# Reporting polluting cars in Los Angeles? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 7, 2008, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporting-polluting-cars-in-los-angeles/432661 "2008-01-07T23:45:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![filmyak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@filmyak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmyak)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2008, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporting-polluting-cars-in-los-angeles/432661/1 "2008-01-07T23:45:38Z")
Is there anywhere in LA where I can report a taxi I saw on the road today that was spewing mass quantities of black and blue smoke as it drove? I have the cab company name and the car number. I already called the company but don’t expect them to do anything about it, and the last thing we need here is more pollution. I’m talking about a LOT of nasty smoke from the exhaust. Was horrible being stuck behind it in heavy traffic, even with recirculated air turned on. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2008, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporting-polluting-cars-in-los-angeles/432661/2 "2008-01-08T00:03:12Z")
You can dial #SMOG on your cell phone nearly anywhere in California. You’ll need the license plate number, as well as make/model, color and time/location. ---
**Author:** ![filmyak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@filmyak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmyak)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2008, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporting-polluting-cars-in-los-angeles/432661/3 "2008-01-08T00:04:43Z")
No kidding? I had no idea, thanks!! ---
**Author:** ![filmyak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@filmyak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmyak)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2008, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporting-polluting-cars-in-los-angeles/432661/4 "2008-01-08T00:05:58Z")
Nope. Didn’t work on my Sprint phone. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2008, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporting-polluting-cars-in-los-angeles/432661/5 "2008-01-08T00:08:06Z")
Best suggestion, call the Air Resources Board. > **[Homepage | California Air Resources Board](https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/)** > > CARB's mission is to promote and protect public health, welfare and ecological resources through the effective and efficient reduction of air pollutants while recognizing and considering the effects on the economy of the state. ---
**Author:** ![conway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ec9cab/32.png) [@conway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/conway)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2008, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporting-polluting-cars-in-los-angeles/432661/6 "2008-01-08T00:10:06Z")
Here’s the specific link [http://www.arb.ca.gov/enf/complaints/smoke.htm](http://www.arb.ca.gov/enf/complaints/smoke.htm) Just don’t tell the EPA. ---
**Author:** ![filmyak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@filmyak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmyak)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2008, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporting-polluting-cars-in-los-angeles/432661/7 "2008-01-08T00:38:09Z")
[QUOTE=conway] Here’s the specific link [http://www.arb.ca.gov/enf/complaints/smoke.htm](http://www.arb.ca.gov/enf/complaints/smoke.htm) Just don’t tell the EPA. [/QUOTE] LOL. Just filed a complaint. Thanks for the links! ---
**Author:** ![MrFloppy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/43a26b/32.png) [@MrFloppy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrFloppy)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2008, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporting-polluting-cars-in-los-angeles/432661/8 "2008-01-08T04:25:12Z")
[QUOTE=filmyak] LOL. Just filed a complaint. Thanks for the links! [/QUOTE] Wow. What happens next? ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2008, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporting-polluting-cars-in-los-angeles/432661/9 "2008-01-08T04:37:08Z")
[QUOTE=MrFloppy] Wow. What happens next? [/QUOTE] Hard to say but if you work your way down from the top you’ll get a feel for it. Are there any unsolved murders in LA? Child molestors, drug dealers, drunken drivers, tax dodgers, thieves, speeders, pot smokers, j-walkers etc… I’m sure they’ll get to it eventually. ---
**Author:** ![filmyak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@filmyak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmyak)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2008, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporting-polluting-cars-in-los-angeles/432661/10 "2008-01-08T04:43:53Z")
Obviously we need to put all environmental concerns aside until crime is wiped from the face of the earth, even if they are handled by completely different governmental departments. That said, I also called the cab company. Got a voice mail, left a msg that I had reported their cab. That I wasn’t going out of my way to get them in hot water, but that I hoped they’d instead take the initiative to fix their cab before inspectors showed up. End result = cleaner car on the road, which is all I want. No idea if it’ll have any effect, but worth a try. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2008, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporting-polluting-cars-in-los-angeles/432661/11 "2008-01-08T05:02:58Z")
[QUOTE=filmyak] Obviously we need to put all environmental concerns aside until crime is wiped from the face of the earth, even if they are handled by completely different governmental departments. [/QUOTE] Obviously you’ve never dealt with a city government. Your stinky cab has to compete against polluters on a much larger scale. [QUOTE=filmyak] That said, I also called the cab company. Got a voice mail, left a msg that I had reported their cab. That I wasn’t going out of my way to get them in hot water, but that I hoped they’d instead take the initiative to fix their cab before inspectors showed up. End result = cleaner car on the road, which is all I want. No idea if it’ll have any effect, but worth a try. [/QUOTE] Didn’t cost you anything. Sorry to rain on your parade. Best of luck. Report back your success and scrape some of the jade off my soul. It will make my day (really). ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2008, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporting-polluting-cars-in-los-angeles/432661/12 "2008-01-08T05:18:09Z")
If the taxi is licensed (not a gypsy) you can also contact the L.A. Dept. of Transportation, which regulates cabs. They can be really harsh, when they want to.