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I couldn't agree more. We have been forced long enough to pay for a glorified proctoscope exam on our vehicles every year. And we still hear "code orange smog allert" and "poor air quality for sensative groups" almost every day of the year. It is time for us voters to get together. This so called clean air force is a waste of money!

Bruce. Write Mark Hamilton and Mike Dudgeon and tell them to end this madness. I doubt if Murphy can help.

Just like a lot of things "People don't like what they don't understand", Automotive I & M (Inspection and Maintainence) programs are prone to catch-flack...I know this first-hand because that's how I evolved into an Automotive Emmissions Specialist*. I've been "Maintaining the Family Car since 1973", and there was a time that I too held an ignorant perspective of "This SMOG-CHECK Program is B.S.!!!" That is, until I came to understand why it exists...it's because most people generally WON'T maintain their vehicles in a manner that prevents the inevitability of in-efficient operation for lack-of-maintainence, in fact, they'll wait untill the car runs so-bad they HAVE to do something about it! I know this first-hand for my extensive experience. Further of that, I've watched the effectiveness of programs construed to protect and procure better "Air Quality", and my only problem with 'em stems from the powers-that-be perpetually raising the bar...then too, if they hadn't done-so, we'd still be driving volumetrically in-efficient vehicles AND we'd be dying-early from the imparement of Our envirionment! That said, $15 - $25 bucks is chump-change when you're gasping for breath for polluted Air, and further of that, Georgians should consider themselves very-lucky they don't have an I&M program as comprehensively intense as states such as Californina, where vehicle testing and repair-costs are much more than what's charged here! Consideration of Hourly Shop-time includeds costs of very expensive equipment and highly trained technicians...The "Greater Atlanta Urbanized Area" is suffering the same problems that encited such measures in California over three decades ago, and if Our Air Quality here continues to be rated "Non-Attainment" we'll be "There" too! The best thing about their program is this...it's WORKING! Their envirionmental programs have been making significant difference in the quality of their environment there. I know this first-hand because it was throughout the '70's & 80's that I grew-up in the S.F. Bay Area...witnessing the perpetual brown layer of SMOG and dank-color of the S.F. Bay from Skyline Blvd, in fear of what future THAT held! I was out there again this June and it's dramatically changed for the better...today the skies are clear and the Bay is blue! The population-explosion had-there from the 50's and 60's required them taking those comprehensive environmental protective measures...it's what they HAD to do to clean their act up to where it is today, and if you don't want to see them implemented here then concern yourselves with Our irresponsible and un-sustainable "Growth" patterns of-late...THAT is exactly where the genisis of your worries about any I&M program should evolved from, as THAT -- combined with people ignorant of the importance of maintaining their vehicles efficientcy -- is what creates "Non-Attainment".

*I'm and ASE Certified Automotive Engine-Performance/Emmissions Specialist and have been a Licensed Automotive Emmissions Test and Repair Tech. in both Georgia and California for a combined 32 years.

I ran across this article while searching for a comparisson of the emissions test in Chattanooga and the emissions test in Atlanta to see if used car from your area would pass our test. So I dont understand why they say we dont have emissions test, we only have high air quality because of the very strict emission requirements for our county. Also I lived in Jacksonville FL for 11 years and for most years they too were required to have emissions test. Therefor I am not sure where or why this article has such incorrect information in it. Emissions are not a bad thing and the only reason that Atlanta metro would have a higher bad emissions is because of the amount of commuting done in the area, think about how many cars are on your interstates and how many hours and miles are spent just in the ATL? In Chattanooga it is a struggle to put the average "expected" 12000 miles on your car in 12 months, I only have to change my oil about 3 times a year (yes every 3000 miles). This article is very inaccurate and onesided with astounding misinformation!