Getting DIY Projects Government-Legal

Step 3 Expect and Endure Special Treatment

If you remember one thing from this Instructable, make it this: your inspector has no incentive to accept anything out of the ordinary. Government jobs typically reward governing, maintaining the status quo. Your average code enforcement officer isn't going to care that you think your idea could change the world, and he may also not care about how you can quantify the benefits of your homebrew project.

Again, this isn't about fact: it's about getting a stamp.

On my piddly pedicab project, I dealt with all of the following:
-Fired from previous pedicab-driving job because of pressure from city bureaucrat on owner of pedicab company I worked for
-Threatened: "if you keep pushing this, I'll tell all the pedicabbers it's your fault when I change regulations"
-My plans disclosed to potential competing manufacturers (they're now open source, but they weren't then!)
-And, a government office shut down when I tried to record my 4th attempt at inspection

And this was to get something you tow with a bicycle approved; many cities don't even bother to regulate pedicabs at all. My thoughts are with any of you trying to get projects involving wastewater or other sensitive areas passed!