Another Reason the Rest of the World Makes Fun of Us

Those of you who have been reading this column for some time know that I have, through the years, often lamented the manner in which Wisconsin is portrayed in the national media. Well last week my dismay was renewed when I ran across the following in The Week, a national magazine that I have subscribed to for many years.

In their recurring section titled “Only in America” I read the following:

“Anti-environmentalist conservatives have found a new way of expressing their opposition to President Obama’s climate change initiatives: adding a device to their trucks so that they spew out as much black exhaust as possible. Called ‘coal rolling,’ it’s a way of giving liberals ‘the finger,’ said one Wisconsin smokestack seller. ‘You want clean air and a tiny carbon footprint? Well, screw you.’”

Obviously, the unnamed individual quoted above does not come off terribly well and, by extension, Wisconsin once again looks like we are a state made up of mankind’s lunatic fringe. And then there is this mental image – that came to my mind, at least – of drivers shooting deep black smoke from their exhaust as they careened down public roadways.

What most struck me after these first two thoughts was this: what exactly is “coal rolling?” Needless to say, I set out to learn about this latest craze and now so will you.

The first thing you need to know is that “coal rolling” is only possible in diesel powered pick-up trucks. The second thing you need to know is that “coal rolling” has been around for a long time. Let’s start with the second point, first.

The practice of emitting huge black clouds of exhaust has its origin in truck-pull competitions at county fairs and neighborhood speedways. These competitions involve two pick-up trucks competing to see which vehicle can drag a weighted sled the furthest. To increase the truck’s power, drivers modify their vehicle to dump excess fuel into the engine, and this excess fuel creates the side effect of discharging vast amounts of thick black smoke from the truck’s exhaust.

Aside from thoroughly suffocating anyone in the exhaust’s path, the belief is that this black smoke is a visible manifestation of the truck’s power. In other words, some people think it looks really cool.

It will come as no surprise to anyone that videos of these massive plumes of black smoke can be easily found on the Internet where they have captured the imagination of young men who love trucks and love showing off.

The catch, however, is that modifying a diesel pick-up to dump extra fuel into the cylinders is not an easy or inexpensive proposition (nor is owning and maintaining a diesel pick-up truck inexpensive). Prices for the modification can range from $500 to $5,000 with the less expensive price being the less reliable and, seemingly, the more dangerous option and the more expensive options being both more reliable and safer.

Once the pick-up is modified the black smoke can billow from the truck’s traditional exhaust system or, for an additional investment, smoke stack exhausts can be added that eject the smoke from above and behind the truck’s cab.

Okay, so this is silly, certainly distasteful (literally), and obnoxious but somehow coal rolling became a pet project/statement of the fringe element of society that object to all forms of environmental controls. And once this happened, media, and the Internet in particular, exploded with all manner of diatribes for and against the practice. In short, a ridiculous practice became the proverbial political football.

Well, now the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) declared that “coal rolling” is illegal under the provisions of the Clean Air Act (CAA). In particular the EPA noted the following two sections of the CAA:

“It is a violation of the [Clean Air Act] to manufacture, sell, or install a part for a motor vehicle that bypasses, defeats, or renders inoperative any emission control device. For example, computer software that alters diesel fuel injection timing is a defeat device. Defeat devices, which are often sold to enhance engine performance, work by disabling a vehicle’s emission controls, causing air pollution. As a result of EPA enforcement, some of the largest manufacturers of defeat devices have agreed to pay penalties and stop the sale of defeat devices.”

And then this paragraph:

“The CAA prohibits anyone from tampering with an emission control device on a motor vehicle by removing it or making it inoperable prior to or after the sale or delivery to the buyer. A vehicle’s emission control system is designed to limit emissions of harmful pollutants from vehicles or engines. EPA works with manufacturers to ensure that they design their components with tamper-proofing, addresses trade groups to educate mechanics about the importance of maintaining the emission control systems, and prosecutes cases where significant or imminent harm is occurring.”

Of course, enforcement of these regulations will always be problematic and spotty, at best. But the formal statement from the EPA may, in itself, help put a damper on “coal rolling” among the young men who are currently so enamored with the practice.

It is unlikely, however, to dissuade the handful of lunatics who consider “coal rolling” a form of political statement.

But maybe – just maybe – local law enforcement agencies will take the lead in citing offending drivers and, if need be, confiscate their trucks. And what could be a worse outcome for a redneck (an appellation this type of “coal roller” gleefully self-applies) than having their truck seized by law enforcement.