Appearantly old cars and trucks are dangerous

Customcab4x4 · Post by **Customcab4x4** » September 21, 2008, 2:59 pm

You guys might want to read this guys article. I already sent him a response to his "made up" problem. Wait till you see it. Send it to the editor on the contacts page. Phil

http://www.mcall.com/news/local/watchdo ... 5090.story

Motocentro · Post by **Motocentro** » September 21, 2008, 3:19 pm

I. . .

I. . .I can't help it. . .This guy is not only p***k, but an idiot to boot.

Wow.

I'm mentally stammering. . .

Johnny Canuck · Post by **Johnny Canuck** » September 21, 2008, 5:32 pm

Wow. this guy puts the Jack in Jacka$$

36truck · Post by **36truck** » September 21, 2008, 5:47 pm

I like this line.

I found only two other reports of antique car accidents in The Morning Call's archives since 1992, with neither mentioning a cause.

And yet he still thinks there is a problem.
I don't see a need to inspect any car just big government getting more money for nothing.

Alan Mclennan · Post by **Alan Mclennan** » September 21, 2008, 5:47 pm

Boy talk about scratching for evidence to back up your story! A tyre blow out!!! never see that on a newer car!
Alan,

f100matt · Post by **f100matt** » September 21, 2008, 6:02 pm

Truckrat · Post by **Truckrat** » September 21, 2008, 6:04 pm

Here we have another "know nothing" writer of some obscure rag nobody reads telling people about something he obviously knows nothing about and is trying to panic people into being scared of an older vehicle. Betcha this guy drives one of those cars with a big hula hoop bumper on it that goes all the way around the car, kind of like a bumper car at the amusement park. He'd REALLY lay an egg if he ever saw a rat rod! Hey, maybe if a bunch of the Mac boys could all get together and drive around the block where this moron lives in Pa they could scare him so bad, he'd never leave his house. TR

jakdad · Post by **jakdad** » September 21, 2008, 8:06 pm

Laws are the same for everybody. Maybe he should just get an old vehicle so he doesn't feel discriminated against..................

jecsd1 · Post by **jecsd1** » September 21, 2008, 8:36 pm

Oh man that made me mad!

Post by **Greg D** » September 21, 2008, 9:38 pm

I was all prepared to type a comment but we are trying to keep the board family friendly.

Garbz · Post by **Garbz** » September 21, 2008, 9:54 pm

Unless you live in PA and understand the state inspection syetem no one should comment, this guy is not out in left field.

If any one noticed there was a PA inspection sticker on all pennsylvania trucks at SS06 with possibly the exceptipn of Dwight. Even Christine has a state inspection as i ran regular tags on it.

Very few run the classic plates mentioned due to the limitations put on them by PENDOT. The tags are only good during certian times of the day and for show/parade uses. They also require your truck/car to be as stock as possible, with photo proof or secondary inspection.

Now he needs to come to Arizona where there are no annual inspections.. You would be amazed at what runs around the roads here.

Garbz

Post by **Greg D** » September 21, 2008, 10:08 pm

I understand what he is getting at but this type of "commentary" is likely unwarranted for the vehicles discussed for the very reasons listed, little used well maintained gems - there are plenty of 3-4 year old cars here that are WAY worse that the types of cars he refers too. Just plain cause unnecessary trouble for people who don't deserve it. This is the type of stuff that stirs up wacko liberal fanatics, they will be screaming that every old car & truck is a baby killer.

Garbz · Post by **Garbz** » September 21, 2008, 10:27 pm

Everyone in PA including rodders and hobbyists knows the annual state inspection, it has been in place since cars were invented. It used to be a every six month inspection and was changed to every year in the 80's. And for the whopping 14 dollars it costs it should be done to all old and new vehicles. Its not a hassle in pa on the old car hobbyist, it mearly was not done for the last ten years. So a few hobbyists circumvent the rest of the state by being exempted by statute....

It is not unnecessary as it was once a requirement to be inspected but was dropped due to the lobbyists(Liberals) claiming that the antique vehicle tagged cars and trucks did not do the mileage of standard cars due to statute limitations placed on the tag, and can be exempted from the PA inspection required by the PA vehicle code.

If it was brought to a state that did not have an inspection program in place then its a legitimate bitch. But not in this case as it was preformed in the past and subsequently exempted.

GArbz

DV65CustomCab · Post by **DV65CustomCab** » September 22, 2008, 6:03 am

A moron who should not be writing anything more than biased political commentary on the Huffington Post. My reply:

I'm sure your mailbox is filling up with angry tirades. I'll try not be one of them.

However, I will generally disagree with your story, which is (I hope) an opinion piece and not journalism. A news story by a journalist it ain't.

You were inspired to write this story based on an accident with a tire blowout on a vintage motorcycle. Yeah, tires never blow out on regular vehicles. Oh wait; what about those Ford Explorer tires a few years ago? They weren't exactly antiques, were they?

Yes, it's possible the poor sap was driving on a too-old tire that simply failed. I doubt it was 'worn out', more likely aged out. Tires get brittle as they age and harden. This would have been a good story, as many collector vehicle owners simply may not pay attention to the age of their tires vs the appearance condition. But, a state inspection mechanic isn't going to notice it either. They measure tread depth, look for obvious flaws, and move on. I've never met one who looked at the date codes on a tire. There's a story.

Your piece is more a whining "why are they special?" complaint that we get to avoid annual sticker applications and tag renewals. Lots of reasons for this. One big one is that many inspection mechanics are unfamiliar with very old cars. They may not even be able to drive them, as the controls are completely different. These cars can't just be dropped off with the keys tossed in the night slot. The exemption is a convenience for the hobbyist, and the vast majority of us respect it and keep our vehicles in exceptional shape. We've all got far too much money and time invested in these things to risk an accident, particularly one from preventable mechanical failure. Does it happen? Probably, but I've never heard of it. That you did not find any evidence either sort of makes the whole story non-existent. I guess creating hysteria to get attention is more important than factual reporting. Nice bias, too, not bothering to interview any hobbyists or mechanics while creating your hypothesis that they are all deathtraps.

I did appreciate your final sentence though. If the average latte sipping, cell phone chatting, SUV piloting soccer mom gives our cars a wider berth because she thinks they are dangerous, that's a wonderful thing for us, the collector car owner.

Dwight Varnes
Elizabethtown, PA

Post by **Greg D** » September 22, 2008, 7:35 am

ICEMAN6166 · Post by **ICEMAN6166** » September 22, 2008, 10:19 am

an idiot to say the least.
family viewing issues prevent further comment.
i should invite the writer to visit Alaska and see some of the vehicles driving around here, guarantee my slicks are in way better shape than most of them.

Red62Uni · Post by **Red62Uni** » September 22, 2008, 10:55 am

my father lives in pa he has a bunch of cars and i have a couple mustangs tagged in pa. it wouldnt be a problem to get inspections except some idiots that own an inspection station want to "upgrade" the older cars to meet the standards of new ones to destory the "original" that is still left. they dont know what they are doing anyway. point being that 99% of people who own these cars know if they are roadworthy. they know their cars and will fix the safety features to ensure their safety. but sometime stuff happens and it can happen to any car not just classics. beside pa gets their one time fee of $300 which i think is plenty.

Oh no i hope he doesnt visit md and see no inspection on 20 year old cars and one time inspections at purchase of the rest of them. yikes the writer is only one state away. i have some choice words for that guy but i will bite my tongue.

i am up for a mac trip to voice our opinion and to show this guy accidents do happen but dont blame it on the cars and his prius is just as likely to have one.
he needs the "knowledge is power" saying.

john gilbert · Post by **john gilbert** » September 22, 2008, 8:01 pm

Yep, looks like I'll be writing a comment to this feller tomorrow. I'd do it now, but my eyes are fried. Guess I'll jump in my old truck with so-many damn new parts in it that it ain't funny and drive home.

Thunderboy · Post by **Thunderboy** » September 22, 2008, 9:52 pm

Very effective reply, Dwight. Couldn't have put it any better!

Drew

Dakota Kids · Post by **Dakota Kids** » September 23, 2008, 12:21 pm

Good Job Dwight. Send him out here for a little Hunting trip. You"ll probally never here from him again either.

Just a guess.

Appearantly old cars and trucks are dangerous

Appearantly old cars and trucks are dangerous

for what it's worth