Those of us who live in ground-level ozone "non-attain- ment areas" participate in a once-a-year ritual. We drive our cars to local government testing stations to determine whether our vehicles meet standards for certain emissions. A well-maintained car usually will pass with no problem. That same auto, however, might not perform quite so well if, for instance, regulators were able to test it when it is started first thing in the morning. Upon ignition in your driveway, your car might momentarily exceed limits for some pollutants. Although your vehicle would still be in compliance nearly all of the time you drive it, regulators now would have evidence of an exceedance. Now, imagine if that information could be used against you and your otherwise clean-running vehicle, forcing you to undertake an expensive and needless tune up.
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