Leno's Law

I've written to my CA state assemblyman, state senator, my representative to the House of Representatives, and my US senator regarding many issues. They don't give a damn what I think. As I write this, they are shutting down more oil refineries.

 

wow remember what Mark Twain wrote "Politicians are a lot like diapers, they should be changed frequently, and for the same reasons."

 

Thanks for sending the email/letters.

Our representatives cannot be experts on everything. They need outsiders to give them information and to brief them on specific issues. Usually this is done by "corporate" lobbyists who are partisans. It may be that our legislators are only hearing one side of the argument.

We can hope that larger bodies on our side of the fence, such as CARB, Leno or Hagerty, are talking with our representatives, but that is not enough. Each one of us, if we are concerned, should write.

Frankly, writing anything here is writing to those who already understand the issue and are already convinced.

 

Sadly, in the real world TODAY, arguing for this will be depicted in media headlines as "Rich boys with their toys don't care about your children and the environment!" Any politician interested in staying in office beyond the next election would probably, at best, abstain from voting on this legislation.

I lived for 8 years on a boat/marina on the Chesapeake bay. Around 2010 or thereabouts there was a group of owners of 50+ ft boats that wanted to organize a rally/protest in DC to protest the cost of diesel fuel to operate their boats. Turned out that a local state congressman had a boat at the marina so they approached him to ask how to best organize/who to speak to in DC. He basically said that anyone appearing in such a protest would be ridiculed so badly on the media that they would probably have to move/take their kids out of school. He advised them to write to their congressman/senators but not to stage any sort of public display. When asked if he thought they would get support from any representatives in government, he said, "No, but it is your right to express your views to your representatives."

If this was an issue that affected a big part of the population, it would be different but the majority are more in the mindset of, "Your car cost more than my house." I was told exactly that in a hardware store parking lot by a woman with her three kids who walked over while I was putting bags in the car to berate me/my "expensive lifestyle." Clearly she was not a Magnum fan!

 

Its just too easy to have people stand up and say this is going to cause more lung cancer or contribute to global climate change than not doing anything. That's not politics. That's reality because its happening now.

If they do nothing, its the easy way out because these cars will be sold out of CA or put in museums or up on blocks -- and be someone else's problem. You're talking about a State what wants to take every gasoline powered car off the road. Again, that's their actual laws and not my conjecture or exaggeration. That's reality. Keeping a few collector cars burning gas without emission controls because its a "fun hobby" is not going to fly if those are your laws on the books.

And again, this is not politics. Its trying to change an existing law that makes it almost impossible to get a smog cert for many people and the methods currently being used for and against it. It doesn't matter what party you are from. Its if you own a classic car or not.

 

Mike,

Where on the Chesapeake? I lived on a boat in the upper Chesapeake for over 30 yrs

 

Piney Narrows Marina on Kent Island - slip G29! Lived there from '07 -'17. 328 lived in the parking lot or in nearby rental garage when I was away for extended periods.

 

As 1975 owners, the way I interpret this, we are exempt from all of this, still. We already fall under the pre-1976 law. All this Leno's law is just for 1976 and newer. @dyerhaus You are exempt.

 

Know it well! Was at McDainel's Yacht Basin on the North East River from 1970 to 2002.

 

sorta hoping it fails

 

Why would want this? I don't want to open a can of worms or any political angles...

I can share from a financial motivation, my '75 is worth more in California as it doesn't have to meet any smog certification - thus my car is more valuable in California than later cars. We have been fighting for common sense approaches with solid facts. However, I do think the greater good of my peers being able to enjoy the hobby and ownership experience outweighs my own priorities.

 

The Bill SB-712 is stuck right now. Doesn't look like any forward movement for a while.

I've read the Bill amendments, and (unless I'm mistaken) it's very broad reaching and takes all of the guardrails off like Collector Car insurance. I think the "Enhanced Area" (Actually, the areas that are not "enhanced") requirements already has the proper wording which should be tuned up. I think this sets a balance and will be more agreeable to those trying to protect the air.

Ironically, my cars come off the maintainer and out from under their covers is for a SMOG test.