Background
Rolling coal is a form of conspicuousLegality
United States
In July 2014, theState law
California
California law prohibits operating a vehicle "in a manner resulting in the escape of excessive smoke, flame, gas, oil, or fuel residue". The California Highway Patrol or local police can cite a vehicle under this section or others for rolling coal.Colorado
Prohibits nuisance exhibition of motor vehicle exhaust, which is the knowing release of soot, smoke, or other particulate emissions from a motor vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating of 14,000 pounds or less into the air and onto roadways, other motor vehicles, bicyclists, or pedestrians, in a manner that obstructs or obscures another person's view of the roadway, other users of the roadway, or a traffic control device or otherwise creates a hazard to a driver, bicyclist, or pedestrian.Connecticut
Indiana
Vehicles can have equipment to prevent "escape of excessive fumes or smoke".Kansas
Vehicles must be equipped and adjusted to prevent the escape of excessive fumes or smoke.Maryland
A person may not knowingly or intentionally cause a diesel-powered motor vehicle to discharge clearly visible smoke, soot, or other exhaust emissions onto another person or motor vehicle. Normal operations, commercial vehicles of 10,000 pounds or more, and construction site vehicles are exempt.Massachusetts
"No person operating a diesel-powered vehicle shall intentionally release significant quantities of soot, smoke, or other particulate emissions into the air, onto roadways or other vehicles in a manner that obstructs or obscures another person's view of the roadway, other users of the roadway, or a traffic control device or otherwise creates a hazard to a driver."New Jersey
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection regulations also prohibit "smoking vehicles", and the department has a reporting hotline.North Carolina
In 2016, a question to the Western North Carolina Air Quality Director about "rolling coal" referenced state law. Vehicles driven on a highway must have equipment to prevent "annoying smoke and smoke screens". During any mode of operation, diesel-powered vehicles cannot emit for longer than five consecutive seconds visible contaminants darker than a specific density.Texas
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) decommissioned its state-wide smoking vehicle reporting program. Reports on smoking vehicles can still be made through the North Central Texas Regional Smoking Vehicle Program in the Dallas–Fort Worth area, which includes Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Erath, Hood, Hunt, Johnson, Kaufman, Navarro, Palo Pinto, Parker, Rockwall, Somervell, Tarrant, and Wise counties.Utah
The Department of Motor Vehicles may suspend or revoke a vehicle's registration if notified by a local health department that the vehicle is unable to meet state or local air emissions standards. Except during warmup or heavy tow, or for vehicles with a gross vehicle weight greater than 26,000 pounds, a diesel engine may not emit visible contaminants during operation if manufactured after 2007, or may not emit contaminants greater than a specific density if manufactured before 2008. An incident of coal rolling on a cyclist was captured on camera in August 2018 and referred to the Kane County attorney. In March 2020 cast members of the Utah-based '' Diesel Brothers'' reality television series, and the companies they own, were fined a total of $850,000 for Clean Air Act violations.County or municipal ordinances and reporting
Hudson, Colorado
It shall be unlawful for any person to engage in a nuisance exhibition of motor vehicle exhaust, which is the knowing release of soot, smoke, or other particulate emissions from a motor vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating of fourteen thousand (14,000) pounds or less into the air and onto roadways, other motor vehicles, bicyclists, or pedestrians, in a manner that obstructs or obscures another person's view of the roadway, other users of the roadways, or a traffic control device or otherwise creates a hazard to a driver, bicyclist, or pedestrian. The ordinance, which was passed in September 2017, exempts several categories of vehicles, and provides for a fine up to $499.Overland Park, Kansas
The engine and power mechanism of every motor vehicle shall be so equipped and adjusted as to prevent the escape of excessive fumes or smoke.Salt Lake, Davis, Utah, Weber/Morgan Counties, Utah
These counties have "smoking vehicle" report forms online.Cheyenne, Wyoming
A person shall not engage in a nuisance exhibition of motor vehicle exhaust, which is the knowing release of soot, smoke, or other particulate emissions from a motor vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating of fourteen thousand (14,000) pounds or less into the air and onto roadways, other motor vehicles, bicyclists, or pedestrians, in a manner that obstructs or obscures another person's view of the roadway, other users of the roadway, or a traffic control device, or otherwise creates a hazard to a driver, bicyclist, or pedestrian. The ordinance, which was passed in July 2017, exempts several categories of vehicles and provides for a fine of up to $750 and up to six months in jail. A first attempt in July 2016 failed, but Cheyenne police had clarified at that time that they had been writing tickets for coal rolling under state law.Canada
Provincial Law
British Columbia
"A person who contravenes this section commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of not less than $50 and not more than $5,000."Ontario
Section 75.1 of the Ontario ''Highway Traffic Act'' prohibits modifications to a vehicle's emissions systems to increase emissions output exceeding that of the manufacturer's specifications, and modifications which tamper a vehicle’s emission control system to bypass, disable or otherwise negate it. Furthermore, Ontario Regulation 169/22 restricts the opacity of vehicle emissions and modifications to a vehicle's emissions system. Violations can result in a fine ranging from $300 to $1000 CAD for non-commercial vehicles, and $400 to $20 000 for commercial vehicles.See also
*References
External links
* *{{cite news , last1=Bell , first1=Lucas , title=The EPA Is Hunting Performance Shops and Diesel Tuners Are to Blame , url=https://www.roadandtrack.com/news/a42156955/you-can-blame-diesel-tuners-for-waking-the-epa/ , access-date=12 December 2022 , agency=Road and Track , publisher=Hearst Digital Media , date=7 Dec 2022 Air pollution Environmental skepticism Car culture Environmental crime Exhaust systems Hazardous motor vehicle activities Automotive terminology Waste of resources