THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, September 12, 1994 TAG: 9409100006
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A8 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 34 lines
As a responsible driver, I welcome paying $10 for the annual safety inspection on my car, and object to the possibility of eliminating it in Virginia.
I shudder to think of the clunkers that will be wheeling down our roads endangering us all. I wonder how many more ailing cars will be sidelined in Hampton Roads' congested tunnels. Cars equipped with bald tires, worn-out brakes and bare-metal windshield wipers should add to the fun of maneuvering along our roadways.
As part of a busy two-career, two-car family, I rely in part on my mandatory annual visit to the garage to remind me of what my cars need.
It's all too easy to forget when you last bought tires or replaced the brake pads. In this day of pump-it-yourself gas stations, it is rare to visit a mechanic unless an unusual car noise makes it imperative to have the vehicle checked out. Most newer vehicles no longer require the tune-ups once lavished on older cars.
In the past two years during the annual safety inspection on our two vehicles, my mechanic discovered worn brake pads, two bad tires and a muffler with a hole in it. I was happy to immediately correct these problems and each time drove away feeling much safer.
SALLY KIRBY HARTMAN
Norfolk, Sept. 1, 1994 by CNB