This aint right is it?
The arguement is stupid. If your car is smoking you need to fix the piece of **** anyway.
Another unpopular, but true comment from Robert "The Wordsmith" Rusty Rat Rod.
Also, in the "computer age" if a citizen reports your car as a smoker, the report will (most likely) include a description, and a license plate number. When it comes time for renewal of your registration, I have no doubt that your county or state DMV will have a record of your tag number and the report against it.
Can they "force repair"? Yes, by simply denying your registration for that vehicle until proof of repair is supplied. If a physical inspection is required by the DMV before they reinstate the registration for the vehicle, you're pretty much done. If all it takes is written proof of repair, I have no doubt that there will be people willing to supply you with that for a price.
Just keep in mind that if you get reported again, there will probably be a fine, and possibly even a revocation of the vehicle's registration, and/or your registration or, perhaps your driving privileges. Remember neither is a "right".
The more information the various government's gather on the individual, the more government intrusion we will have to deal with. :sad3:
This is the type of thing that happens when the government requests citizens to spy on, and "report" on other citizens, for benign circumstances. Sort of has a
Hitler-esque flavor to it, doesn't it?