Yes. And the suggestion that mayhem would ensue is asinine. By your own admission, non-commercial vehicles are rarely checked, and I don't see an epidemic of unsafe vehicles out there... as usual, you go off on grand inference to try and validate your point. It's old hat.
I agree 100% with this, there is not an "epidemic of unsafe vehicles" on our roads. Usually the ONLY time a personal vehicle is checked is doing those "safety blitzes" at the service centers on the 400 during a long weekend when they are looking for unsafe loads, and catch a few personal "wrecks" on the road.
Commercial vehicle inspections are carried out either by MTO enforcement officers or specially trained police officers. (YRP has a few specialty vans for commercial vehicle enforcement, I sometimes see them set up under the 407 on Yonge street). leave safety inspections to the professionals, not "any" officer.
But even those safety blitzes generally have MTO inspectors as well as specially trained OPP officers,not your average patrol officer. I don't think unless he was a licenced mechanic before becoming an officer, a "general patrol officer" should be conducting safety audits on personal vehicles, (motorcycles, cars, SUV's or vans).
Now as i said I pulled ONE plate during my patrol days, but that was an OBVIOUS safety hazard, it was a night time stop the vehicle had ONE head light, and ONE tail light working, NO brake lights, NO exhaust, holes in the floor boards, duct tape on one fender in an attempt to hold where the metal had rusted away. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard. The owner had the option of having it towed to a garage for the repairs to be done. As he said, to me WHY??? the repairs will cost more than the car is worth. He never claimed the vehicle from the tow yard, they let him collect his property and it was sold off for scrap. Owner KNEW it was a POS, and said he never should have had it on the road. But those were the "old days" when people took responsibility for their actions and "manned up" when they screwed up and didn't try to blame others for their crap..lmao
lol
