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914World.com _ 914World Garage _ Governor VETO of AB 2683!

Posted by: 6fahrer Sep 14 2004, 10:09 AM

(An open letter to) Dear Governor Schwartzenegger,

As a California-born member of the nation's 'car culture', as well as the owner of several old classic Porsche sportscars, I wish to register my strong disapprobation of Assembly Bill 2683, which is shortly to come before you for gubnatorial review/signature.
Although I am a (and have been a life-long) strong supporter of environmental measures that concern themselves with environmental issues that pose serious hazards to the common health and welfare of our population, the reasoning behind AB 2683 is fuzzy at best and severely misguided at worst.
Aside from the fact that California's most serious air pollution stems from today's increasingly exempted heavy commercial truck traffic, industrial/commercial manufacturing sources, auto industry 'loophole laws' that allow blanket smog exemptions for environmentally 'dirty' SUV type vehicles, and even natural sources (such as large forests that daily generate tons of N0x), our elected representatives fail to recognize some very important additional facts. Chief among them are the following: 1) virtually NO ONE drives a 30 year old car on a daily basis; 2) those 30 year old automobiles that are still legally licensed and registered are almost without exception collector cars that are stringently maintained, lavishly cared for, and lovingly restored; 3) none of these 30 year old cars are driven more than a small distance each year (in most cases less than two thousand or so)--typically only to keep them 'fresh' or perhaps to tour in with other collector car owners.
Our wonderful 'elected representatives', money and lobby-influenced animals that they are, have failed by and large to satisfactorily take substantial action against the more serious air quality violators and have instead chosen to focus on vintage car collectors to expiate their political impotency. As a member of that car-collector 'easy target of opportunity', I protest this unjust status quo and strongly urge you to VETO Assembly Bill 2683 as unacceptable (and envioronmentally ineffectual).
The present rolling 30 year exemption is more than adequate to achieve the purpose of keeping 'high profile' smog offender vehicles off our California road and highways. We do not need a modified legislative action such as is AB 2683, nor would it be fair to place the responsibility for the craven failure of our legislators to address the REAL air quality issues on collectors of vintage automobiles in this manner.
Personally, I hate the massive and onerous 'car culture' effluence that we American have permitted to degrade our regional quality of life as much as anyone, but Assembly Bill 2683 is NOT the way to go about addressing the genuine issues facing all of us in our increasingly auto-congested state. Please VETO AB 2683!

Thank you, Chris Carey (bicycle commuter and classic car owner)

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PS: email 'Ahnuld' at: governor@governor.ca.gov
or by visiting http://www.govmail.ca.gov

Posted by: Chris914n6 Sep 14 2004, 04:58 PM

Good letter!

Posted by: Elliot Cannon Sep 14 2004, 05:44 PM

The LA Times had an acticle on the subject today. According to the Times, Jay Leno bent the Govs. ear about this bill. Apparently told him he thought it was a BAD idea. I hope his influence works.
Cheers, Elliot

Posted by: Maltese Falcon Sep 14 2004, 09:29 PM

I've posted some data at Pelican (914 and 911) last week on this pending smog law, provided by my associates at SEMA. Check out www.enjoythedrive.com/content/?ID=33264
The real BAD part of this law going into effect is that it can make the already 30 year exemption Null and Void. Even worse for you 49staters if other states model after it. Japan has long ago adopted the tight C.A.R.B. specs.
There are also some good contact #s at the website, so you can get an email, fax etc. to Herr Gubernator , if you feel up to it.
He proll'y can't read everything that lands there...but he may get a clue by the size of the USPS mail bags piling up in his office

Help keep the word California in the phrase "California Car Culture "!