fftt wrote:

Codes are artifacts that strive to achieve certain goals. The
important issue (imo) is understanding the intent of the code (what is
the goal / objective) which can be sometimes difficult. Sometimes
people who really dont know (or even want to know) the intent of a
codes section just hang their hat on the words in the code section or
their flawed interpretation of it.

I see the value of codes but I cringe when someone, who clearly has no
understanding of the underlying phenomena or intention, trys to quote
code to me. I see blind code quoting as a substitute for
understanding and rational thought.

You make a very good point here. However what you're describing is the
failure of individuals to understand and apply what is in the code rather
than the code itself being flawed.

as to the question in a previuos post

raises the question of why living in an area not subject to the
code would be a good thing....

Why? Here's why.......

one would not be subjected to the oft described capricious demands of
the ill-formed but none the less "powerful" inspector.......

Again, you're describing the failure of an individual to do his job
properly. That a cop likes to hand out speeding tickets doesn't mean that
the speed limit itself is a bad idea and we'd all be better off without
traffic laws.

how many times in this newsgroups has the advice of "don't argue with
the inspector" been offered? how many of us have seen the "drive by"
inspection? how many times have we seen work the was "inspected" but
still doesn't meet code & is wrong / unsafe?

It is very difficult to inspect quality into a job ...even with a full
time / on site inspector. It has to be built into it by
knowlegedable people who care about doing a good job. The code helps
work towards this but it isn't the only thing involved.

When our 60-year-old house was completely rewired a few years ago multiple
inspectors repeatedly commented on the exceptional quality of the
workmanship. They made the electrician "fix" a couple of things, like
adding a separate shutoff for the garage, but on the whole the quality of
the work and what the inspectors were looking for were in harmony. And then
the electrician changed the stuff that we wanted done contrary to code, like
which switch controlled a task light. However he wouldn't have done (and we
would never have asked for) changes that involved safety. It was also kind
of nice that our insurance company agreed that the new wiring called for a
lower insurance rate; somehow I suspect that if I'd been legally able to do
it myself and then claimed that I know what I'm doing they wouldn't have
come to the same conclusion.

The code allows drywall in garages....in a yuppie garage, maybe ok but
in a working garage drywall alone sucks.

I did my garage interior in OSB--not so pretty, but then it doesn't bother
me it I bash a piece of lumber into a wall when I'm building something out
there. Which reminds me, better get going on finishing that (excuse to buy
a new sander) bookcase out there.