If you own an SUV (a heavy vehicle with off-road styling), you may be a target for a tire fire extinguisher.
“We would go out at night, usually as a group, and use a very simple device like a green bean and push it into the valve to get the tire down. Then we would leave a pamphlet on the windshield of the SUV explaining why We’ve done it.”
The key word in their explanation is “your fuel consumption kills people.” They are an activist group who say the harm caused by the vehicles justifies their anti-social behaviour.
“They are unsafe, climate damaging, huge and unacceptable London“.
I wanted to challenge their tactics and they agreed to be interviewed if we did not reveal their identities. I asked them what gave them the right to tamper with private property.
“They are unsafe, climate damaging, huge and unacceptable in London”
“Is this perhaps a responsibility rather than a right? The car industry has shown no responsibility for the large cars they market and advertise to people.
“So we’re just saying to these owners, you have to take responsibility. Don’t buy a car like this.”
“We just say to these car owners: don’t buy such a car.”
SUVs face accusations that their larger size worsens climate change and emits more air pollute, taking up more road space and making it more dangerous for pedestrians. But car buyers appear to be gaining traction – recent figures show they will account for 60% of new car sales in the UK by 2023, up from 50% two years ago.
Car buyers often say they feel safer in these larger vehicles and enjoy a higher driver position and comfort. Ralph Palmer of the Transport and Environmental Pressure Group said the huge demand for cars was undermining other positive changes.
“The trend toward larger cars offsets the CO2 emissions savings we’re making by making engines more efficient. This is a serious problem when you consider that this is our largest emissions sector.”
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The industry says there is no real definition of SUV, with the term encompassing vehicles more correctly classified as subcompacts.
“Today’s cars are also bigger because they are safer,” said Mike Hawes, chief executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.
“Many drivers choose these vehicles for their practicality, and manufacturers design them to reflect local market preferences, driving styles and conditions – as evidenced by the size differences between vehicles used in the United States and Europe.”
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Data shows that SUVs will account for 60% of new car sales in the UK by 2023, up from 50% two years ago
But many European countries impose higher sales taxes on vehicles with higher emissions, and Paris recently increased parking fees for large SUVs. In the UK, local authorities in many areas of Bath, St Albans and London impose different parking charges based on the amount of emissions from the tailpipes.
One of them – Greenwich in south-east London – is plagued by some serious air pollution blackspots.Councilor Averil Lekau is a member of their cabinet climate change.
“The higher the pollution, the higher the price you pay. If you’re drinking dirty water, you say, no. Why do we have dirty air? [harming] The health of our residents? We have a large number of children under the age of one suffering from respiratory illness, so we need to address that.”
front of SUV
grow electronic car Sales offer some advantages in that they don’t emit any CO2 when driven, but they still produce air pollution particles from tire and brake wear.
They also tend to be heavy, with some new electric SUVs weighing up to 3 tons, nearly twice the weight of a regular car.
But Erin Baker, editorial director of AutoTrader, said our love for big cars hasn’t diminished despite higher costs for both consumers and the environment.
“I don’t see any signs of our interest in SUVs waning at all. I think we’ll end up seeing almost everyone riding one, [sitting up high] Driving their SUV and looking into the distance. “
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