Tuesday, January 09, 2007

The Colorado Emissions Test

I spent about an hour at one of Colorado's emissions testing facilities recently. This no doubt is one person's attempt at eradicating the brown cloud that occasionally hangs over the city of Denver. I wonder if it really works. Consider this:
  • I spent about half an hour in line, with motor running (I would advance a few feet every so often), along with a steady stream of 25 or so other cars waiting in line with me.
  • The test itself (again, with motor running) took another 30 minutes or so.
  • With nothing better to do than watch the various monitors scattered about the facility, I noticed that there were frequent delays because the "ambient" air was often above "acceptable" levels. Do you think that may have had something to do with all of those cars at the facility, engines idling away?

Perhaps there may be a more efficient way to reduce Denver's air pollution. Maybe closing the emissions testing facilities would help?

13 comments:

MrHuge2U said...

Perhaps, you should lay off the beans and take your car next time. Could be more appropriate when you're in line the next time.

You do bring up an interesting point on the value of such emissions test considering that:

1. Not all states require emissions test so the value or pollution that it may saves may be dubious. By the way, for those states that require them, I would suggest they have later hours to accomodate the normal workday of most people. Besides, they could call these the nocturnal emissions test.

2. The ozone later is still getting futher depleted even with the emergence of emission centers. Ever hear about global warming? Tired of Al Gore and his MTV speeches on glaciers turning to ice cubes yet?

3. The equipment and personnel to maintain the test sites are inconsistent at best leading to several false reading. This, in turn, forces the unsuspecting driver to take his car into a dealership where they have another opportunity to gouge said driver into more "preventative maintenance" before the car decends into the pits of unusable obsolescence rust.

4. The process to get your emissions test is fraught with questionable practices, such as letting your car idle for lengthy periods of time while the attendant flirts with the red headed college coed fifteen cars in front of you. While you are idling, your car does reach operating temperature while your fuel consumption goes straight down to hades. As you sit there revving your engine, do you possibly think that is good for the innards of your precious overpriced engine? Ever hear of scoring? I'm referring to the engine in this context, not the probability of success that the attendant has with the red head.

5. Why do they have emissions test in Colorado? Isn't that why they are a mile high? I would expect that they are also a mile higher than smog city LA, so why in the world would they want to add emissions to that clear, crisp "Mr. Ed" John Elway air?

6. Part of your reasons for experiencing some difficulty is Colorado does NOT have emissions center. You were going through a Jack-in-the-box restaurant. Didn't you notice the clown talking back to you?

Nathan Kinzel said...

All of a sudden I'm more concerned about word pollution. Didn't you have a brother who worked for Readers Digest? Maybe you should give him a call. Heck with emissions, you should be tested for Carpal Tunnel.

MrHuge2U said...

I've never car pooled in any tunnel. I don't care what she says!

Nathan Kinzel said...

Hey, if you add up all the words in your 2 comments to this post and take an average, you'll have something only slightly longer than the Iliad and Odyssey.

MrHuge2U said...

If you measure me, you might be able to compare it to the library of congress * infinity. Plus War and Peace.

Nathan Kinzel said...

I thought you had lost weight! Have you gained it all back?

MrHuge2U said...

All in the right places, my envious friend.

Nathan Kinzel said...

Surely you mean impervious. Clearly this weight gain of yours was not within the cranium - unless, of course, we're measuring thickness.

MrHuge2U said...

Let's just say, it went right to my head.

Nathan Kinzel said...

Shall I call you fathead?

MrHuge2U said...

That's what she was screaming last night

Nathan Kinzel said...

Enough said

MrHuge2U said...

too much