CT Bill, Requiring DMV to "Inspect Race Cars"

[Greg Amy]

Anyone want to comment on this one? Time to write to your reps, folks.

Connecticut HB 5448: Requires that motor vehicle racetrack and exhibition centers be assigned an inspector from the DMV to inspect racecars.

http://www.cga.ct.gov/2005/tob/h/2005HB-05...5448-R00-HB.htm

Unfortunately, I just found out about this today, and there's a public hearing on it tonight. I'd like to go to find out what this is all about, but I cannot...

[Greg Amy]

More automotive legislation info available form SEMA's March Action News letter:

http://www.sema.org/images/pdf/df0305.pdf

[grjones1]

Originally posted by GregAmy:
Anyone want to comment on this one? Time to write to your reps, folks.

Connecticut HB 5448: Requires that motor vehicle racetrack and exhibition centers be assigned an inspector from the DMV to inspect racecars.

http://www.cga.ct.gov/2005/tob/h/2005HB-05...5448-R00-HB.htm

Unfortunately, I just found out about this today, and there's a public hearing on it tonight. I'd like to go to find out what this is all about, but I cannot...

Greg,
Sounds like someone in CT doesn't like racing and/or sees a way of collecting yet another tax from the racing community. Good Luck
GRJ

[67ITB]

Greg
Thanks for the heads up!
I just called my State Representative about this, to give him my opinion on the matter.
Who knows if he will listen or not, but if he was on the fence it couldn’t hurt.
For a state with very few racetracks we sure have a lot of racing legislation on the books.
Matt Bal

here is a link to find your rep.

http://www.cga.ct.gov/maps/Townlist.asp

[Jeremy Billiel]

As if the state of CT doesn't get enough of our money... Thanks Greg for bringing it to our attention! I will be calling my rep as well!

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Coming Soon: 1995 ITS Acura Integra

[lateapex911]

My off the top of my head thoughts ....

Quote:
"Representative Tymniak,

It has been brought to my attention that Rep. Zalaski, 81st Dist. has proposed a bill to require that each motor vehicle racetrack and exhibition center shall be assigned an inspector to inspect the race cars, with the expense to be borne by the race track.

As a gentleman who races sportscars as an ametuer, I find this to be in extremely poor judgement.

I can not think of any benefit this would provide, but several major disadvantages come immediately to mind.

1- The race track will, of course, pass the expense, (along with related mangment overages) to the sanctioning bodies, which will of course, in turn, pass it on to the individual entrant.

2- Such inspections, which are not detatiled in the proposed bill in any way, are completely redundant. Each sanctioning body inspects the race vehicles on an individual basis to ensure safety, and is held accountable to it's insurance carrier.

3- The DMV is not equiped to perfom inspections on the specialized chassis and equipment that modern racing cars are constructed with. To to so would require an intensive and expensive educational program.

4- Tracks in CT operate under very strict timelines in an effort to be "good neighbors". Adding mandatory inspections of over 200 race cars per day would be a logistal nightmare from both a spece and time consideration.

Finaly, the skeptic in me has a hard time accepting that this is truly in the publics best interest. Part of me sees this as another example of goverment meddling, and adding uneccesary costs to the general public.

In the years that I have been attending races as both a spectator, an instructor, and a race official, at Lime Rock Park in CT, I can think of no incident that resulted in major injury or death that such a program could have prevented.

Sincerely,

Jake Gulick"

sent this evening...


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Jake Gulick
CarriageHouse Motorsports
ITA 57 RX-7
New England Region
[email protected]

[gran racing]

As an SCCA racer I see this as a bunch of BS. WE have great safety standards. So the state should be looking at each sanctioning club individually. Go to the Race-a-rama and take a close look at some of the clubs advertising there. $500 to for a complete race car including a safety roll bar? Tempting until one considers the safety, right? Or maybe just tempting with many people's budget. I know I considered it (in addition to SCCA). No expensive school, no expensive safety requirements, no expensive license, ect. Then you have to think what happens if anything relatively minor happens?

At first I was all pissy about this, but before we all get worked up I'd be curious to hear more about it. There was only a short paragraph about it; hopefully there is more to it?

Anyone know if meeting minutes were taken that are public?

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Dave Gran
NER ITB #13
'87 Honda Prelude si

[67ITB]

I spoke with my Representative tonight; Al Adinolfi and he said that this is a proposal to “table” a bill. It is not something that will be “passed” at this time, but something that will (could) then (attempt) to be made into a detailed law. I guess it is still in the discussion phase. And they are discussing if it should be discussed further.

FYI my representatives Son and Grandson both race cars (sprints, modified or something like that) and he was in agreement with me that in general the “clubs” do a great job at policing themselves and don’t need any government intervention.
Al went on to tell me that his Son has “rolled it several times and walked away” and he doesn’t think the State could be of any help in making our sport any safer. He will speak to the man that proposed the Bill to see what his intention is. (God I feel guilty just bringing up the word “intention” with this crowd).

I will let you know what he says about it tomorrow…

Matt Bal

[JLawton]

Jake,
Well put! Um, you don't mind if I "stole" parts of your letter for mine do you??

Call me lazy!!

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Jeff L
#74 ITB GTi

[This message has been edited by JLawton (edited March 01, 2005).]

[Blix]

Great letter, and I cribbed a bunch of it when sending it to my local Rep. Just FYI, there are a couple of spelling errors, so anyone else who copies it might want to run it through the old "electronic 5th grade teacher" to make sure we look as buttoned up and professional as possible.

E

[Tim]

Could it be a way of getting cars registered as well so that property tax could be levied against them? It all stinks.

[JLawton]

I just received this response from Linda Orange:

Jeff,

Thank you for your email. After talking to Representatives that sit on the
Transportation Committee it is my belief that this bill does not have enough
support to move forward.

Where do you race?

When my boys were young my husband and I spent a good deal of time in
Waterford. At that time my cousin, Jimmy Arico raced a modified. We always
had a lot of fun.

Linda
________________________________________

I wish working with the SCCA was this easy



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Jeff L
#74 ITB GTi

[JLawton]

Just another follow up. I received another e-mail from Linda Orange that she will keep an eye on the bill just to make sure.

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Jeff L
#74 ITB GTi