# Coal rollers verses Prius owners **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 9, 2014, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coal-rollers-verses-prius-owners/692700 "2014-07-09T10:46:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Ca3799](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9f8e36/32.png) [@Ca3799](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ca3799)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2014, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coal-rollers-verses-prius-owners/692700/41 "2014-07-09T14:54:21Z")
“Coal Rollers” are people (or their trucks) who modify their diesel trucks with smokestacks and engine tweaks that cause a massive amount of black smoke to be emitted from their vehicles on demand. They like to find Prius drives and cover them in smoky soot. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2014, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coal-rollers-verses-prius-owners/692700/42 "2014-07-09T15:04:34Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > What are “coal rollers”? Are there coal-powered cars? For fuck’s sake, have you heard of Google? It will point you toward more information about coal rollers than anyone can possible spoon-feed you in this thread. ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2014, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coal-rollers-verses-prius-owners/692700/43 "2014-07-09T15:18:51Z")
> [@Ca3799](#): > > I don’t really understand what the ‘coal rollers’ issue is- They hate the environment? The like waste and dirt? They have extra money to waste on gas and car modifications? They are just being provocative? It’s just vandalism, pure and simple, with all of the small-minded joy that goes along with being naughty and not getting caught. Here’s a [popular video](http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=730_1386294774&comments=1) of idiots spewing soot into some poor guy’s Miata. Because, if I may channel the idiot mind for a moment, “Miata drivers are all gay faggots.” While I’m not a truck guy, I am involved in the automotive community and there’s a fair amount of overlap, so I’ve seen plenty of idiots on forums brag about rolling coal on cyclists, anyone with a liberal bumper sticker, hybrids, or any male driving a car deemed to be too “girly.” See, it’s funny, in the same way that a guy getting hit in the nuts is funny. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2014, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coal-rollers-verses-prius-owners/692700/44 "2014-07-09T15:33:46Z")
> [@stpauler](#): > > Dammit. I hate reading something so stupid this early in the morning. That’s a good point. For the next board upgrade, I propose a button that lets the user swap the font characteristics of the thread title and the OP on the forum page. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2014, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coal-rollers-verses-prius-owners/692700/45 "2014-07-09T15:42:20Z")
> [@Ca3799](#): > > “Coal Rollers” are people (or their trucks) who modify their diesel trucks with smokestacks and engine tweaks that cause a massive amount of black smoke to be emitted from their vehicles on demand. They like to find Prius drives and cover them in smoky soot. That’s legal?! ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2014, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coal-rollers-verses-prius-owners/692700/46 "2014-07-09T15:43:38Z")
> [@WWhiskey](#): > > Coal rolling is stupid, but is owning a Prius any better? > The batteries in the Prius are very toxic , and in many states, they are coal charged, making your Prius coal powered. > My first thread, hope it’s fun! Coal rolling is an excellent demonstration of how our politics are approaching a bizarre sort of end state. Liberals, as always, are trying to figure out how to solve actual problems that afflict portions of the body politic. One may agree or disagree with their proposed solutions, but at least that’s what motivates them. Conservatives are increasingly about just pissing off liberals. Whatever, dudes. If you want to do a big-kid version of farting in someone’s face, go for it. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2014, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coal-rollers-verses-prius-owners/692700/47 "2014-07-09T15:53:13Z")
Coal rolling is totally gay! (No, of course not, but maybe a little creative rumor-mongering…) ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2014, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coal-rollers-verses-prius-owners/692700/48 "2014-07-09T15:58:38Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > That’s legal?! “Legal” is just Left-wing liberal speak for “Politically Correct”. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2014, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coal-rollers-verses-prius-owners/692700/49 "2014-07-09T16:01:32Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > That’s legal?! [No.](http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/epa-coal-rolling-short-answer-illegal) If someone in the South or the Plains gets pulled over for it, I half-expect an armed standoff. ---
**Author:** ![Ca3799](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9f8e36/32.png) [@Ca3799](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ca3799)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2014, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coal-rollers-verses-prius-owners/692700/50 "2014-07-09T16:01:39Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > “Legal” is just Left-wing liberal speak for “Politically Correct”. LOL. I guess it’s legal if the car can pass a yearly emissions test. I suppose these modified cars can since they can use the smoke stack on demand and don’t run that way all the time. Edit- according to **Marley23’s** post, it is not legal. ---
**Author:** ![Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/58956e/32.png) [@Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emtar_KronJonDerSohn)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2014, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coal-rollers-verses-prius-owners/692700/51 "2014-07-09T16:14:38Z")
> [@stpauler](#): > > To add to this, you can upgrade a [Prius (gen 2 and 3)](http://www.pluginsupply.com/faq/) to be a plug-in vehicle. > > Also worthy of note, you can mod your US Prius to switch over to EV mode, meaning it will go off of the battery first. This is standard in many other countries, but due to warranties re: the battery, it’s not available in the US without an aftermarket mod. So what did the stock factory EV button on my prius do? All that completely silent driving without an engine wasn’t electric? ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2014, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coal-rollers-verses-prius-owners/692700/52 "2014-07-09T16:26:27Z")
> [@Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](#): > > So what did the stock factory EV button on my prius do? All that completely silent driving without an engine wasn’t electric? Where do you live and what year is your Prius? Anything 2009 and prior that was sold in North America shouldn’t have an EV mode button. Also, in normal operation (Eco mode) the Prius will run on battery power up until a certain throttle input or a certain MPH, so it’s certainly possible to creep around on battery power for a little while, but the EV button allowed people to make short trips at normal road speeds without firing up the ICE. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2014, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coal-rollers-verses-prius-owners/692700/53 "2014-07-09T16:37:50Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Coal rolling is totally gay! > > (No, of course not, but maybe a little creative rumor-mongering…) Originally it referred to a hookup between a black guy (top) and a white guy (bottom). Rumor begun. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2014, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coal-rollers-verses-prius-owners/692700/54 "2014-07-09T16:39:45Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > [No.](http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/epa-coal-rolling-short-answer-illegal) If someone in the South or the Plains gets pulled over for it, I half-expect an armed standoff. Apart from that, wouldn’t there be some kind of traffic regulation in some jurisdictions against intentional vandalism or provocation or whatever against a fellow motorist or a bicyclist? Never heard of one, but the issue must have come up before this “coal rolling” equipment was invented. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2014, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coal-rollers-verses-prius-owners/692700/55 "2014-07-09T16:57:01Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Apart from that, wouldn’t there be some kind of traffic regulation in some jurisdictions against intentional vandalism or provocation or whatever against a fellow motorist or a bicyclist? Never heard of one, but the issue must have come up before this “coal rolling” equipment was invented. [GQ thread here.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=727974) ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2014, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coal-rollers-verses-prius-owners/692700/56 "2014-07-09T17:30:21Z")
> [@WWhiskey](#): > > Coal rolling is stupid, but is owning a Prius any better? Yes, it is, if only because driving a Prius does not constitute assault, vandalism, provocation, reckless driving, or anything that might cause a motor vehicle accident. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2014, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coal-rollers-verses-prius-owners/692700/57 "2014-07-09T17:42:35Z")
It takes a special kind of mental attitude to hear about today’s “coal roller vs Prius” story that seems to be all over the internet, and take away from it, “Hey! This is a great opportunity for me to complain about how horrible for the environment the Prius is!” ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2014, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coal-rollers-verses-prius-owners/692700/58 "2014-07-09T18:09:12Z")
Apologies if this was mentioned upthread - I skimmed but didn’t see it: Even if you charged a Prius from an outlet and that electricity was entirely provided by a coal plant, and then all you did was drive the Prius in electric mode and never used the brakes somehow, the energy efficiencies of generating electricity from coal in a large power plant versus in a small combustible engine would still make the Prius more environmentally friendly. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2014, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coal-rollers-verses-prius-owners/692700/59 "2014-07-09T18:36:44Z")
Coal Rolling saves lives. . . 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2014, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coal-rollers-verses-prius-owners/692700/60 "2014-07-09T18:42:08Z")
I thought “Coal Rolling” was about joke links to [Never Gonna Give You Up](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Coal_anthracite.jpg). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coal-rollers-verses-prius-owners/692700.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coal-rollers-verses-prius-owners/692700.md?page=4)