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posted by n1 on Monday August 25 2014, @12:27AM   Printer-friendly
from the money-to-burn dept.

Conspicuous Conservation, the ostentatious display of objects that mark a person as eco-friendly, has become popular over the recent decade, with example of wealthy people making a point of being seen driving a Prius, putting solar panes in silly places and even wearing shoes "suggesting" you worked on the BP oil spill cleanup.

On the opposite side of the coin we are starting to see some rather deplorable examples of Conspicuous Pollution, the most flagrant of which is called "Rollin Coal".

These kids, (they are almost always 20 something rural guys) will spend anywhere from $1,000 to $5,000 modifying their pickups for the sole purpose of belching huge clouds of black exhaust; adding smoke stacks and smoke switches (which either trick the engine into thinking it needs more fuel, or dump diesel fuel directly into the exhaust manifold).

This is not just a handful of guys. Elizabeth Kulze posted an article with links to “an entire subculture” on Facebook, Tumblr, and Instagram. “It’s just fun,” one coal roller says. “Just driving and blowing smoke and having a good time.”

 
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  • (Score: 3, Interesting) by cafebabe on Monday August 25 2014, @01:37AM

    by cafebabe (894) on Monday August 25 2014, @01:37AM (#85147) Journal

    Blacks like to bump bass-heavy music with their car stereos, often without properly Dynamatting their trunks, so not only does the bass bump but their entire car rattles.

    There are some real engineering challenges when making a car into a 15kW mobile disco. And if it doesn't reproduce sound faithfully, it shows that you understand none of them.

    BMWs and Audis

    I don't understand this "premium car" privilege thing. You may have paid 50% more for your car. You may pay 50% more for a service. That doesn't mean you get 50% priority on the road. It means your dents are going to cost 50% more than mine.

    All of which is every bit as sad as somebody running down the street screaming, "Hey, look at me! Look at me! Look how obnoxious I am!" That's what posting on Soylent News is for.

    We love you because you tell it like it is.

    Anyhow, enough of that. Look at me! Look at me!

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  • (Score: 2) by c0lo on Monday August 25 2014, @02:19AM

    by c0lo (156) Subscriber Badge on Monday August 25 2014, @02:19AM (#85163) Journal

    We love you because you tell it like it is.

    Speak for yourself. I respect him for his "lateral thinking" (and, maybe, his declared goal of a life fuelled by renewable liquids), but don't confuse this with love and don't confuse "unorthodox PoVs" with "like it is".

    Btw: I don't love you either; cafe or no cafe, you are ugly, babe!
    (ducks)

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    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
    • (Score: 3, Interesting) by cafebabe on Monday August 25 2014, @07:09AM

      by cafebabe (894) on Monday August 25 2014, @07:09AM (#85225) Journal

      We like him to different degrees and for different reasons but there is some thought provoking truth in dissenting opinion and I'm glad that it is shared.

      Regarding beauty, consider it a public service that a geek forum doesn't allow users to upload profile pictures.

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      • (Score: 2, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Monday August 25 2014, @10:42AM

        by Anonymous Coward on Monday August 25 2014, @10:42AM (#85259)

        There is dissenting opinion and then there is outright assholery.
        The later drowns out the former for anyone who prefers not to dive headfirst into the written equivalent of goatsecx.

  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday August 25 2014, @02:20AM

    by Anonymous Coward on Monday August 25 2014, @02:20AM (#85164)

    I don't understand this "premium car" privilege thing. You may have paid 50% more for your car. You may pay 50% more for a service. That doesn't mean you get 50% priority on the road. It means your dents are going to cost 50% more than mine.

    You appear to be having a discussion that no one else here is having.

    • (Score: 1, Troll) by cafebabe on Monday August 25 2014, @04:47AM

      by cafebabe (894) on Monday August 25 2014, @04:47AM (#85195) Journal

      I thought people with fancy cars driving like idiots was entirely on topic. In the case of premium car owners, I encounter unwarranted entitlement, like they think they bought a premium ticket at a theme park. I'm not alone in this thinking. Ignoring the fanboys and backronyms, a definition on the UrbanDictionary from Mon 12 Jul 2010 defines BMW as:-

      The ultimate driving machine. Yes it is. But, it is also the ultimate douchebag machine too. It really is a shame that over priced vehicles and other materialistic objects promote: egotistical behavior, arrogance, insecurity, personality defiencies, attitude deformities, rage, road rage, self esteem issues and immaturity. When I see a BMW (this also pertains to drivers of; Mercedes, Audi, Range Rover, Hummer, Porsche...ect.) 8 out of 10 times the driver is tailgating, doubling the speed limit, promoting neglectant and agressive driving, weaving in and out of traffic and endangering drivers around them. Seriously? Grow up. Who do you think you are? Get real. You fuck heads are not above the law because of the fact that your driving a vehicle in which the price is slightly higher then the average consumer can afford. Do you really think you have the right to park in a fire lane, handicapped spot or promote behavior defiencies because the car you drive is considered a status symbol? Should we blame the coked out celebrities (have fun in jail Lohan, your not invincible after all), the useless pathetic overrated rappers, the athletes or the legitimate, well educated CEO's of the world. Which ever way it is, money does equal power. This I agree on...

      Although the example usage on the UrbanDictionary typical diverges from topic, particularly vitriolic examples come from the same person's experience:-

      "I'm going 80 mph in the fast lane and I have a douchebag in a BMW riding my ass. Typical. Lay off the coke, get off of your Iphone and ditch your fucking sunglasses since its midnight you fucking queer ass!"

      "Hmm....that girl is so hot. Oh wait, nevermind. She just put on her whoreish hollywood sunglasses (which makes her look like a fucking alien), she has fake tits and she just got into her used 2002 BMW 7 series

      (which has 100k on it and sold for 25k...you fake fuckin bitch). Which makes her an insecure, egotistical trendwhore. I would rather stick my dick in Miles Davis's ass and cum in his ears, then have anything to do with that useless whore."

      The general tone and language of this definition is compatible with the demeanor of Ethanol-fueled [soylentnews.org]. In particular [soylentnews.org]:-

      Priuses, like BMWs and Audis, are one of those cars that scream, "My driver is a douchebag!"

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      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday August 25 2014, @05:54AM

        by Anonymous Coward on Monday August 25 2014, @05:54AM (#85204)

        > I thought people with fancy cars driving like idiots was entirely on topic.

        Since it is only in your own head that "fancy car" == "driving like an idiot" no, it was not on topic.
        You are just masturbating in public.
        It obviously feels good for you, and maybe even a couple of onlookers are turned on seeing you do it.
        But most people are just repulsed.

      • (Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Monday August 25 2014, @02:10PM

        by Anonymous Coward on Monday August 25 2014, @02:10PM (#85331)

        Being an owner of a BMW I can safely tell you some of what you say is true. It however is not the BMW that does it. I see this happen many times to people who had little to no money suddenly get it. They equate wealth with that they are better. What you are describing is an entitlement attitude. Having a BMW just means you have the money to buy one. The being a dick was already there you just didnt have the money to do it. I have seen soccer moms loose their cool over a hamburger that had onions on it and their snowflake 'cant have onions'. The funniest one I saw was some lady who screamed out 'dont you know who my husband IS'.

        HOWEVER, my previous car was a chevy. Once I got the BMW I noticed something *very* odd. Everyone around me drove much more aggressively. As in 'are you aiming for my car or something?' I am constantly challenged. People constantly ride my ass. People constantly cut me off. People get to the light and rev their engine like they want to prove that some 70s 440 charger can smoke the tires off a BMW. *every day* *multiple time a day* When I rent other cars this attitude 'goes away'.

        Priuses, like BMWs and Audis, are one of those cars that scream, "My driver is a douchebag!"
        You know what makes for a good up and coming 'douchbag'. Someone who makes sweeping generalizations about everyone to make themselves feel superior to someone else.

        My BMW took me 10 years to buy and I have had it for 10. It really is a better car for day to day use. I have drove just about every other kind of car out there. Most cars made in the US are cheaply made (3 chevys, 4 fords experience talking here, 2 toyotas). They put this crazy awesome engine with a decent drivetrain then shelack a layer of plastic on it that breaks in 3-4 years (usually just out of warranty).

        Unfortunately it costs a fortune. On top of that I have to deal with dickheads like you who have something to prove. Unfortunately that 'something to prove' is jealousy. I earned my car. Please keep your sweeping generalizations to yourself.

        • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday August 25 2014, @04:03PM

          by Anonymous Coward on Monday August 25 2014, @04:03PM (#85362)

          > Everyone around me drove much more aggressively.

          I've been considering purchasing a low-miles used BMW (a 2010 335D) and if I do, plan is to debadge it so there are no visible logos and then swap out the famous "kidney grill" for one that is matte black except for a small piece of chrome that goes around both kidneys, the effect being to make it not obviously a BMW. I might even put a honda or volkswagon badge on it just to help preserve the illusion. When you get down to it, sedans of all brands are pretty generic. Debadging won't fool a fan, but those guys are unlikely to have a grudge at BMW drivers. For everyone else, it ought to blend into the background as just another unremarkable 4-door car.

        • (Score: 2) by M. Baranczak on Monday August 25 2014, @07:13PM

          by M. Baranczak (1673) on Monday August 25 2014, @07:13PM (#85426)

          The nice thing about all the rich assholes buying new BMWs: they always have to have the latest shiny bling bling, so they get rid of their cars pretty quickly. Which means that you can get a used one pretty cheap. And these cars are actually really well made, so you can keep them running for a long time.

          • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday August 25 2014, @07:55PM

            by Anonymous Coward on Monday August 25 2014, @07:55PM (#85438)

            Unfortunately BMWs have very high resale values. So cheap used ones are few and far between.
            Cheaper than new, definitely but the prices are inflated by brand loyalty.