Every time I’m tempted to write the phrase “never ceases to amaze”, I’m forced to stop myself.
The accounts of western governments (from the local to the federal) kneecapping the very infrastructure upon which modern metropolitan life depends – including reliable electricity, food production, and the transport of essential goods – are so routine now, one can hardly keep track;
Friday eight appointed members of the [California] air board voted to adopt the so called ‘Truck Rule’, which mandates that nearly a million diesel trucks and busses be equipped with a smog filtering device or replaced outright.
[…]
State officials say they have loan programs available to help companies replace their trucks, but Mike Kubar says it’s a racket. He says the state program offers about 50 thousand dollars for trucks that cost upwards of 125k.
And that means a trip to the bank for a huge loan.
“Once you’re in debt, once you sign that piece of paper, and if I don’t have business, then we are deep trouble, he said.
The new regulations start going into effect in 2010 and will phase in over a period of 13 years.
The sweeping new law also applies to trucks registered in other states that drive into California
The day may not be long off when interstate truckers just drop their goods at the border
and let Californians pack them in by mule. The one I’d suggest is January 1, 2010.
h/t Shaken
re interstate trucks dropping goods off at the border:
Can you spell: “Law of unintended consequences?”
Not to mention that California’s budget is $21 billion in the hole, increasing at a rate of more than $1.2 billion a month, and rapidly beoming a stand-in at the federal bail-out line.
All good evidence, I’m sure, that California legislators are the best equipped to proscribe asinine laws like this. Almost as qualified as the Coalition, in fact.
BTW, we should give our undying thanks to the coalition:
http://burpnrun.blogspot.com/2008/12/let-us-give-thanks-to-coalition-and.html
I don’t see that this is a problem.
1) The need to breathe is a little more acute than the need to have a Wal-Mart full of cheap crap.
2) It’s not being brought in overnight…it won’t be in full force until 15 years from now. By then virtually all of the worst offenders would be off the road anyway.
3) Emissions standards not applying to trucks was not going to last forever and anyone who didn’t see that writing on the wall is a fool.
4) Yes the up front cost outlay is going to hurt, but in the long run having a cleaner running, and by extension more efficient, vehicle is going to save money.
BTW burpnrun:
Proscribe means “prohibit or limit”
Prescribe means “to set down authoritatively for direction”
That one catches a lot of people.
“The day may not be long off when interstate truckers just drop their goods at the border…”
I would pay to see that.
Commiefornicateya can run around naked using pine needles to wipe their sorry butts.
Highway robbery by elected highwaymen…
A day without a Mexican didn’t do much around here. I bet a week without a truck might carry a little more weight. Reality is going to hit California like a Tsunami soon. This and AB32 the cap and trade bill plus the huge debt all at the same time. Bye bye California.
“…drop their goods at the border
and let Californians pack them in by mule…”
-provided the mules can be certified for low-methane flatulence
Endless mentally challenged laws, you’d think the elected officials wanted their respective states provinces countries to fail. I know the Alberta liberals want to fail as they just voted a enviro-nutcase as party leader. People had better start taking care of the political problem before we are a third world failed state.
“The day may not be long off when interstate truckers just drop their goods at the border…”
If only! I really wish there was some way to show some of these enviro-nuts the inevitable consequences that they do not intend.
Good Idea Kate,
I am sure there are enuf Illegal Mexicans in California to drive that train of mules to Wal-Mart.
Now Edward, if I didn’t know better it would seem you have a problem with Un-Unionized Wally World ?
Not to mention; I remember the 70’s California smog-control crap they mandated that killed the performance and robbed the gas milage.
Yep, Pops was a GM Mechanic and Folks used to pay behind closed doors on Saturday afternoons to take the dayyum things off.
So what if we have no winter produce to eat!
Think of all the green jobs that would be created!
(Please note the heavy sarcasm!)
I wonder how California is gonna convince neighbouring states to build all the HUGE parking lots for semi-trailers this stupidity is going to require.
What people do not realize is that the reason products at the store have stayed somewhat affordable is because thier is still competition still with in the trucking industrie,but as the cost of operation becomes more expensive,more and more people are leaving the industrie and letting the large trucking companies to handle it.
This in turn leaves no more competition and will drive the tarrif rates through the ceiling which in turn will drive the costs of goods even higher which many people will not be able to afford things like FOOD but as Edward teach says air is the most important thing.
p.s with out food air does you no good
As a regular visitor to SoCal I have seen up front a lot of their goofier ideas. Didn’t Milton Friedman say something to the effect that CA was a state created by bureaucrats for bureaucrats?
but think of all the freeway space that will be cleared up by getting all the trucks off the road.
Wonder if they’ll ban out of state fire trucks that rush to help when the State is burning down every fall ?
Well, in the rush to lower the seas and heal the Earth, there was never any promises made concerning affordable reliable energy, abundant food or an uninterrupted supply chain. Not to worry, those details tend to sort themselves out through good old-fashioned means – food riots, energy protests, truckers strikes, failing economies etc. Ironically, those who most strongly support AGW are the same ones most at risk. They live in places that are the least able to be self-reliant or safe in the event of disruptions.
In the best case scenario, changing voter priorities will influence politicians to abandon the path they are leading us down.
When the Detroit Series 60 engine first came out?
Guys were getting 7-8mpg. Up from 4-5 mpg of other engines. MAXED out gross vehicle weight (truck, trailer and cargo)
Then the new blends and emissions BS came along.
I now run 20 000 lbs less in freight weight.
The best I have seen is just over 6mpg.
Consuming more fuel with less weight???? Yep.
That translates into higher costs for the consumer.
The Eco-tards are legally “stealing” from us.
Things need to change…and soon.
Oatmeal guy- Imagine trying to run your rig on natural gas! That’s what some of the crazies think we should do.
I think diesel pickup trucks are going to be mostly phased out. Maybe that will bring down the price of diesel fuel.
I wonder when they’re going to start targeting trains? Maybe it’s time to start building nuclear/steam engines.
This is also going to effect California exports. CA is a major exporter of foodstuffs. They may be able to feed themselves, but this is going to effect California food exports (by making them more expensive).
The problem with California is simply that they have about 35 million people driving around cruisin’ for burgers and stuff.
Human populations are far too numerous to begin with and that is the root of all our problems. Why does a planet need 7 billion and growing?
What do all the people do with their lives? Most of them spend most of their time trying find something to eat or drink. The rest of us are buying stuff to replace the stuff we got tired of.
Humanity does not make much sense anymore. A smaller high tech society whose goal is to continue to explore space and find ways to get off the planet would be a good goal.
We are a species of curiosity and exploration at our finest and that should be one of our top priorities. If we are not doing something like that, then we are just watching TV or starving. What’s the point?
WE are indeed heading for disaster down the road. Pretty much everything we are doing right now is to avoid that inevitability. It’s pretty hard to move forward are improve the human condition when we are up to our asses in alligators.
dp
A lot of guys started doing “hotshots”.
Using 350/3500 size pickups to haul smaller loads.
It gets around the onerous DOT BS. Trust me…the onerous Hours of Service BS HAS NOT improved the “quality of life” for my family or I like the propoganda said it would.
If things screw up and I follow every rule? I can get stuck an hour from home and have to sit until a piece of paper says I am “fit” to go home.
In the winter? I am not freezing my giblets off for Al Gore or Dr. Fishface. I idle and stay warm.
Diesel isn’t “suck, squeeze, bang, blow” like gas. It’s combustion is constant to provide power constantly. Not in short bursts.
Diesel in locomotives is just to power the Electro side of the locomotives.
Eco-freaks? For the constant misery theu inflict on others?
Hang ’em. Hang ’em high. Then turn them into Pinatas.
Jack at 2:11PM.
Come on, this posting is a joke right?
Who are you really Jack?
Read the artical about how Britian is going to be short on electricity by 2012 and the want to turn all our cars to electricity????????????
It’s a five alarm fire, and Obama is going to fix it:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081215/ap_on_sc/global_warming_obama_4
Diesels are happiest running at a constant RPM.
I wonder if anyone’s experimented with a diesel/electric combo on a semi-truck? I know a lot of mine trucks run that way.
Conceptually, this is similar to rail’s break of gauge issues. The most likely consequence will be the isolation of California’s independent interline operators, ultimately forcing them to give up or sell out to larger companies. Effectively it’s no different than any other legislated trade barrier except in this case it’ll be seen as desirable and beneficial – to all who don’t lose their jobs that is. Another bone for big business to enjoy.
now kids, we have now been told that when it is getting colder it is really getting warmer. stupid is a word i use alot.
Edward it has been tried but because of monre goverment regs on truck weights it was not economicaly profitable for the industrie to adopt
36 million stupid people all in one state. shit canada will soon have as many stupid people.
Edward Teach
1) The need to breathe is a little more acute than the need to have a Wal-Mart full of cheap crap.
Alot of its food actually, you consume food don’t you?
a discussion of why or why not is unnecessary. i could hit everyone who thinks this is necessary.
jack, off yourself and reduce the human pop by at least one.
Jack:
So I guess you approve of all the murders and killings going on all over the world.
Why don’t you go into the rope business so we can all go out and hang ourselves with your product.
Just one thing though, you might want to lead by example and be the first.
“Alot of its food actually, you consume food don’t you?”
Yes, but I can go without eating a lot longer than I can hold my breath.
Off topic Kate:
But Radler is out. On parole after less than four months in prison.
Edward Teach.
truck weights would rise and limit the “payload” because of weight tolerances/bridge laws.
There would end up being more trucks out burning diesel and the shippers would freak at the costs.
An electric motor just isn’t going to get 160 000 lbs up a mountain very well. But the freewheelin on the other side would charge the battery up again in no time.
…Har — would serve them right!
How about not shipping locally, regionally, nationally and internationally stuff that comes out of a tap?
There is always the green option:
ww.drinksmediawire.com/afficher_cdp.asp?id=3753&lng=2
Jack said; “Humanity does not make much sense anymore. A smaller high tech society whose goal is to continue to explore space and find ways to get off the planet would be a good goal.”
Is that some of that Scientology Ideology ?
Jack, you are scary the Lil People with that kind of talk.
,
I did not think the people who read this blog would be so frightened by my comments which, by the way, are rooted in reality.
I am not suggesting we all suicide, but it would be good of all the peoples of the world would take a queue from the white western world and stop having so many babies. There truly is not enough to go around. Can anyone tell me how 7 billion can have all that the average north American has and still have a planet to live on?
We cannot feed or provide energy to most of the world NOW.
Ghost of ed said “So I guess you approve of all the murders and killings going on all over the world.”
So I guess YOU approve of the millions who are starving to death or dying of malaria, dysentery, scarlet fever, and so on. All a result of ‘not enough’ to go around. That is also part of the reason for the killings and murders in so many parts of the world.
Are you getting it now? … Ed?
This is not Scientology, it is simple reality. If you disagree, tell me how many people should we have on this planet? 20 … 30 billion? If you think it’s hard to find an apartment now …. !
I have news for you guys: The whackjob state also passed restrictive laws on certain railroad equipment to the tune of tens of million of dollars that sets standards years into the future for diesel technology that doesn’t exist and isn’t even on anyone’s drawing board as yet. This type of legislation forces corporations to take draconian steps in order to remain in business.
If I remember correctly, El Presidente Patricio Aylwin of Chile did this in 1999, except that all buses manufactured before 1972 or 73 were forcibly idled.
The difference was that in 1999, Santiago was a stinking grey-brown mass of pollution, where (in winter, without cooling breezes from the west) you could perhaps see a block. Old school buses turned into commuter transport would barf much blacker smoke into the near-surface atmosphere than the newer buses.
That was a serious hardship to bus owners, but positive changes in air quality were almost immediate.
However, it sounds like this California action will have the same consequence for everyone as Chile’s floating the peso in the early 90’s.
Everybody paid, and everybody’s standard of living was dramatically lowered overnight.
Aureus Puer
“Can anyone tell me how 7 billion can have all that the average north American has and still have a planet to live on?”
~Jack
It’s your fantasy, Jack, that they are entitled to what the average North American has.(and the world pop. is -6B and shrinking)
My position is they didn’t earn it so they aren’t entitled to it.
“We cannot feed or provide energy to most of the world NOW.”
~Jack
Who is “we” and who says the “we” have any obligation to do so?
(as if raising the price of energy, which is what the cabal you represent wanted to do just 6 months ago to save the environment, was going to provide energy to the great unwashed of the world you disingenuous lout)
I say I have no obligation.
“So I guess YOU approve of the millions who are starving to death or dying of malaria, dysentery, scarlet fever, and so on.”
~Jack
Malaria?
You mean the disease that “we” had totally beat with DDT until the same eco-nuts, that you are siding with, had it banned like they are trying to ban trucking in California now?
“This is not Scientology, it is simple reality. If you disagree, tell me how many people should we have on this planet? 20 … 30 billion? Yada, yada, yada….”
~Jack
Get with the times, Jack.
The earth’s human population is shrinking. The air is much better than it was 10 years ago and much much better than it was 20 years ago and YOU and your environmental hysteria pals had nothing to do with the improvements and will have nothing to do with any improvements that come.
Don’t try to play me with your ignorant, condescending tripe Jack.
Food yield in the producing western world has doubled and quadrupled in the past century to feed the starving, until jerks like you come along and start banning pesticides and fertilizers. And tons of food and medcine don’t reach the ill and starving because of your anti war protests, allowing the Mugabes and the Idi Amin’s of the world to suppress and murder their own people and allow them to starve.
By the way, you could probably feed an entire family yourself with that cheese in your beard.
I’ve been saying for years that the car companies should all stop selling in California. No finished vehicles, no spare parts. Nada. That goes double for truck makers, who operate on a much tighter profit margin due to selling far fewer units. No trucks, no spares. Zippo.
Plenty of US firearms and ammunition manufacturers already do this, they won’t ship -anything- to Kaliforniastan or New York because the of onerous, punitive regulations and the really high risk of ending up in court.
I also nominate Jack to be the very first person to participate in the great All Volunteer Population Reduction Program of 2009. We give you a hearty thanks, a nice headstone and a sword to fall on. Go to ‘er, Jack. Make us proud!
I work with a lady who has emigrated to Canada from Germany along with her husband. He is a truck driving instructor who has no work in his homeland. The reason, according to her, is that most of the trucking firms have exited from Germany due to the onerous taxes and regulatory system imposed in the name of going green. These firms have relocated in former eastern bloc nations where the goofy green nonsense is ignored. The electrical generating firms are threatening to do the same if there are any more ridiculous restrictions placed upon them.
California is about to see something similar. There is no doubt that California will be greener, mainly because of mass emigration and having fewer cars on the road since the unemployed won’t be able to afford to drive them.
The day may not be long off when interstate truckers just drop their goods at the border
and let Californians pack them in by mule. The one I’d suggest is January 1, 2010.
Bravo. All for that. Let the chill of reality bite the lotus eaters. Truckers are the blood cells of the body of civilization. I hope California bankrupts itself flying in goods. Once the truckers stop going there. They will all be hoofing the food & such by car. No wonder California has become the US sieve State, where everyone is leaving. Except of course. The Mexicans. Hey, bet they won’t stop vital goods for Gaia worshipers, in conjunction with the tax bandits in power.
Good luck California. You can only build a house of cards just so high before it all crashes from its own weakness. The same is true for law without reason, statutes without cause. Regulations for theft, social fads as decree. Government never learns. In the end they create there own black markets. All done for your & mines good of course. Yeah right!!!!
JMO
[quote]California is about to see something similar. There is no doubt that California will be greener, mainly because of mass emigration and having fewer cars on the road since the unemployed won’t be able to afford to drive them.[/quote]
Unfortunately the Obama administration will be trying to implicate all the states in his worthless Climate Change. He avoids the term Global Warming like he avoids his connection to the Chicago Organized Crime families
Obama placed DR Chu as head of Energy “He is currently head of the Berkeley National Laboratory and is a specialist in carbon-neutral energy sources. Obama said Chu was “uniquely suited” to serve in his Cabinet”
The Gangsters from Chicago must have Carbon Credits to trade. The NO Oil slugs will try to bypass Congress such that voters will be in the dark (No recorded vote on the Mandate) in 2010 & 2012.
BTW Obama made a Claim that the Environment has been economically good for California. YES a bankrupt State. he is a turd!
Biden referred to GORE as “President” Gore.
Stay out of the stock Market!
banks has already (several years ago) run a 5.9 Cummings at 1000 HP and about 2000 lbs torque and met all California emissions laws for 2009
you take such a engine and clean up the emissions some more, you should be able to have 600HP and 1600lbs torque, well above what is run today on the highways. It can be done if only the truck companies put their minds to it. They have the same attitude problems the BIG 3 have, that needs to change
also there are effort to develop a throttleless gas engine, which would run more economically and efficiently (less polluting)
now if you’v ever flown into LAX and could taste and smell the smog 40 minutes out,you’d realize they DO have a bit of a problemo
BTW; the only other city I’v ever seen with that kind of pollution was Denver, one huge brown smog globe hangin on the side of the mountain, not pretty:-)))))
jack;when I went to school,I was taught that it cant rain unless there is smoke or dust in the air.Something for moisture to condense on.This hasnt changed.If you cant breath where you live then suck it up.Move to China or India where polution is real not imagined.Were you or are you a smoker of pot?