While on the road during the Hoodoo 300 cycling race, Andrew Danly did an exceptional job. His record-setting win separated him from the pack, unlike any cyclist who had done the Utah course before him. Fortunately, Danly’s race was documented by photographer Michael Conti who snapped hundreds of awesome photographs of the cyclist while he was on the course – but one image stood out from the rest like a sore thumb.
During one stretch of the course, Danly blasted along the highway. At that exact moment, a diesel pickup truck came barreling past the expert cyclist. And as he passed Danly, the pickup truck pumped the gas pedal and released a black cloud of exhaust from the back of his truck right in Danly’s face. Michael Conti managed to capture the moment in a photo, immortalizing the rude pickup truck driver’s inconsideration for all to see all while capturing his license plate number in the image.
Conti uploaded the image to Facebook because he wanted to show how some Utah residents treat cyclists. He shared the image with the caption: “All of a sudden, there’s this big bloom of smoke comes out of the exhaust and covers Andrew in black smoke.”
It’s a disgusting prank for the pickup driver to play on the cyclist who requires, above all else, fresh air to succeed on the course.
In the image, the men in the truck turn back toward Andrew and appear to be gawking and laughing at the cyclist’s expense.
That’s when Michael and Andrew decided to make the pickup truck driver pay for his rude behavior. They forward the image to the Utah Highway Patrol and a local attorney. Both were more than happy to make the truck driver learn his lesson in respect.
“It doesn’t feel good to know someone is trying to cover you in black soot and up there laughing, and there’s nothing you can do about it,” Andrew told CBS Local.
However, pickup truck drivers across Utah and other states commit the prank of “rolling coal” often. It’s a way for drivers of diesel trucks to make pedestrians and cyclists pay for being out of a vehicle and in the fresh air. These drivers increase the amount of fuel entering their engine as they pass the cyclists and allow the black cloud of smoke to blow out into the outdoor enthusiast’s face.
However, one person believes the smoke cloud photograph is just a misunderstanding.
“The truck slowed down when it approached the cyclist. That’s exactly what he should have done. When it was safe to go around the cyclist, the truck sped up. The amount of exhaust produced by the acceleration is nothing the driver had any control over.”
But most people see it for what it is – a rude prank to play on the bike rider.
“People are making adjustments on purpose to ‘roll coal,’ and it’s not only obnoxious, but it’s dangerous because it cuts out visibility in traffic.”
Do you think this Utah pickup truck driver “rolled coal” all over cyclist Andrew?
Source:https://awm.com/rude-truck-driver-blows-black-smoke-in-cyclists-face-but-doesnt-know-hes-being-filmed-2-2-2-2-2/