Federal Government Destroys Perfectly Good Nissan Skyline
While browsing the web today, as one does at lunchtime, I happened across one of the most disturbing videos I have seen in a long time. Before your mind runs away with the possibilities of what I could be talking about, I’ll just tell you. It’s not a new ASPCA video featuring Sarah McLachlan; it’s a video that shows a beautiful 1995 Nissan Skyline being crushed by a piece of heavy machinery on the orders of the federal government.
The car is being smashed to bits because it is unfortunate enough to be a foreign car less than 25 years old. Clearly, foreign cars are on sale in the United States, but there is a unique law in our country that specifically bans the import of cars originally meant for sale in another country that have been built in the past quarter of a century. When the law was passed in 1988, it was said that the law was to protect us from foreign cars that are not built to US safety standards. Many car fans, including the team at Jalopnik, see the law as more of a barrier around the US to protect automakers from competition beyond our borders. The 25 years timeline exists to allow car collectors to bring vintage vehicles into the country.
According to the YouTube video description, the owner of the Skyline purchased the vehicle from a dealership in Florida and brought it to Ohio to register it. No one batted an eye when he registered the vehicle with its 11-digit VIN (American cars have 17 digits in their VIN), and it was also insured. When the vehicle got into an accident, however, and the owner tried to file a claim with his insurance company, it was finally caught and seized. After the seizure, the Nissan Skyline was crushed and it was all caught on film.
While I acknowledge that there are many more terrible things going on in our world, watching this vehicle get torn apart by a giant claw is painful to see. Rest in peace, little 1995 Nissan Skyline.
News Source: Jalopnik
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