[rhb1999]

First, I think the effort to stop the Federal Clunker Bill is commendable. You mention that stopping it will make affordable transportation and parts available to low income drivers and THIS IS TRUE. I know people who drive old cars and while they may not perfect, they are safe and they are always restoring and repairing or improving something and depend on their cars to make a living. The trouble is when they have work on their cars to get them running again the city comes around and tells them that since the car isn't running at the present time they have to junk it. Or guy who has worked on his truck to get it on the road safe, is now saving up money to get insurance and tags for it, is told he has to junk it because it's not legal. But sorry to say they are other low income drivers who buy old cars cheap and just drive them until they stop running, then they junk them OR take them directly to a scrap dealer for quick cash. I knew of a man who called these "throw away cars". These economic times of high unemployment will see more of this. They never do any kind of maintence, except to top off the oil and fluids. Even a running car thats in pretty good shape that needs a minor repair and could be sold, will be scrapped because they do not know how to do it or will not because scrapping it means they can pay their rent. I've heard in this state that cutting the roof off a car means you can scrap that car without a title. On top of that, they are guys with pickup trucks and flat bed trailers going around offering to get rid of people's old cars and they haul them scrap dealer or the junkyard. I once knew of several old cars in a near by town in a fenced yard, then I noticed they were gone. I talked to someone about it and he said the owner of the place sold them to these guys for a $1.00 apiece, they were all scrapped.