General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsI came across one of those guys who MacGyvers their vehicles to emit extra exhaust
I was behind him driving down the street for a good couple of miles. Every time he took off from a stoplight, his exhaust pipe emitted a big cloud of black smoke. He was in front of me, so I got a big puff in my face after every stoplight. I moved over to the next lane so as to avoid getting hit again. He deliberately moved into that lane, which was a turning lane, so as to dose me with the exhaust one last time before moving back into the center lane to proceed straight ahead. There was no other reason to go into that lane since it took him out of his direct route. The only thing I can figure is that he saw the Vote No to Voter ID sticker leftover on my car from 2012, and it pissed him off. Mind you, this is in perhaps the bluest city in all of America.
shenmue
(38,506 posts)Evergreen Emerald
(13,069 posts)I wonder what law enforcement would do if they were called?
Erich Bloodaxe BSN
(14,733 posts)Around here, they 'mcgyver' up the amount of noise their cars, trucks, or motorcycles make, and the cops never pull them over for making jet engine noises in residential neighbourhoods.
liberal N proud
(60,334 posts)The Coal Roller, the loud bikes and cars, there is no end to it and there is nothing the cops will do either.
BainsBane
(53,026 posts)otohara
(24,135 posts)I wouldn't be calling anyone.
The weapons effect gives these assholes the extra boost they need to be super assholes.
IADEMO2004
(5,554 posts)Purchia pointed to two paragraphs on the air enforcement page of the EPA's website. One paragraph said:
It is a violation of the [Clean Air Act] to manufacture, sell, or install a part for a motor vehicle that bypasses, defeats, or renders inoperative any emission control device. For example, computer software that alters diesel fuel injection timing is a defeat device. Defeat devices, which are often sold to enhance engine performance, work by disabling a vehicle's emission controls, causing air pollution. As a result of EPA enforcement, some of the largest manufacturers of defeat devices have agreed to pay penalties and stop the sale of defeat devices.
The other paragraph said:
The CAA prohibits anyone from tampering with an emission control device on a motor vehicle by removing it or making it inoperable prior to or after the sale or delivery to the buyer. A vehicle's emission control system is designed to limit emissions of harmful pollutants from vehicles or engines. EPA works with manufacturers to ensure that they design their components with tamper-proofing, addresses trade groups to educate mechanics about the importance of maintaining the emission control systems, and prosecutes cases where significant or imminent harm is occurring.
ChairmanAgnostic
(28,017 posts)Mcgyver was a lover of nature, of respect, and of finding solutions to hard problems with as little adverse impact as possible
These assholes don't mcgyver so much as they crap on the world.
BainsBane
(53,026 posts)whose meaning is not limited to the television show.
(verb) : To make use of surrounding materials to build a contraption or to get out of life's crazy things.
I was MacGyvering when I was stranded on the island.
Submitted by: MikeUMD from Maryland on Feb. 16, 2006 16:43
(verb) : To improvise an ingenious solution to seemingly insurmountable problems by using ordinary items, faith and luck.
Jim was able to MacGyver my car by replacing the broken radiator belt with my pantyhose.
http://nws.merriam-webster.com/opendictionary/newword_display_alpha.php?letter=M&last=10
Merriam Webster makes no reference to love of nature.
I myself never saw the TV show, but I have heard the word used repeatedly.
ChairmanAgnostic
(28,017 posts)You are wrong, you grab an idea, misuse it, then defend it without any facts.
Sad. Really sad.
BainsBane
(53,026 posts)I've besmirched the name of a hero. I am sorry.
I do think the dictionary counts as fact.
HERVEPA
(6,107 posts)Understanding subtlety is a good trait, though doesn't seem to be a strong suit. A poster tried to explain to you, and you gave him shit. Not a good way to learn, or behave.
LanternWaste
(37,748 posts)"Sad. Really sad..."
Almost as sad taking issue with, then digging your feet into the use of the word 'MacGyver'.
And though your derail of the OP is rather unique for becoming dogmatic on the use of a throw-away word, even the most unique derail is yet still a derail.
1StrongBlackMan
(31,849 posts)anti-evolution of words sentiment? And for the same, derailment purpose. Hmmm?
4b5f940728b232b034e4
(120 posts)You shouldn't use a dictionary to look-up the correct meaning of a word. Dictionaries document the most commonly used meanings.
BainsBane
(53,026 posts)rock
(13,218 posts)BainsBane
(53,026 posts)Unabridged dictionaries contain all definitions of the word.
I guess I stumbled into a hornet's nest. I had no idea that particular television character was so revered.
rock
(13,218 posts)Now if you only knew what I think of repiggies.
BainsBane
(53,026 posts)in the dictionary.
rock
(13,218 posts)BainsBane
(53,026 posts)Thanks!
ChairmanAgnostic
(28,017 posts)he volunteers major time for kids organizations, he heads up a couple of clean water initiatives, and he hates the oil sands stuff that is happening east of his home. He is a big environmentalist. I dunno where this repiggie idea came up, but is is wrong.
rock
(13,218 posts)but he should learn what a dictionary is for.
ChairmanAgnostic
(28,017 posts)Not the author above. Sorry, if I was confusing.
BainsBane
(53,026 posts)Or did you think Rock was talking about you?
ChairmanAgnostic
(28,017 posts)He is actually a strong environmentalist, works hard with kids, especially those in need or with medical issues, and he pushes for stronger water pollution laws.
I am sorry about the confusion.
BainsBane
(53,026 posts)Total miscommunication all around. She meant the poster who commented about dictionaries.
ChairmanAgnostic
(28,017 posts)Electric Monk
(13,869 posts)That would have avoided all the subsequent confusion about Richard Dean Anderson, who actually seems to be a pretty cool guy.
BainsBane
(53,026 posts)I'm going to have to find a way to use MacGyver in every single OP I write.
Now that the word has entered the Dictionary, it will be used long after memory of the TV show or the actor has faced. You use all kinds of words of similar origin--from a brand, an ad, a novel, etc--and have no idea of how they came into use. That is the nature of language.
1StrongBlackMan
(31,849 posts)"the dictionary" more represents the accepted status quo (of the lexicon).
sadoldgirl
(3,431 posts)I would consider it a silly prank.
But they are not. I hope that they annoy enough people to enforce ticketing.(Which city, county, state could not use the money!)
jmowreader
(50,543 posts)And this is a federal case - you have to seriously fuck with the smog control gear on your truck to get it to do that.
FreakinDJ
(17,644 posts)Including those who feel compelled to tell everyone what to think and how to behave.
However misdirected his angst may be he is still questioning authority and revolting against the machine.
Beside - those trucks don't last too long once they start altering them like that - a short term problem at best
BainsBane
(53,026 posts)We have far too much air pollution from cars as it is.
FreakinDJ
(17,644 posts)Use it as a recreation vehicle mostly.
In all honesty it burns far less fuel - like 20 mpg empty compared to 12-14 mpg for the same size and weight vehicle burning gas. And yes I have after-market parts installed which the manufacture proved to California Air Resources Board will actually allow it to burn cleaner or have a null effect for emissions.
It also has the Safe-Guards built in to prevent a person from burning up their engine - some thing the ones that have a "Smoke Mode" do not include
mercuryblues
(14,526 posts)MacGyvered it.
jmondine
(1,649 posts)I would think that alone would make it illegal.
Dreamer Tatum
(10,926 posts)Nice try.
If you don't like the morons who do that to a truck, I'm with you. No need to make up a reason why
they did it or why you got smoked out.
BainsBane
(53,026 posts)and know I'm a complete liar. How amazing.
I don't suppose it could have occurred to someone with your psychic abilities that he might have been behind me at one point and then pulled ahead?
Dreamer Tatum
(10,926 posts)I'm not disputing that you saw one. I've seen them. I just don't go around assuming I'm their target. I just assume they're assholes.
It's not all about me.
* Although "pics or it didn't happen" would be a nice informal rule sometimes.
Lee-Lee
(6,324 posts)And carry no points, so they view them almost like trophies.
minivan2
(214 posts)Portland? San Francisco? Seattle?
BainsBane
(53,026 posts)minivan2
(214 posts)Here in CA there are a lot of them, but they only have 200 people per county while counties with big cities are in the millions to hundred thousands.
BainsBane
(53,026 posts)Or even the city, who knows.
spanone
(135,802 posts)Warpy
(111,222 posts)If you didn't and you see the plug-ugly again, do so and drop a dime on him to the state MVD and the cops and the state pollution control people. Make his life miserable and take his smogger away from him.
Those things are a road hazard, so the cops should be very interested in getting him off the road until he gives up on the idea of making the rest of us suffer for his massive ego and anger at the world he lives in.
Dreamer Tatum
(10,926 posts)so I'm guessing they already reported the offending driver to the state.
I am one of the least mindful people around, so it takes a lot for me to even notice a vehicle in front of me. It took a few puffs of smoke before I started to pay attention, and I didn't think to get the tag number.
dawg
(10,622 posts)that I would be willing to spend some of my own limited funds just to modify my vehicle so as to enable it to burn *more* fuel, in the deluded hope that it might piss off some of the people who have the audacity to fight for a better, cleaner, fairer world.
The truck balls are less pathetic.
Xithras
(16,191 posts)Diesels run a much richer mixtures than petrol cars, and are far more susceptible to smoking under acceleration. There are a number of things that cause it (partially burned soot buildup in the exhaust being vaporized during hard acceleration is a common one, and dirty injectors are another frequent cause), but most can be traced back to poor maintenance. No Macguyvering required. My dad has an old Dodge trail truck that he uses in the backwoods in Oregon. Under load, the thing belches black smoke like it's burning coal or something. It's not modified to do that...it's just an old fashioned piece of crap.
The guys who modify their trucks to smoke generally do it when they're cruising or idling. The fact that he was only doing it as he accelerated suggests that he just had a shitty truck, and was being an ass about it.
BainsBane
(53,026 posts)In shiny new condition. I know nothing about automotive mechanics, but it looked too new to have those sorts of problems. I don't recall seeing black smoke like that on other vehicles, and we have lots of old, barely held together trucks tooling around the cities.
Xithras
(16,191 posts)This is one of the reasons why so many of those hyper-mileage European diesels that get 70+MPG can't legally be sold in the U.S. Brand new diesel engines should never smoke, but it only takes 2-3 years of cheap fuel and poor maintenance for a diesel injector to get dirty enough to start smoking on acceleration. Diesel engines are DIRTY, and their "smog test" is much simpler than those used by gas burning cars. Unlike gas burners, diesels don't actually get their tailpipe emissions measured...it's simply a test to verify that the original smog equipment is still there and that there isn't any smoke. A bottle of injector cleaner a week before the inspection will usually clean a newer one up enough to pass, but the fix doesn't last long.
I'm not saying that the guy didn't modify it, but the smoke on acceleration sounds more like poor maintenance. We've got a bunch of these "Coal Rollers" jagoffs around where I live, and they generally just smoke constantly when the driver flips a switch. Big billowing clouds of black smoke as they cruise down the road or idle at stoplights. Smoke on acceleration usually just means crappy maintenance.
You don't see it on most diesel pickups because NORMAL (non-a**hole) diesel owners see black smoke on acceleration and think "Hey, I need to go get a tuneup", and not "Great, I get to go annoy a liberal". Like so many other things in America, the Teapublicans have figured out a way to take a bad thing and make it even worse.
BainsBane
(53,026 posts)Xithras
(16,191 posts)FWIW, I personally believe that diesel engines shouldn't be available to noncommercial drivers, and that existing diesel engines should have retroactive emissions caps applies. They are far too dirty to be on our roads.
Maedhros
(10,007 posts)The truck was too new, and the exhaust pipe to obviously shiny, chrome and custom, for this to be anything but intentional.
I was driving down I-84 and the emissions from this guy's exhaust was like a smoke-screen.
BainsBane
(53,026 posts)about how this was a thing RWers were deliberately doing. It sure seemed that way to me, and like you described the truck was shiny new in perfect condition.
mercuryblues
(14,526 posts)I saw one in Alabama last week. If I hadn't seen the DU op, I would not have known what it was. They are disgusting little maggots. too bad their kids will suffer the consequences of their false bravado
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1017201108
benld74
(9,904 posts)BainsBane
(53,026 posts)The MacGyver police will be after you too.
IronLionZion
(45,403 posts)It's not the first idiotic act of defiance, and it won't be the last. Some assholes derive a perverted pleasure from deliberately making life unpleasant for others.
Who do they think they are punishing?
maxrandb
(15,310 posts)You used to have to wonder if someone was an asshat or not. This removes all doubt.
I love to get in front of them with my hybrid and cruise 2MPH below the speed limit.