[adamsharif]

Hi all,

ICYMI there's a group of vigilantes currently attacking SUVs and EVs

http://www.tyreextinguishers.com/

On their website they say: "Hybrids and electric cars are fair game. We cannot electrify our way out of the climate crisis - there are not enough rare earth metals to replace everyone’s car and the mining of these metals causes suffering. Plus, the danger to other road users still stands, as does the air pollution (PM 2.5 pollution is still produced from tyres and brake pads). "

Call me paranoid but I'm wondering, is there any way to prevent the caps on the tyres from being removed?

 

[Rich5]

Amazon.com: Anti-Theft Tire Air Valve Caps - Car Tire Air Valve Stem Caps Pressure Cap Cover for Cars SUV Bike Colored Bling Zinc Alloy 5PCS : Automotive

Buy Anti-Theft Tire Air Valve Caps - Car Tire Air Valve Stem Caps Pressure Cap Cover for Cars SUV Bike Colored Bling Zinc Alloy 5PCS: Stem Caps - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

I've never used them. But they appear to work by having the ability to tighten them onto the valve stem by using the allen key. Without the allen key they are too slippery to grab by hand.

 

[theSeb]

 

[MrMjay]

RTC1000 Rapid Digital Tyre Inflator 12V DC

With quick set auto stop

shop.ringautomotive.com

 

[adamsharif]

Sounds like there's likely to be more activity from this group since now they're in the news (I bet they love that...)

I heard that deflating a tyre fully actually causes damage to the tyre wall, is that true? In that case surely this is dangerous/criminal damage.

In all honesty given the technique they recommend, sounds like it'll be almost impossible to catch them - I heard that for one lady they actually did this to her car on her own drive!

Might invest in some protective caps @Rich5 recommended just to be on the safe side.

 

[spegs]

From their site

Unscrew the cap on the tire valve. This is usually very easy to find on the wheel. Usually, you turn the cap to the left to unscrew it, right to tighten it. Remember: righty-tighty, lefty-loosey.
To get the air out of the tyre, there must be something pushing down on the pin located in the center of the valve. Drop a small bean (we like green lentils, but you can experiment with couscous, bits of gravel, etc) inside the valve cap. Replace the cap, screwing it on with a few turns until you hear air hissing out. Even if it’s only hissing out a little bit, that’s enough - it will deflate slowly. The whole process should take about 10 seconds.

I kind of have to laugh at the fact that they need to post instructions on how to deflate a tire (righty-tighty......), obviously not too bright of a following. And I have to REALLY laugh at the fact that their preferred method of deflation is by carrying around a pocket full of beans.

That said, they could be doing much worse things to vehicles. Still does not excuse it though.

 

[TRT]

Not anything new. I recall in the 1970s in Aus if you drove a French vehicle it would get huge scratches over the paintwork. There were even suggestions for how to do the greatest damage. Had a friend who was paranoid about his brand new Renault 16. Fortunately it wasn’t hit.

[The French were exploding above-ground nuclear bombs in the pacific as part of their nuclear weapon development program at the time (Aus shares a border with French Noumea, although that is some distance from islands where tests occurred). While testing occurred between 1960s & 1990s it was only an issue in Aus during above-ground phase in 1970s]

 

[Rich5]

Education is the better option. I've spoken to hundreds of people about their impact on the environment(home energy efficiency). Not many listen but some do. Letting the air out of tyres just makes division between people and in the end accomplishes nothing.

 

[Socalsp3]

why not target gas guzzlers? LFP batteries can be mined ecofriendly

 

[rwerp]

"Target posh / middle-class areas."

As always in the UK, there's an element of class warfare to it.

 

[KiwiME]

Their website is a crackup!

 

[dky]

They might as well target all cars. Go at it 100% or don't bother at all.

I'd say get an air compressor as well. Always good to be ready to inflate just in case the anti valve stems don't work.

 

[Pedlad]

This definitely constitutes criminal damage and also potential threat to life (drive off in a car with partially deflated tyres and no tpms and have a serious accident). Police should track down the IP address being used for admin on that email address and take action.

 

[MrMjay]

Their website is a crackup!
View attachment 42402
View attachment 42403
View attachment 42401

I wouldn't worry too much.

Anyone who needs instructions on "How to Spot An SUV".... is likely to be too dim to figure out how the valve cap works anyway

 

[Skidmarc]

Hi all,

ICYMI there's a group of vigilantes currently attacking SUVs and EVs

http://www.tyreextinguishers.com/

On their website they say: "Hybrids and electric cars are fair game. We cannot electrify our way out of the climate crisis - there are not enough rare earth metals to replace everyone’s car and the mining of these metals causes suffering. Plus, the danger to other road users still stands, as does the air pollution (PM 2.5 pollution is still produced from tyres and brake pads). "

Call me paranoid but I'm wondering, is there any way to prevent the caps on the tyres from being removed?

So….. how are these vigilantes getting around? They don't drive as tires pollute, bicycles have tires that pollute, soes have rubber soles that pollute….

 

[theSeb]

I wish morons like this would focus on things that actually matter, like the cruise ship industry, for instance.

Carnival Cruise Ship Fleet Pollutes Almost 10 Times More Than All Cars in Europe: Study

That's just 47 ships compared to 260 million cars.

www.thedrive.com

We all have to do our bit, but motorists are easy targets for governments and for imbecilic vigilantes.

 

[Hawkeye]

An interesting alternative - https://www.amazon.co.uk/AIEX-Alumi...lja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ&th=1

 

[bertiebigbollocks]

These lunatics will have about the same effect as taking a dustpan and brush to an earthquake zone. Totally pointless mindless vandals who deserve the full force of the law throwing at them. If it was up to me totally I would take them out in a helicopter on the coldest night of the year and drop them 50 miles out in the North Sea

in answer to the question what can we do? The above 🤣

 

[theSeb]

These lunatics will have about the same effect as taking a dustpan and brush to an earthquake zone. Totally pointless mindless vandals who deserve the full force of the law throwing at them. If it was up to me totally I would take them out in a helicopter on the coldest night of the year and drop them 50 miles out in the North Sea

in answer to the question what can we do? The above 🤣

Can we not send them to Australia, or the Isle of Wight?

 

[bertiebigbollocks]

Can we not send them to Australia, or the Isle of Wight?

I think Jupiter may be more suitable