What do you think about the Tyre Extinguishers?

[AviatorTom]

Deflating a tyre in New York City

The Tyre Extinguishers is a group who deflates tyres on SUVs, which temporarily prevents them from being driven. It plans to deflate tyres on 10,000 SUVs by the end of 2022 in protest of SUV's role in climate change. They point to research published in 2019 by the International Energy Agency that found SUVs were the second largest cause of the global rise in carbon dioxide emissions over the past decade.

The group has been active in several countries around the globe, including Europe and North America. Interestingly, there is a question as to whether deflating a tyre without damaging it is even a crime.

What do you think of this group?

Note: The information in this post comes from The Guardian, a British newspaper, hence the British English spelling of "tyre", "tire" in American English.

[OlderAndWiser]

1. They should be treated as domestic terrorists.

2. WIll they target Al Gore? Mr. Climate Change always travels in SUVs.

https://mynorthwest.com/72658/al-gore-coming-to-inslees-aid-as-he-pushes-for-global-warming-tax-grab-in-washington/

[purplepoppy]

In the UK, SUV's are often known as Chelsea tractors because they're often bought by mothers to drive little Johnny half a mile to school because he's too fat to walk. It's fair to sat for most townies who'll face nothing more challenging than a speed hump they're not needed.
BUT the problem I have is you've got no idea if that person needs a SUV. Once you're out of the towns UK roads aren't great especially Once you're off the main ones.

Yes that is moss growing down the middle, it's taken at a junction between a large village and leads about ten minutes onto the main road. Further along the gradient gets pretty steep too.
The whole country is a network of roads like this and worse. That townie in his SUV might have to navigate such a road daily to get to work in another town. It's wrong to assume they just buy them to drive to the local shop.

[Lost_in_the_Woods]

Pshh, that ain't nothing. My friends driveway in Virginia literally totals cars. Takes a lot of skill to get up it in a camaro.

But my Subaru hatchback has put modified American mudding trucks to shame.

No one needs an SUV. By my dad got a crossover and I actually like it okay. It can tow a small tractor or a motorcycle, fits boats on top, big trunk, and it's not much worse on gas.

It is terrible on snow or wet grass though. If the weather gets bad he has to drive his 66 VW bug.

Most modern SUV's aren't much better than a typical sedan. And that road, pshh, I could drive my antique Porsche on that no problem.

The "I need an SUV because I live on a gravel road" excuse is a lie. If you need a Jeep you need a Jeep. Or a range rover in the UK.

But if you can get there in a Mazda CX-5 you can get there in a Camry.

My advice, buy a Subaru. They do everything really well.

[purplepoppy]

If you're staying onroad crossover are a good option and in fairness some are more suitable for the narrow roads than wide suvs. Funny enough that road takes you to Pendine, a place popular antique sports cars enthusiasts. (The wise ones take the long way round)

[Lost_in_the_Woods]

Cowards.
Those cars were built for that road.

No seat belts, we die like men.

[Jessica405]

One thing these fucking idiots forget is something that will happen to them one day. They will get too old to be able to getvin and out of a normal low car. It then becomes necessary to buy an SUV, or similar, to be able to get in and out easily. Not to mention carrying a wheelchair.

Selfish and thoughtless bastards!!! 🤬🤬🤬🤬

[Qdbrown]

It's childess to mess with other people's property. If they get caught and get killed, I wonder if it will be such a good idea?

Its called Eco-Terrorism. Often leftist youth, confused in their ways, would burn down SUV dealerships back 20 years ago, key people's SUV's, try to pour water and sugar packets in the fuel tank, and now deflate their tires. They think the owner gets their attack, when in reality it creates more anger and divide.

How would you feel if someone messed with your car, without conscent?

It's not a citizen's right to attack others on their own agenda, regardless how passionately and important it is to them. I am pretty sure if they came out and found their little EV damaged over mere political anger would be unacceptable as well.

[MuddyMole]

I can't see it achieving anything whatsoever.
I agree with the sentiment though. Modern cars are way too big. They should be taxed based on weight and dimensions, rather than CO2 emissions. The current system is both regressive, since the poor can't afford to buy a new electric car, and also a form of double taxation, since you already pay tax on the fuel. Taxation based on vehicle size deters people from buying unnecessarily large vehicles, which use more energy (even if they're electric, much of that still comes from non-renewable sources), and cause a greater nuisance to others (especially parking, and driving in cities and on narrower rural roads). If people want to pay less tax, they should drive a "Kei" car.

[Oigit]

Honestly it stupid childish crap. Also you that if anyone decided to screw with their crap, they would have an issue with it. That and you never know when one of them is going to end up screwing the wrong persons car. I'll be the first to admit that if I caught someone deflating my tires things will get really ugly, really quick.

Then again maybe a few of them do need to get caught screwing with the wrong car. Because the issue with people like that is that it might take a few of them getting to crap kicked out of them before they quit.

[Smoke-n-Growls]

It's the kind of civil disobedience I can get behind. Less disruptive than blocking traffic, still accomolishes its goal, and no one gets hurt. Air can still be put back in the tires.

And most people don't need an SUV anyways. A hatchback can fit. If they spare hybrid SUVs, even better.

It'd be hilariously ironic if they deflated electric SUV tires though, lol.

[Methis]

It's actually damaging other people's private property which is something that should get the thug arrested. There is no good reason for such actions.

[Methis]

What people don't need is to be messing with other people's property for no legitimate reason.

[Smoke-n-Growls]

Yeah. That's what civil disobedience is. They're not harming anyone, the property is simply inconvenienced (tires are easily refilled).

It's not supposed to be convenient. It's a disobedience.

[Methis]

Anyone who does such and act should be arrested and charged
They have hard the people who's property they damage. The victims of their actions should take full legal actions against them.

[Astarlessnightsky]

They don't do any real damage, however most of their targets won't change their opinion and will just be even more angry.

But you also need to take some drastic actions in order to keep the climate change debate in the news, and keep pressuring politicians and citizens to take the necessary steps in the right directions.

[HighValue]

If they get beaten or shot over it, I will find it amusing. If I am ever on a jury and someone was killed for doing that, I'd vote not guilty. The person deserves it. They are taking an action likely to incite violence would be my reasoning if asked. Plus it can interfere with someone's ability to get to and from work, pick up their kids from school or an event (many people with SUVs have kids they transport in them), or endanger people in other ways.

[Uannoyme]

They're assholes. They have no way of knowing if someone is going to need that vehicle in an emergency and will be stuck because their tires are flat. People need to get over themselves.

[Lost_in_the_Woods]

I agree. But I think what you are really saying is everyone should be able to swap or fill a tire for their own safety.

[musicbrain5]

Isn’t that vandalism? They are criminals for messing with other people’s property.

[AviatorTom]

But they're doing no permanent damage, which raises an interesting legal question... it's not vandalism in the usual sense. And is it not much different from blocking the wheels on a car that's illegally parked?

[purplepoppy]

You could argue it's harassment or causing a public nuisance. At a push you could argue its theft as you paid for that air. Illegally making a car unsafe to drive or endangering life?

[Methis]

Yes and they can and should be arrested for their actions

[Lost_in_the_Woods]

Paint can be removed from a wall but that doesn't make it not vandalism.

It's not good for tires to sit or be driven on without air in them. The real danger is that could lead to a tire blowout later which is potentially deadly.

[dustybiker]

@AviatorTom Purposely rendering a vehicle unfit to drive (most people don’t drive with an air compressor, some don’t bother to check the pressure in a spare regularly let alone remember to replace it) isn’t in the same category as blocking one in.

[musicbrain5]

@AviatorTom By blocking the wheels, do you mean putting a parking boot on? Because that’s usually parking enforcement that does that. A parking boot is a consequence, not vandalism or malicious intent.

[Hardworkingguy]

I am not certain if I agree with their methods but it is a fact that those kinds of vehicles need far more gasoline than regular cars because they're not aerodynamic at all most of the time and they're much heavier than they have to be for a regular civilian's vehicle

[GreatBigCircles]

They should campaign for public transit expansion, large vehicle taxes, etc. all this does is hurt economical disadvantaged family who own used SUVs, and maybe sell a few portable air compressors.

[USLegionary]

No doubt liberal privledged entitled college kids with wealthy parents doing this. Meanwhile when they go backpacking around the world they don't worry about the carbon emissions of their flight.

[NamerOfStars]

So, going after innocent people just trying to get through their lives, instead of the politicians and oligarchs actually preventing positive change?

I wish I could say this surprised me. Man, what HAPPENED to people in the last seven or eight years? Time was, we called ecoterrorism a BAD thing.

The whole "real life" thing's mostly sucked for the last twenty years or so; it's been going downhill since Mister Rogers died.

[DryGermanGuy]

If I catch one of them at my car, he will get a flattening. Keep your hands off other people‘s property! 🤬

[hahahmm]

I think it's something that only happens in liberal places. Zero cases in U. S. red states. The tire pussies know it's not worth the risks if they get caught in a red state.

[jshm2]

It's a lot of hot air...

Tyres can be repumped those fuckwits seem to have forgotten. Hence they should spend their energies on something more productive.

I keep an auto rechargeable tire inflator which can inflate all four tyres in around 10 minutes. So at worst they've delayed my journey by 10 minutes. But also endangered their lives, touching my property.

[joeldalton]

I'd be the nutsack extinguisher if I caught one of these fuckers.

[AimeeKyle]

They are asswipes and should hope I don’t catch them screwing around with my personal property. These types of illegal and disrespectful acts are not ways to get people to join your cause…. it does quite the opposite.

[driven159]

tampering with a motor vehicle is illegal but while they are driving around polluting the air no good reason and what if the owner of a SUV has an emergency and can't drive their car because of flat tire

[andreasderjuengere]

SUV's and Fuckup trucks are a pain in the arse.

You seldom see what's in front.

So I'm all for flattening them :)

[joeldalton]

funny I bet you'd never do it.

[andreasderjuengere]

@joeldalton Apparently, others do it for me :D

[joeldalton]

so you're Not only too chickenshit to do anything yourself but hide behind others who do.

[andreasderjuengere]

@joeldalton Your interpretation is pointless. Your provocation is silly.

[Surely]

If the car manufacturers would build sedans that taller , older and larger than average people could comfortably get in and out of. There wouldn’t be as many SUV‘s on the road!
As for the tire deflaters. Give them a bicycle hand pump and tell when they get them pumped up. They can leave!

[exitseven]

These morons will get their asses kicked someday.