You probably saw at least one video on Youtube with the words ‘Rolling Coal’ in the title. No, it wasn’t a typo but instead a mention to a phenomenon that is gaining more and more traction in the US. As it turns out, it gathered so much attention that the US Environmental Protection Agency is looking into it.
Rolling coal is basically the practice of altering your car’s specifications to make it release considerably more black smoke through its exhaust. Basically, people are turning their trucks into ‘rolling coal-burners’ just for the fun of it.
The means of doing it usually involve disabling some sort of clean burning programming in the ECU of the diesel engine or removing the particulate filter. Other times, they are actually using all sorts of devices to create smoke stacks that can be released at the switch of a button.
What’s even worse is that they are used to bully hybrid vehicles on the road or even cyclist, as a sign of disrespect to ... well, basically everything environmentally-friendly. People have been known to spend up to $5,000 for such a system.
Well that’s interesting because the EPA is also proposing a $5,000 fine for people that are caught coal rolling. According to a bill that is being proposed at the moment by the agency:
“No person shall retrofit any diesel-powered vehicle with any device, smoke stack, or other equipment that enhances the vehicle’s capacity to emit soot, smoke, or other particulate emissions, or shall purposely release significant quantities of soot, smoke, or other particulate emissions into the air and onto roadways and other vehicles while operating the vehicle.”
That seems rather clear to me but then again, I drive a petrol car and have little to no love for diesels in the first place, not to mention these hooligans...
Google News