By Lauren Fix, The Car Coach
Having a flat tire is frustrating as it is, but finding out that someone flattened your tire to prove a political point will infuriate you. A UK-based activist group called “The Tyre Extinguishers” is known for deflating tires and has spread its activities to the US. They claim they’ve deflated tires on dozens of SUVs in several major cities, including New York, Chicago, and the Bay Area. They plan to hit cars parked on the street across the USA.
The group says the low-fuel economy SUVs significantly contribute to climate change. The group has no official leadership but encourages individual people through social media and offers a political letter to be left on the victims’ cars. This group has been boasting about its actions on Twitter, the group’s account has a link to share its manifesto.
International news has been reporting about this terrorism. The BBC reports the activist group has deflated tires on hundreds of SUVs across London. Their primary targets have been high-wealth neighborhoods across the UK. Now this group has spread its radical volunteers to the US and other countries.
The group cites the climate disaster as a primary reason for their actions. SUVs have been called out by the UN itself for their impact. The note also claims SUVs pose a greater danger to pedestrians and other road users, along with the health risks of higher air pollution. As for the group’s aims, it hopes “to see bans on SUVs in urban areas, pollution levies to tax SUVs out of existence, and massive investment in free, comprehensive public transport.”
Notably, the protest group runs in a leaderless fashion. The aim is to inspire individuals to participate independently. The Tyre Extinguishers website shares guides on how to spot an SUV and how to deflate its tires safely. Specific instructions are given to target “wealthy/middle-class areas” that are more likely to feature these vehicles. Hybrid and electric vehicles are considered “fair game,” as well, with the group citing the high environmental costs of producing and running these large vehicles.
The typical tactic used is to place a lentil or piece of gravel into the valve stem, depressing the valve. The valve cap is then screwed back on, holding the debris in place and allowing the air to leak out. This lets the activist flee the area while the tire continues to deflate. Advice is given to practice on bicycle tires first before taking action on SUVs in the field.
Fundamentally, it’s a method that’s far easier and safer than outright slashing tires. It’s also more likely to inspire annoyance rather than sheer outrage.
As with most political movements, there’s a leaflet involved, which is placed on vehicles targeted by the group. It notifies the owner that the vehicle has been disabled and the group’s reason for doing so. Owners are advised that they will have “no difficulty getting around without your gas guzzler, with walking, cycling, or public transport.” The leaflet has been translated into 10 languages.
Deflating people’s tires is unlikely to win the group many fans or inspire SUV owners to make greener choices. Instead, the overall goal is to step up operations to the point where it is “impossible to own a huge polluting 4×4 in the world’s urban areas.” Many more tires will have to be let down to achieve that target. In the meantime, a handful of SUV owners will wake up frustrated now and then to find another leaflet and another flat tire.
The Bottom Line
The first thing to do is call roadside assistance, which dispatches a six-mpg-smoker tow truck to come and run its onboard gas compressor to fill the tire with air and put that supposed gas-guzzling SUV back on the road with that 6-MPG service truck.
In addition, messing with people’s personal property could be very dangerous as you don’t know how people will respond if they catch the terrorist. It could be ugly. Should the word ‘activist’ be replaced with the word’ terrorist’? Either way, this is not likely to inspire anyone, it’s an annoyance rather than forcing anyone to change their opinion and buy an EV.
What would you do? Your comments should be interesting.
There is so much more to discuss on this, put your comments below and let’s start the conversation.
Lauren is the CEO of Automotive Aspects and the Editor-in-Chief of Car Coach Reports, a global automotive news outlet. She is an automotive contributor to national and local television news shows, including Fox News, Fox Business, CNN International, The Weather Channel, Inside Edition, Local Now News, Community Digital News, and more. Lauren also co-hosts a regular show on ABC.com with Paul Brian called “His Turn – Her Turn” and hosts regular radio segments on USA Radio – DayBreak.
Lauren is honored to be inducted into the Women’s Transportation Hall of Fame and a Board Member of the Buffalo Motorcar Museum and Juror / President for the North American Car, Utility & Truck of the Year Awards.
Check her out on Twitter and Instagram @LaurenFix.
Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author.
