The small town advantage: 35 minutes

[drooartz]

Yesterday I made full use of the small town advantage to get my new motorcycle inspected and registered. Here's what I could get done in 35 minutes, timed from when I left my house to when I got back and had the plates on.

1. Rode over to state inspection shop
2. Got inspection done (no waiting)
3. Rode over to DMV
4. Got paperwork done for new title and received new plates (no waiting)
5. Rode home
6. Installed plates

Small towns have their downsides, but this is definitely one of the upsides. Very pleasant folks at the tire shop where I got the inspection, and at the DMV. :thumbsup:

 

[Mickey Richaud]

We'll be retiring in Townsend, Tenn. Population is around 300; Maryville is 20 minutes away; population there is below 30,000, and has everything we need. Knoxville's less than an hour's drive.

CAN'T WAIT!!!

 

[maynard]

Way back, when I lived in rural Northern Minnesota, I had scads of modern convenices on my phone before the cities.

1. Call forwarding-two long rings and a short, I could answer a call for me in my township.

2. Voice dialing-Sarah, could you call my father?

3. Voice mail-Sarah, did anyone cell me?

For those that don't get it, I had a party line with a local, live operator.

 

[JPSmit]

What new bike? I thought we were clearing out?

 

[aerog]

What's an inspection?

 

[drooartz]

What new bike? I thought we were clearing out?

It's a 2006 BMW F650. I was intending to replace the old project bike I sold with a more modern one eventually (i.e. once I had saved up enough cash, maybe in a year or so) but then my father-in-law offered me one of his bikes at a price I could afford right now -- $10. So I took him up on the offer. Paid cash, even.

I'm really not happy if I don't have a bike (my wife reminds me of this even) so I knew I'd need one again, this just happened a bit quicker than I had expected. The rule around here is one old classic project vehicle and one new fun vehicle; one car, one bike, that's it. This pair is a really good fit for me, and should last me a good long while.

I do feel a bit of sympathy for the boy who cried wolf, though. No one seems to believe that I've really changed my ways...

 

[drooartz]

What's an inspection?

Utah has an annual safety inspection that is required for all registered vehicles -- brakes, horn, lights, signals, tires and such. Some counties require emissions tests for cars and trucks as well, but mine does not.

 

[Banjo]

What's an inspection?

Utah has an annual safety inspection that is required for all registered vehicles -- brakes, horn, lights, signals, tires and such. Some counties require emissions tests for cars and trucks as well, but mine does not.

Hes just ribbin' ya, 'cause in Florida they let any heap, no matter how unsafe, on the road with you.

 

[Gliderman8]

....in Florida they let any heap, no matter how unsafe, on the road with you.

Hope you're not talking about the passenger

 

[aerog]

....in Florida they let any heap, no matter how unsafe, on the road with you.

Hope you're not talking about the passenger

beat me to it

Yeah I was just joking. They may let anything on the road, but if it's a rolling garbage heap they'll pull you over and give you a ticket.

 

[drooartz]

The safety inspection always seemed to be a no brainer -- at least *someone* is looking to see if your tires are bald or your brakes non-existant. Never understood why some jurisdictions wouldn't do at least that much.

 

[Guest]

What's an inspection?

That's a process your airplane goes through to keep it from falling out of the sky.

 

[Sherlock]

Talking about inspections... The worst in Canada is the province of Saskatchewan, last I heard there in no requirement for an inspection for any car, drive through there and you'll see lots of rust heaps driving around

Even here in Alberta, any car over ten years old requires an inspection when you are buying it, after that there is no more inspection required at any point in time...