We've all found ourselves stuck behind a vehicle emitting dark puffs of less-than-pleasant-smelling fuel. While we might think, "Wow, that car needs a trip to the mechanic," sometimes, these emissions are purposeful.
Luckily, when one Redditor was subjected to some intentional nastiness, they were able to use the tools at their disposal — namely, a Tesla dashcam — to rectify the situation.
Posting in the thread r/TeslaModelY, the driver shared dashcam footage showing a large white truck pulling out in front of their Tesla on the road. Two distinct times, the truck ejects a thick, noxious cloud of fuel that blows backward and shrouds the Tesla. The driver then moves up alongside the truck and briefly confronts the person who emitted the fumes.
"I pulled up to ask if that was meant for me," the poster explained. "He said, 'Yeah, you have a gay a** Tesla.' Found out it isn't even his…it's his Mom's truck."
The practice of altering a diesel engine to release large amounts of black and sooty fuel at will is called "rolling coal," and it is an act of anti-environmentalism. According to FindLaw, it's become popular for "coal rollers" to target electric Teslas, partly because they dislike them but perhaps also because they are equipped with video cameras.
According to the EPA, burning dirty energy such as gasoline and diesel releases carbon dioxide — a planet-warming gas — into the atmosphere. Air pollution from transportation comprises 29% of total planet-warming gases in the U.S., making transport the largest contributor. That's why many are opting for electric vehicles, such as Teslas.
The EPA has declared that "aftermarket performance modifications" that undermine emissions control technology are in violation of the Clean Air Act. In 2020, the EPA concluded that 550,000 diesel pickups had removed emission controls in the previous decade, leading to significant air pollution.
Enforcing this illegality can be difficult at times because offenders have to be caught in the act, according to FindLaw. But thanks to this Tesla's dashcam footage, this particular coal roller was not off the hook.
"Did the cops actually do something?" one Redditor asked.
"They contacted the driver right away," the poster replied. "He admitted to it and was cited for a $67 fine."
"I don't get the point of this," another Redditor said of the coal-rolling phenomenon. "The filter in the car makes it so that I am more concerned about maybe having to wash the car sooner more than I am about inhaling a face full of smog."
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