Sacramento County Says It's Illegal to Work on Your Own Car in Your Own Garage

[Xist]

Behold! My next million-dollar idea [for someone else]!

My last one was a celebrity slap simulator.

My work iPad came with Talking Tom and apps featuring some of his friends. You can play various games with Tom and you need to feed him, take him to the bathroom, and put him to bed.

My kids spend most of their time slapping the animals, but if they can talk they say things like "Cat poop," which he repeats in a high voice.

[All Darc]

Originally Posted by Xist

Behold! My next million-dollar idea [for someone else]!

[redpoint5]

Originally Posted by wdb

Did any of you actually read the article? According to the statute, you can't work on YOUR OWN CAR in YOUR OWN GARAGE. Not outside in the street -- inside, behind a door, on your own property. Not allowed by law.

There may be problems with people running ersatz car repair businesses in their driveways, spilling fluids, etc., and they should certainly be dealt with. But this law is excessive intrusion and overreach writ large.

Nothing surprises me in CA. I'm not for big nanny state government, but that said, I am for local government making whatever laws they want so long as they don't conflict with the constitution.

The federal government has far too much reach, when the original intention was for local government to govern themselves. If people don't like it, they can vote to change it or leave.

Californians seem to be more willing to trade peace of mind illusion of safety for liberty than others, something which they are entitled to do.

Do I think the environment will measurably improve with the passing of this law; no. It was probably intended to protect jobs, and possibly to protect real estate prices.

[freebeard]

If people don't like it, they can vote to change it or leave.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temporary_Autonomous_Zone

In the formation of a TAZ, Bey argues, information becomes a key tool that sneaks into the cracks of formal procedures. A new territory of the moment is created that is on the boundary line of established regions. Any attempt at permanence that goes beyond the moment deteriorates to a structured system that inevitably stifles individual creativity. It is this chance at creativity that is real empowerment.

edit:
Sacramento all over again:


justacarguy.blogspot.com/.../hoa-sues-pver-1965-ford-f250-pickup.html

[Fat Charlie]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

The oil drain bolts on my Prius and Acura don't line up well with the cutout in the plastic, so spillage is unavoidable unless you remove the entire plastic, or somehow secure a funnel/hose under the drain bolt. Then there's the oil filter mounted horizontally, which is impossible to remove without it spilling half the contents onto the axle and various other suspension parts.

I lay a large piece of scrap cardboard under the car when I do oil changes, and that usually contains the massive amounts of spillage.

You'd think something that is to be performed regularly should be easier to access, with less spillage.

They make something for that. For a badly placed filter, I've used an aluminum foil funnel to get the slop into the drain pan.

[jcp123]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

Nothing surprises me in CA. I'm not for big nanny state government, but that said, I am for local government making whatever laws they want so long as they don't conflict with the constitution.

The federal government has far too much reach, when the original intention was for local government to govern themselves. If people don't like it, they can vote to change it or leave.

Californians seem to be more willing to trade peace of mind illusion of safety for liberty than others, something which they are entitled to do.

Do I think the environment will measurably improve with the passing of this law; no. It was probably intended to protect jobs, and possibly to protect real estate prices.

That’s how I read it. Californians, even in their coldest markets, have such a big buy-in if they buy a property, that I think they do get a bit paranoid about protecting their property values.

On the flip side, it was my observation growing up that the Everyman is too busy affording life there to have much left over for political engagement, so the ground got taken up by the progressive, wealthy folks who could afford to spend some time on it, not unlike how conservative oil wealth still dominates in Texas. Even growing up in the 90s and early 2000s, I think it would have been rather intimidating to be a conservative or libertarian voice in California.

If it’s a job preservation thing, Texas, like many states (and UNlike California), requires annual safety inspections, something which struck me as very non-Texan when I moved here. I suspect it has less to do with safety than making sure shops get an annual chance to scare folks into marginally needed repairs they just so happen to be able to perform right there!

So like you, I fail to be surprised when something like this pops up in CA, a place I still love and miss dearly. But it only gets press because of its own reputation; I am sure there are other cities across the nation with something similar, and I’ll bet if you don’t like this, nearly any HOA would make you gag.

[Vman455]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

The oil drain bolts on my Prius and Acura don't line up well with the cutout in the plastic, so spillage is unavoidable unless you remove the entire plastic, or somehow secure a funnel/hose under the drain bolt.

The oil pan drain plug on the Prius is right smack in the middle of that access door; I've never had problems with spillage, and only remove the whole pan to change the transmission fluid (which does spill on the axle if you remove the fill plug first; it comes shooting out of there). The oil filter tends to spill, but there's nothing under it so it can go straight into the bucket.

The Viper's oil filter pointed straight up, so it came out vertical after you unscrewed it. I always thought that was a nice touch.

[Xist]

Check out where the oil filter is in my neighbor's new Subaru Ascent:



On my Hondas I always need to look for a bit to find the filter. Mom's oil filter screws vertically into the oil pan, but you cannot remove it without a tool, and then it spills on you.

[oil pan 4]

Property values are kind of like the lotto.

[redpoint5]

Originally Posted by Vman455

The oil pan drain plug on the Prius is right smack in the middle of that access door; I've never had problems with spillage, and only remove the whole pan to change the transmission fluid (which does spill on the axle if you remove the fill plug first; it comes shooting out of there). The oil filter tends to spill, but there's nothing under it so it can go straight into the bucket.

I'll pay more attention next time, but I thought the drain plug was angled, causing it to either overshoot the bucket, or undershoot as the pressure drops.

My plastic is a bit messed up too. There's mounting tabs towards the front that have been entirely ground off from driving logging roads.

Originally Posted by Xist

Check out where the oil filter is in my neighbor's new Subaru Ascent:

I don't know why it's so difficult to have easy access to both the drain bolt and filter, and position the filter such that unscrewing it doesn't spill the contents. I like the practice of filling the filter prior to installing it just so it reduces the time spent with zero oil pressure, not that it probably matters at all.