4 ms·
This sort of justification would never fly if we were talking about modding ICE vehicles: * Illegal to replace your own brake rotors or pads, as faulty ones ca
by 10000truths 4y ago
This sort of justification would never fly if we were talking about modding ICE vehicles:
* Illegal to replace your own brake rotors or pads, as faulty ones can cause safety issues.
* Illegal to replace your own headlights, as bad ones could be too dim or too bright and cause safety issues.
* Illegal to change your own oil, as bad ones could seize up your engine in the middle of the road and cause safety issues.
* Illegal to install a turbocharger, as that makes your car accelerate faster than the manufacturer likes and could cause safety issues.
The end result of this line of thinking leads to a million dollar tractor that a farmer can't fix when they need it most. I much prefer the idea that people are individually responsible for any modifications they choose to make to their cars.
- cameronh90 4y agoIn the UK, many modifications are restricted. For example, if I was to replace my halogen car headlights with LED ones, the car would be technically illegal, uninsured and fail inspection (if they notice). Exhausts can't be noisier than factory, which means in practice all aftermarket sports exhausts are illegal. At some point, I assume modifying drive-by-wire systems will become legally restricted.
- AinderS 4y agoYou are talking about something subtly but crucially different. Replacing your headlights is not illegal, only the type of headlight you use is legally restricted. Modification itself is not legally restricted, only the end result.
- kube-system 4y agoYeah, a better example is modifications to homes. Those are restricted in many places in the US. I can't replace a circuit in my homes wiring, even if I follow every code.
- AinderS 4y agoBut even in that case, the restriction comes from law, not an arbitrary decision made by a private company.
- Ajedi32 4y agoAnd there are a number of competing, qualified, third party electricians who can make the change for you. You aren't locked-in to contracting with the company which originally built the house.
- marssaxman 4y agoWho is going to stop you?
- muttled 4y agoIn the US, for a while, car manufacturers could void your warranty over modifications. Something happened some-odd years back that made it so that they had to prove that the modification is what caused the issue to refuse service.
- jjav 4y ago1975 Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act https://www.autocare.org/government-relations/current-issues/Magnuson-Moss-Warranty-Act https://www.autocare.org/government-relations/current-issues...
- HWR_14 4y agoAre those modifications illegal or is driving it on public roads after those modifications illegal?
- pskinner 4y agoWell that's just not true.
- oittaa 4y agoIn EU many modifications are illegal and you'll get huge fines and/or lose your vehicle.
- reedjosh 4y agoGross.
- henkslaaf 4y agoNitpick: the modifications aren't illegal. Driving with some modifications is illegal You can modify your car to your heart's desire and put it in a garage or drive it on a race track. You just cannot go into a public road with them. Totally sensible.
- oittaa 4y agoYeah, that's a better way to put it. But the end result for an average person is that on public roads you know that the vehicles are at least somewhat standard. You just can't go around trying to kill pedestrians or bicyclist because "muh freedom". [1] [1]: https://i.redd.it/e9n15wjtad411.jpg https://i.redd.it/e9n15wjtad411.jpg
- _ea1k 4y agoSadly, a lot of people disagree with you and do want much heavier regulations for a lot of those things.
- yarg 4y agoThese seem largely to be straw-men; brake rotors, pads, headlights.... all have associated safety standards. You can install your own brake pads sure, but as a layman if you installed brake pads of your own design and construction, it might be a bit of an issue.