Redditors were clamoring for justice after a user shared a blatant example of a motorist "rolling coal" on them while they were bicycling.
The poster shared the frustrating video on the r/BAbike subreddit, a community for San Francisco Bay Area cycling.
The footage shows the perspective from the rear of the OP's bicycle. As the video opens, a truck quickly approaches the cyclist on a country road before slamming on the gas to pass them.
The rev of the engine is quite loud, and the ensuing cloud of exhaust is no surprise. Considering it completely envelops the road behind the cyclist for a few seconds, it had to be very unpleasant for the exposed cyclist to deal with in the moment.
"Rolling coal" is, sadly, a favorite pastime of many motorists. It can be used as a hostile statement against EV drivers, pedestrians, cyclists, protesters, and more. In the case of cyclists, it's obnoxious behavior that can discourage riders from tapping into the benefits of bicycling, including exercise, saving money, and reducing their carbon footprint.
Fortunately, there are some instances of karmic justice when those rolling coal face instant consequences for their misbehavior.
Rolling coal is deemed illegal and a violation of the Clean Air Act by the EPA. To roll coal, drivers need to bypass pollution control functions on their exhaust. In California, there are various loopholes for motorists to do so, as Streetsblog Cal explained. Users suggested the OP send in a complaint to the California Air Resources Board or Cal EPA.
Even under the most favorable reporting conditions, enforcement can be tricky if no authorities catch the drivers in the act. There was a hangup in this case, unfortunately. Some Redditors were nonetheless undeterred and sought punishment for the truck driver.
"Send plate in," one suggested. "Let authorities handle that."
"They don't have a front plate… naturally," another observed.
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Yes — always 💯 A Redditor wrote: "I'd still send it in. Not many trucks fit that I bet. And I bet they're local."
A different approach someone floated was to hand the footage over to local news. No matter how the OP navigated it, Redditors were resigned to the fact that inconsiderate behavior by drivers is par for the course.
"The season doesn't begin until I get harassed by someone in a truck," one shared.
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