

[en. B.C. Reg. 304/2001.]

Limitation on operation
25.21 A person [B]must not drive[/B], operate or park a vehicle on a highway until it has been presented to a designated inspection facility and an approved certificate of mechanical condition in a form set by the director has been issued in respect of the vehicle by an authorized person.

In addition to the height it is raised/lowered, how you did it also is considered. Removing, altering or installing unapproved parts is also not permitted.

[BNR32_Coupe]

in my opinion, any proposed inspection program should start with peoples driving habits rather than mechanical condition.

dont have the stats (aka no credibility with this statement) but im sure we can all agree that tackling mechanically ill vehicles would eliminate a small fraction of the roadside problems relative to tackling peoples driving habits

[zulutango]

But it is relatively easy to tiedown a defective vehicle on a flatdeck...try that with a defective driver and you would hear about it.

[sebberry]

Originally Posted by zulutango

But it is relatively easy to tiedown a defective vehicle on a flatdeck...try that with a defective driver and you would hear about it.

It is easier to pick off speeders than it is to catch tailgaters and weavers but it doesn't mean the more dangerous drivers are being caught.

[baggdis300]

Originally Posted by focus

ok fair enough..though " by being checked against minimum standards," would that allow some room for leniency; say my car was lowered with coilovers and a modest ride height, is there a range for ride height away from OEM?

otherwise we would all be driving dull OEM vehicles, no?

ultimately killing off the revscene ..lol




lol.. ure just being presumptuous..

uhh dude, the rule for height is that no part of the car can be lower than the lowest part of the rim..
therefore its pretty HARD to get your car lower than your rims(not tire, but rim)

[zulutango]

Unless you have things hanging lower than the rims...like exhaust parts and shock mounts, spring bolts and shackles, traction ladders etc. They got towed on the spot before they hooked on the roadway.

You also have to be aware of minimum/maximum heights for lights, among other requirements.

[Soundy]

Originally Posted by focus

ok fair enough..though " by being checked against minimum standards," would that allow some room for leniency;

Look at it this way: if you could pass a mandatory inspection, roll out the door of the facility, and immediately get a *legitimate* VI for something on your car... should that car have passed the mandatory?

ultimately killing off the revscene ..lol

How about just, forcing the members to be a little more intelligent in their mods, instead of just slapping whatever ugly conglomeration of cheap rice on their rides?

I realize "intelligence" is beyond some...