I have lived in the real world where if there were problems with my designs I could be personally sued. I call on building officials to reject the immunity that they have and enter the real world. Take real responsibility do not hide behind immunity.
I am still having difficulty in understanding how in our system of laws that what the building official says on a given date is what the building code requires and that there are no limits on the building official. When I find that there are no limits on the building official, the logical conclusion is that the published building code is a waste of paper.
It would be refreshing for building officials, plan checkers, and inspectors to recognize that there are limits on their authority. Related to this is that while building officials are charged with interpreting the building code it is suggested that in order to interpret many code provisions one needs some understanding of the reason for the code provision. My experience suggests that inspectors typically do not have this understanding. In addition, when the building official's only training was the training that they got when they worked in the trades these individuals are at a disadvantage. Many code provisions are not as simple as they may appear to be. How do building officials without the appropriate training compensate? There is a difference between having authority and having the understanding/expertise to exercise that authority.