The State of Tire Inflation in California

NASA Mentor Director

I was recently invited by the Air Resources Board (ARB) of California to attend a meeting to discuss the development of a regulation to reduce emissions from under-inflated vehicle tires. That’s right, the State of California wants to figure out a way to implement a means to control how much air you have in your tires, as well as a means to enforce it.

I can’t wait to hear how they intend to do this. Back in the 60s and 70s, the California Highway Patrol had random road-side inspections in which an officer would perform a checklist of required safety items. A list consisting of things like horn, lights, turn signals, emergency brakes, cracked windshields and yes, even bald tires, was checked. If there were any infractions, the motorist was then given a fix-it ticket and the safety items would then need to be repaired within a given time period and signed off, or suffer the consequences. Continue reading…

As a professional who has been in the business of auto repair/service over 40 years and counting, I am willing to wager that not even 1 in 10 vehicles that come into most facilities has tires which are properly inflated. It’s a well known fact that improperly inflated tires causes not only premature tire wear, which in it’s self can be a safety concern, but it can greatly affect the vehicle’s gas mileage as well. This in turn has a direct impact on vehicle emissions and in turn has an adverse effect on global warming.

As I recall, the main reason road side vehicle safety inspections were eliminated was because of its cost effectiveness. It also took officers away from what many considered more important duties. The truth is I can see this dilemma from two different viewpoints. On one hand I am sure a lot of motorist are going to consider such inspections, whether they be road side inspections or otherwise, a waste of time or even a possible violation of their rights. But then again, if you worked on as many cars on a daily basis for and many years as I have, and if you saw some of the deathtraps I see that are running around out there, you might just start thinking vehicle inspections were a good idea.

On a regular basis many auto related businesses all over the country see vehicles with dangerous brakes, bald tires, unsafe suspension components and worse. Most of the time after we mention these unsafe concerns to them we hear comments like, "I’ll take care of it with my next pay check." Or "I’ll do it when I have more time." And so on. But the simple facts are, these same cars (lots of them) are the very same cars that are right behind you when you are trying to panic stop on the freeway because someone in front of you has swerved over into your lane. Or they are the ones with bald tires that are passing your child’s bicycle or his or her way to the little league game. They are all around you. They are doing freeway speeds and they have no idea that they can not possibly keep their car in control should something go wrong. While your car may be able to stop on a dime because you keep it well maintained, that car behind you may not be able to stop for a couple hundred more yards because, "My neighbor has some tools and I’m sure he can figure out how to do a brake job. The tires? Oh hell, they must have at least a 100 more miles on them."

When it’s all said and done, the truth is, I would personally love to see random, surprise, road side vehicle inspections in an effort to get these issues taken care of or at very least, regular state regulated vehicle safety inspections. Here in the State of California we have licensed facilities where smog inspections are performed. They could be set up by the same agency that oversees smog inspection stations and so on. At the same time, tire pressures could be checked as well as the all important condition of tires. And while they are at it, make it mandatory that every service station have free air pressure hose in a safe place where motorist can check their tire pressure when their getting gas. Besides, as much as the oil companies are charging for fuel, they can afford to offer what they should be considering a reward for paying their ransom prices in the first place.

So what do you think? Do you feel there is a need to attempt to make motorists more aware of the importance of checking the amount of air in their tires? Should the state be theone enforcing it? If not, who? And is simply checking tire pressure enough or should there be vehicle safety inspections again?

Permalink:

Posted at 5:12 pm in BFGoodrich, Tire

Comments

richard s
Feb 11, 2009 at 10:51 am

There has been no research in the past 30 years showing vehicle safety inspections decrease accident rates due to safety defects. The North Carolina office of program evaluation has recommened that North Carolina end their program. You can read the facts about vehicle safety inspections here:
safetyinspections.tripod.com
Vehicle safety inspection programs are just an old boondoggle program to collect fees for government and profits for mechanics and car dealers. Yeah, keeping tires inflated is a good idea, but not worth bringing back that rip-off inspection program for. How about forcing service stations that sell gas to once again provide free air and then educating the public? I believe the biggest disservice to the public is lack of free air to inflate their tires with.

Don
Sep 30, 2008 at 4:38 am

I say that there should be regular inspections here in CA, and that they should coincide with emissions testing. For the price charged to the owner of a car every time it has to be smog certified, it seems that a qualified mechanic could give the car a once-over regarding the basic state of the vehicle. That’s not an Orwellian concept. It just makes good sense.

A cold, hard reality here in Tax-ifornia is that too many cars are owned by too many people who can’t afford to insure them, much less keep them in good repair. Cars have evolved into something too sophisticated for the old shade-tree mechanic, which in turn means that the owner has to pony up a lot of bucks for nearly any repair. Caught between putting gas in the car for the month or fixing the brakes, they opt for the fuel and pray that the grinding noise that is generated every time they apply the brake pedal isn’t so bad that they can last for just one more paycheck… and then one more…

So, while we’re ignoring the brakes, let’s also ignore the pressure in the tires and the lack of tread or the little strip of cording showing on the inside edge of the front tire, the rotting wiper blade, the burnt out brake light, the fact that the car burns more oil than a 1940’s locomotive, etc. They’re getting by on luck that is an eyeblink from going away.

I strive to keep all of my vehicles in the best condition possible. It is a little frightening to consider that for all the work I do, the safety of me and my family can still easily be compromised by the many drivers in cars that shouldn’t ever see the road. So, yeah… we can’t seem to legislate drivers into being responsible, maybe we can do something about the cars.

Gary Faules
Sep 29, 2008 at 1:09 am

Mike,

For the record let’s define “bald”. Anyone with an ounce of sense knows a racing slick like the ones we use or shave for racing still have a decent and save amount of rubber on the tire. On the other hand, any one who tries to tell someone that a “bald” tire or should I say, a standard highway tire that has worn out all it’s tread beyond the minimum wear bar threads (which at 2/32’s) is save has to be wither an idiot in denial, has a death wish, or smokes way too much crack. Standard highway tires that are bald are more than well documented to be unsafe and highly likely to blow out at high speed. Partly because they cannot cool and it’s important to keep in mind, a LOT of the time a bald tire is accompanied by a serious alignment issue or tire pressure. If there wasn’t anything wrong with bald tires like you said, then why does every state in the U.S. consider them illegal?

As for not raining here in California… Try driving a bald tire or slick thru the water on a corner where some water is running across the road or on a cold morning. Furthermore, you never know when there may be some reason for water on the road, water truck, car with blown antifreeze hose, and more.

Mike
Sep 28, 2008 at 6:08 am

I hope they don’t do that. I see this as being a very bad idea just leading to more revenue for the state.

Remember the “school bus law” See what that did. Just gave the State more money..

Besides, no matter what this writer says, bald tires aren’t “deathtraps” There actually isn’t anything wrong with them, as long as they are used in dry weather.

Heck, if anything they give more grip.

(Yes, in the wet there is danger of hydroplaning, but in California we can predict the rainy season months ahead. Southern Cali won’t see a drop of water in the Summer)

Perfect weather for racing slicks. hehe

Nes
Sep 25, 2008 at 8:04 pm

hahahah ooh California and their stupid laws! I wouldn’t be surprised if the governator passed this law either.

Iben
Sep 25, 2008 at 7:38 pm

California can’t/won’t enforce the existing laws regarding cell phone use…..Can’t see them enforcing the correct tire pressure.

Oafman
Sep 25, 2008 at 7:21 pm

Yet another reason why I hate California. They will take a reasonable idea and really screw it up so that everyone has to suffer. They should just add this to the list of things they check at the annual emisions test and leave it be the rest of the year. Any more than that will cost the government more money and cause more hassle than good.

MPV TT
Sep 25, 2008 at 7:08 pm

i am always surprised at how low people drive on their tires. sometimes its scary. but in order to watch out for this, california could employ teenagers to work at gas stations to check and inflate tires, sort of like gas stations in oregon.

Keith
Sep 25, 2008 at 6:28 pm

Of coures it would happen in California. I don’t like the idea of getting pulled over at random, especially when it’s for something that doesn’t really pertain to me, but I do see your point with some cars being death traps. I would rather just watch out for other drivers and leave myself ample room when possible that get pulled over for a roadside inspection when I’m on a time schedule and kind of have to be somewhere. Then I’ll have to drive faster and less catious to get there on time.