How would YOU be responsible? He deserves what HIS actions dictate.

Bold mine

And if he has three strikes it means he has had opportunities to deal with his anger management style. It's not as if this country opposes 12 step programs or other types of psychological help.

It's kind of like with dogs. When they get sick and need more than $75. worth of repair it is time to let them go and adopt a fresh one from a shelter.

Oh, you are both right. And I agree with you. I'll do it, if it comes to that, but I won't like it.

I know what you mean, but ... Perhaps you will like knowing that you are giving HER a chance to start a new life away from him.

What's seriously harshing my mellow today is taking the car in for its inspection and finding out that it needs about $500 worth of work, brakes, LED brake lights, tires (luckily it's nearly time for the snows)
F.U.C.K.

oh, foot, that truly does suck!

I feel for you...

Years ago we lived in a state that had an awful (corrupt) inspection program.
The first thing the mechanic did was scrape off the old (PASSED) sticker, then proceed with the inspection.
If they found anything you either paid the same shop do the repairs, or they put on a red (FAILED) sticker.
Driving with no sticker or a red one was an invitation for a traffic stop and citation.

Oregon's system is less intense and done at state inspection sites.
If the car fails, you can then go to a mechanic of your choice for repairs.
Much less chance for hanky-panky by the inspection+repair shops

http://www.vehicle-wiring-products.e...oto/rl099a.jpg
$150 for a new LED light. WTF? Used are about $70. It's a bunch of LEDs FFS.

If you have an afternoon, doing a brake job yourself isn't all that hard. If you can build your own house, you can fix your brakes. Parts aren't all that expensive. Maybe $100 for new pads and rotors and supplies. I've seen various photo illustrated instructions all over the web.

Tools are minimal. A socket wrench set and a big c-clamp and block of wood.

LEDs don't usually burn out. Are you sure it's not just a fuse or loose wire?

Yeah yeah, the guts of that LED light, the high-intensity LEDs, will be fine. There's probably just a short in it somewhere I wager.

Yeah, it's *just* a wiring problem somewhere. That should be easy to fix. Once you find it.

Well, I've done brakes a few times before, but right now, I really don't have the time and to try that would end up "costing" more than taking the hit. Six of one...

The LED is getting plenty of power, apparently what happens with these is a controller (probably a circuit) in the light assembly goes bad. I'm sure it is just a few molecules of solder that got some condensation on it...

Had I not driven the hell out of the car, it would still be under its 10year/100k mile warranty. But it's up at 145k now.

That's strange, most states using that method allow you 30 days on a failed sticker. During that time you can fix it yourself, or at the garage of your choice, then get it reinspected.