A New Jersey driver took to Reddit to report a fellow motorist who "rolled coal" on the road several times.
The Redditor shared a picture of the coal-rolling culprit, a lifted pickup truck. On the truck's rear window is a sticker that proudly reads "Soot Life."
"At every stoplight the truck would belch terrible fumes, and it coal rolled us all several times. I don't see how this vehicle would pass emissions inspection in NJ," they wrote. "Anyone in NJ know where I can report a vehicle like this?"
"Rolling coal" is an illegal intimidation tactic mainly used by diesel pickup drivers. Coal rollers modify their vehicles' exhaust control to spew large amounts of diesel fumes. Often, surrounding pedestrians, cyclists, and electric car drivers are targeted by coal rollers, endangering their safety. In 2021, a teen pickup driver in Texas rolled coal on a group of cyclists. The thick smoke emitted from his attempt severely blocked the cyclists' vision, and six of them were struck by the pickup truck.
The disruptive practice also violates the federal Clean Air Act due to its significant contributions to air pollution. The fumes emitted from coal rollers are toxic and pose various health hazards for victims, especially those with existing respiratory conditions. According to the Houston Chronicle, inhalation of diesel exhaust increases one's risk of developing lung cancer.
Enforcement against rolling coal varies across the U.S. In New Jersey, the OP's home state, coal rollers can be fined up to $5,000 for the offense. Last October, the EPA filed a federal lawsuit against the online retailer eBay for allowing sales of more than 343,000 vehicles with tampered exhaust systems. The lawsuit terms subject eBay to pay a $5,580 fine for each coal rolling vehicle sold on the website between 2015 and 2023.
Reddit users were disturbed and disgusted by the coal-rolling incident.
"Grab a hose and pipe that exhaust right into the cab," one Redditor commented.
"An entire segment of the population utterly convinced a***** is a personality type," another wrote.
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