I was a state licensed vehicle inspector in OK (not out of choice) and the program was a farce and inspections were generally very (VERY) lax. However, on some blatantly obvious problem that could directly lead to injury or death something like this would be an automatic fail no matter how lax the inspector was.
OK did away with the inspection program a number of years ago but that does not absolve the owner of the vehicle from all responsibility as to keeping their car up.
A law enforcement officer has the legal authority to issue a citation or impound the vehicle on the spot, state inspection or not.
It would be interesting to see state to state the number of citations issued by the police on the sole issue of an unsafe car. I doubt those numbers are very high, as the officer I spoke with said, that unless it is a glaring issue (like a car driving at night without headlights that work) it is near impossible for a police officer to tell if the car is safe to drive or not and they really don’t have the manpower to do that.
A police officer can tell you which citations he would write, but a police officer is not the best person to dispense legal advice. Most police officers I know don’t know the law very well. They might stay current on changes to major statutes, but they don’t usually keep track of stare decisis or administrative law as well as you think, and they don’t usually keep track of the finer points of statutory law. When it comes to the law, the only advice you can really trust is that of a lawyer.
brm7675 is correct, the police do not have the manpower to be trying to police cars for safety infractions, and unless somethings is vrey obvious and very dangerous they don’t. Except in speed traps and occasional “random check” traps.
That’s why, brm, it’s so critical that we make sure that the vehicles or ourselves and our loved ones are safe. I hope you find a way to address your dad’s problem before something terrible happens.
He has been told by me and my sister, he states clearly we both have no idea what we are talking about as we know nothing on how cars operate (which is true) and as long as he keeps fluid in the master cylinder he is fine and that is the end of it. He says he checks it everytime he stops and refills it. So the issue is done, especially after he drove around town on Monday to get gas, go to the post office, go to his bi early check up and out to lunch without any issue.
The OP says " I have no access to the car and even if I did woulnd’t have a clue how to stop it from running outside of removing the battery, which my dad would see me doing." I am sure that is true. he seems a few bricks short of a full load!!
I’ve realized a couple things reading this over the last few days…
Even though brake fluid isn’t really that expensive, after a few bottles he will have effectively paid for the repair…except he’ll still be paying.
You’re (brm) justifying to yourself why you can’t take more action. I don’t think the majority of folks here really believe you, and Marnet put it into words quite well.
On the outside of all those little bottles of brake fluid he’s tossing once they’re empty, see if there’s a warning about “used fluid must be disposed of properly”, which I’m pretty sure doesn’t include dispensing it on the roads all over town.
Leaks will never get better on their own. If he doesn’t take action soon to fix it, it will become a two or three press affair and the fluid level will be empty. Then there will be air in the lines, and a braking failure will occurr.
I fully and completly understand the desire to fix things yourself. He doesn’t comprehend the level of risk he’s taking. He has never attended an ORM course (Operational Risk Management), has he? While you may not be legally liable, you most definitely are morally liable.
I was thinking the same thing about the cost of the brake fluid soon amounting to the cost of the repair. I think a quart of brake fluid now costs $5-$8 and if the master cylinder is getting low enough he has to add brake fluid at every stop he’s going through a quart pretty quickly. Also if there’s a leak in the line even with the master cylinder full every time he releases the brake pedal after applying the brakes he running the risk of sucking air into the brake system which will also cause brake failure.
" as the officer I spoke with said, that unless it is a glaring issue (like a car driving at night without headlights that work) it is near impossible for a police officer to tell if the car is safe to drive or not and they really don’t have the manpower to do that."
You should talk to another police officer. I stated once on this web site that police officers are motivated by the value of the ticket (in fines( and I still stick with that, but I find that most police are very cooperative when it comes to public safety. If they feel that the public, especially children are in danger, they won’t let the small value of the fine get in the way of getting a hazard off the streets.
The officer said that since the state no longer requires inspections, that they have no basis to determine what is or isn’t an unsafe car.
Whether there are scheduled inspections or not, a police officer can do a spot check and impound a car that is unsafe for use on a public highway. I don’t believe for a second that you’ve spoken to cop over this matter.
In fact, I don’t believe that this is real at all. You’re nothing more than a teenaged kid amusing yourself. Noone would really be foolish enough to adopt the position you’ve taken.
My position is simple. I have explained and my sister has explained to our father the hazzard of driving with a leaking brake system. My dad has informed both of us that it’s not an issue as he is maintaining it and that is the end of it. He says he makes sure the fluid in the master cylinder is full checking it each time he stops for something. If it needs additional fluid he adds it. He won’t give up his keys and the state says he can drive. I spoke with an officer and stated his response. I have now washed my hands of my fathers driving, it’s on him now and what ever happens.
I wouldn’t consider the OP stupid. They have no legal authority to revoke a state issued drivers license issued to a legal adult and unless their state has some kind of odd law about it, I don’t see they have the legal right to forcibly detain them either.
This is not only a bad deal as far as the leaking brake line but the age and the speed at which the mind works along with reaction time is just as big a factor as the leaky hose.
OP, let me ask this. Is the metal part of the line leaking or is it the rubber part? If it’s rubber is there any way you could remove that line and take it to a parts house for repair?
The NAPA and O’Reilly stores here both manufacture or repair all types of lines; brake, A/C, power steering, and so on. I would think a lowly brake line would be a quick cheap deal.
While I cringe at the thought, there’s always the old trick of crimping the brake line flat just shy of the leak. That gives you 3 wheel braking but no loss of fluid.
Newsflash just in, effective immediately New York State drivers who need to renew their license, (every 8 years) will no longer need to take an eye test unless they have a commercial license.
This is the bigger problem I see with this situation. If there is a rusted brake line and it is leaking then chances are there are other parts of the brake lines that are rusted and will start leaking as well.
I have repaired dozens of brake line leaks over 30 years and 99% of the time another leak develops while repairing the first leak. You move the line slightly to gain access to the fittings and BAM!, another leak appears.
Another issue I’ve seen happen… The brake lines run along side of the fuel lines, most of the time they are all secured together. In this case the fuel lines are just as rusty as the brake lines and while repairing the brake line leak the fuel line starts to leak as well.
Finally… I wonder how long before the master cylinder fails completely. With a fluid leak the cups in the master cylinder are moving beyond their normal travel. The cups are being moved over rust ridges in the cylinder bore and eventually they will fail and there will be no brakes at all.
This car is unsafe to drive. The brakes could completely fail at any moment.
What you say is totally valid, Willey.
However, the OP has rationalized that this is not his problem and clearly he has no intention of stepping up to the plate and doing what any responsible, moral, adult-like person would do.
Instead of realizing that role reversal has now taken place and that he needs to firmly exert his influence on his child-like delusional father in order to prevent the old guy from killing himself and others, he just says, “I can’t do anything about it”–or something to that effect. This is a very sad case of someone refusing to do what is both necessary and possible.
I’ve had an idea for BRM but I have hestitated in suggesting it because I know he won’t do it.
My current job is an instructor in a automotive vocational school. This would be a repair we would take in and do for parts only. BRM could check to see if there were any vocational schools close to him and see if they would repair his car.
