A few times every summer I'm riding my motorcycle and come up to a set of traffic lights and have to stop. I find myself behind a diesel pickup as we both wait for the light to turn green. When it does, the driver hits the throttle and I become another victim of "rolling coal". What am I to do?
My options are really only to drive through the cloud of black exhaust, or stay stopped in the lane until the cloud has dissipated.
Both options present significant risk to me. If I drive through the cloud I have a 100% risk to my long term health. If I stay stopped in position until it's safe to go, I reduce the risk but now have to contend with the traffic behind me.
Turning left or right still requires me to drive through black cloud, so I have no escape option.
What is "Rolling Coal?"
Rolling coal is the practice of intentionally spewing thick, black smoke from a diesel engine's exhaust, usually by modifying the vehicle to force more fuel into the engine than it can burn. This cloud of soot is often directed at pedestrians, cyclists, or other drivers.
Is This Illegal in BC?
Section 47 of the Motor Vehicle Act (MVA) makes it an offence to drive a vehicle that has had required pollution controls removed or made less effective. Division 40A and 40B MVA Regulations set those standards, but only for trucks with a licensed gross vehicle weight of more than 5,000 kg.
Cars and light trucks are regulated by the Schedule to Division 7 MVAR where it says:
16 The engine and exhaust system of every motor vehicle shall be equipped and adjusted to prevent the escape of excessive fumes or smoke as compared to other motor vehicles of the same or similar types and sizes.
The standards in the Vehicle Inspection Manual used by Designated Inspection Facilities to guide inspectors do not mention what comes out of a vehicle's tailpipe. However, if the vehicle was produced with emission controls, they must be installed and operating in order to pass.
Enforcement
Ultimately, prevention of drivers rolling coal comes down to traffic policing. Whether the officer witnesses an instance or it is reported by the public, steps can be taken to force the vehicle into compliance.
A $109 traffic ticket for a violation of section 219 MVA and/or a notice and order could be issued to the driver.
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Iām a little shocked to learn ārolling coalā is an intentional thing requiring engine adaptation and intentional targeting!
Who would do that??
Same mindset as a guy who straight pipes his Harley?
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Sorry the passenger diesel trucks that roll coal are not new and were never built with "EMMISIONS" so your crying and whinning is for nothing.
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Thank you for your column on this idiot business of coal rolling.
Redneck ram and F150 drivers, truly vile people who hate cyclists (especially the pedaling kind), are weaponizing their trucks and trucknuts out of a spastic, inexplicable hate for those who like fresh air, exercise and a clean planet.
They are true, vaping, cigarette flicking bastards.
A kelowna company, I hear, actually specialized in installing coal Rolling devices. And does a brisk business.
This company should be fined or shut down, and these devices made illegal.
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I live in Kelowna and have to go to West Kelowna every week to visit an elderly family member.
There are about 12 traffic lights between W R Bennett bridge and West K center. Every week I run into a group of large pick up trucks often dual rear wheelers with (unfortunately) young men at the wheel and at each stop light they are in front of us.
When light goes green the pick ups hit the fuel pedal and you get enough smoke rolling out of there just as you described.. It is like living or working directly under the large smelter stacks at the Smelter in Trail BC, actually worse than Trail.
And yes we should not have to breathe this and it is environmentally super unfriendly.
No one cares. I have never in 4 years seen a Highway patrol car on the highway on the section I describe. I don't mind having a little fun with our vehicles but this is not fun, it is unhealthy and contributes to an unhealthy Canada.
Said my piece but wish I could do more. I tried reporting it to RCMP highway patrol via Kelowna RCMP and was told basically there is or was "nothing we can do'. Shame.
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I'm a Little Shocked