To protest against environmentalists and the Obama administration, conservative truck owners are tricking-out diesel pickups with coal stacks that belch out puffs of black smoke in a new campaign in the political culture war.
Known as “coal rollers,” truck owners are customizing their pickups with tall chimney stacks that emit clouds of black smoke while driving, as to make blatantly clear that hybrid drivers might buy into the government’s constant pressure to reduce carbon footprints, but coal rollers want to smoke them out.
According to a Slate article, rolling coal is not a new concept, but it has only recently been used as a political weapon.
“I run into a lot of people that really don’t like Obama at all,” a coal rolling equipment salesperson told Slate. “If he’s into the environment, if he’s into this or that, we’re not. I hear a lot of that. To get a single stack on my truck — that’s my way of giving them the finger. You want clean air and a tiny carbon footprint? Well, screw you.”
According to the article, for about $500 people are able to install the smoke stacks and additional equipment, which trick the diesel truck’s engine into pumping out more fuel than needed, leading to mushrooming clouds of black smoke.
“The feeling around here is that everyone who drives a small car is a liberal,” a roller named Ryan said in a Vocativ article. “I rolled coal on a Prius once just because they were tailing me.”
Coal rolling has garnered thousands of YouTube views; as well as Internet memes; social media shares; and “Prius Repellent” bumper stickers. (RELATED: Huge Train Crashes Into Truck Full Of Watermelon [VIDEO])
“Your truck is not just something to get you from point A to point B. It’s who you are,” coal roller Robbie told Vocativ. “It’s just fun, just driving and blowing smoke and having a good time.”