With some time to reflect ....

I suspect that there are two things that contribute to these situations.

First, there is the tendency these days for inspectors to be 'school trained,' to the exclusion of any real trade experience. Look at the job postings; they ask for certification, education, degrees - and are not interested in any actual trade experience.

Indeed, there's a tendency to start a new inspector off in something completely unrelated to any trade; they start as 'sign inspectors' or 'code enforcement.'

Second, well, the abuse of power always finds its' way into the right hands. The ability to strut around, to be the absolute authority, to appoint yourself king, attracts all the wrong sorts.

Indeed, the way you're treated as royalty, the way the dynamics of the relationship shield you from any accountability, almost force the inspector to develop an overly high opinion of himself.

The last factor is one that applies across the board: what passes for 'critical thinking' these days would confound Socrates.

Let's look, as an example, at those plastic supports I mentioned. These are substantial plastic bushings that wrap around the pipe, gripping it on all sides. There are two 'ears' that allow you to attach it to a metal stud:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/SharkBit...pension-Clamp-10-Pack-23071A10/202032968

Now, If I saw one of these wrapped around the pipe at every point where it passed through a stud, I would think "that's a pretty substantial support."

Our inspection troll instead thinks "I've never seen that use before. Surely it can't be right. I wonder if they're rated for that specific use? Where does it say these CAN be used? Aren't I the eagle-eye for spotting this
innovation! (And innovation is suspect, if not outright bad)."