My Morning Commute

[mstone]

@acl 50803 wrote:

Apparently I am just too damn gullible. I was told a couple times when I first moved to the area that no you can not make an appointment, it is STATE LAW that inspections are done first-come first-serve, you have to just show up and sit there in line. My dealer took care of it one year for me, but they actually are not an inspection station, they just took it to their neighborhood shop for me after doing a bunch of work on the car. Other than that, I have always sat there in the stupid line because that’s what I was told I have to do.

D. Inspections shall be performed on a first-come, first-served basis. Motorists shall not be required to make an appointment to obtain an inspection, except that appointments required by § 46.2-1158.01 of the Code of Virginia shall be made. Businesses that take in motorists’ vehicles for inspection at the beginning of the work day shall not be required to stop the work already taken in to provide an inspection for a drive-in motorist, provided inspections are actually being performed at the time and will continue through the day.

A station may inquire about accepting safety inspections by appointment. If the requirements are met, then the official inspection station may, in addition to having one lane for the first-come, first-served customers, also have a second inspection lane designated for customers who have made appointments for a designated time slot. An additional certified safety inspector shall be available to perform those inspections that are made by an appointment. If interested, stations should first contact their supervising trooper for specific requirements and guidelines.

The restriction is on accepting appointments for a particular time. There’s nothing preventing a station from letting you drop off your car and get inspected in turn, except that they might not feel like it.

[DismalScientist]

I would think that the stations would prefer you drop it off so that they can do the cars with people waiting more quickly.

[jrenaut]

@dasgeh 50807 wrote:

..Cherrydale Motors (Lee & Kenmore)…

My grandmother took her car there for years (lived by Vacation and Lorcom) and always thought it was a good shop. That’s a great area – my wife and I were seriously considering moving there until we became so enamored with our daughter’s DC public charter school.

[mstone]

@DismalScientist 50815 wrote:

I would think that the stations would prefer you drop it off so that they can do the cars with people waiting more quickly.

No, they still have to be done in order; I think the point is to ensure that people have equal access to the state-mandated inspection. Drop-offs are somewhat of a PITA for the station, because they have to find & store the cars, and if they accept mid-day drop-offs they need to find some credible way to track the order of inspections (just having people put their car in the moving line and walk away has obvious issues).

[AMRunBike]

Seen on the Weather Channel website just now: A Super Serious Commuter.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]2793[/ATTACH]

[DaveK]

@AMRunBike 50831 wrote:

Seen on the Weather Channel website just now: A Super Serious Commuter.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]2793[/ATTACH]

Eh. Colorado. They all do that.

[Amalitza]

@mstone 50810 wrote:

The restriction is on accepting appointments for a particular time. There’s nothing preventing a station from letting you drop off your car and get inspected in turn, except that they might not feel like it.

yeah, i was unclear. iirc, that was my first request, the first time I tried to get an inspection after moving to virginia and was shown the line. “Can’t I just leave the car?” “No, line’s there”. “oh. Can I make an appointment?” “no.” So I waited in the line. Then the next year I asked at a couple places before being told it was the law. Anyway, I believed them since multiple shops wouldn’t let me do it, and never bothered asking anywhere after that. That was 15 years ago and I’ve been waiting in those damn lines ever since. :mad::mad:

[rcannon100]

I have lived in Arlco for 25 years and essentially never wait in line. Dealerships will do it for you. I dont use the dealership any more. Took me a while to realize how much dealerships suck. Now, I just have my guy. I go during the week. Guy never gives me a hassle.

There are shops all over the place. Look for the ones without the lines. And if they “find” things that need to be repaired, knock them off your list. And use Yelp.

The gas station next to Military and Lee said my brakes were shot and wanted to repair them for me. My mechanic laughed – not even close. The gas station next to Joe’s on Lee Hwy (another time) passed me but advised me I should go to my own mechanic at some point because my brakes were near end – what do you know, the shop that wasnt trying to create work for itself was dead on.

[Mark Blacknell]

@jrenaut 50819 wrote:

My grandmother took her car there for years (lived by Vacation and Lorcom) and always thought it was a good shop. That’s a great area – my wife and I were seriously considering moving there until we became so enamored with our daughter’s DC public charter school.

Let’s note – someone just explained that they were going to move to Arlington, but they stayed in DC because of the school. (Being very serious here – that’s so great to hear.)

[jrenaut]

@Mark Blacknell 50842 wrote:

Let’s note – someone just explained that they were going to move to Arlington, but they stayed in DC because of the school. (Being very serious here – that’s so great to hear.)

I know, it’s pretty crazy. and I think about how crazy it is every time I tell people. But it’s true.

[ShawnoftheDread]

@Mark Blacknell 50842 wrote:

Let’s note – someone just explained that they were going to move to Arlington, but they stayed in DC because of the school. (Being very serious here – that’s so great to hear.)

True, and it is good to hear, but I note your use of the singular.

[fuzzy]

@acl 50789 wrote:

Off topic, I know, but are you talking about Virginia state and/or emissions inspections? Where do you get to DROP OFF YOUR CAR to get that done?????

My car still has Maryland tags… Maryland only inspects when the car is sold/transfer ownership. Thats it… Other than emissions every 2 years(i think its 2) K, I’ll stop gloating/bragging.

[mstone]

@fuzzy 50848 wrote:

My car still has Maryland tags… Maryland only inspects when the car is sold/transfer ownership. Thats it… Other than emissions every 2 years(i think its 2) K, I’ll stop gloating/bragging.

Yes, nothing more important to brag about than a state where cars don’t have to have brakes.

[mstone]

Shouldn’t May be, I don’t know, a bit warmer? I wore the same clothes this morning that I wore in December.

(Note: December was actually warmer than the prediction for today: http://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/KIAD/2012/12/3/DailyHistory.html?req_city=Fairfax&req_state=VA&req_statename=Virginia )

[GoodOmens]

So my first long bike commute and I was hit by a elderly gentleman going through a stop sign while I was making a left hand turn. Minor, minor injuries – just some nice road reminders on my left leg and arm. A lady called the police and a report was filed. He destroyed a expensive Arc’Teryx jacket and I want to have my bike double checked – do I get the police report and call his insurance?

Could have been a lot, lot worse. The one ride out of 200+ in the last year or two (I used to capital bike share to work) I forget to wear my helmet. Sigh….

[Author]

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