This climate activist group is going around deflating tyres of SUVs; here’s why

A climate activist group, Tyre Extinguishers, is going around deflating tyres of SUVs on the roads. They have a wide presence in 18 countries, and their modus operandi is that they deflate the tyres of parked SUVs and leave a note for the owners to find out what happened. 

The note reads as follows: “ATTENTION - your gas guzzler kills. We have deflated one or more of your tires. You will feel angry, but don't take it personally. It is not you. It's your car. We did this because driving this giant vehicle in urban areas has huge consequences for others.”

The note further states that car manufacturers are trying to convince consumers that they need big cars but SUVs and 4x4s are a disaster for the climate. It states that SUVs are the second-largest cause of carbon dioxide emissions, even more than the entire aviation industry. 

It then states how climate change is an emergency and how people are getting affected. It adds that SUVs cause more air pollution than smaller cars and are also more likely to kill someone than normal cars in an accident. SUV drivers also drive risky. “SUVs are unnecessary and pure vanity,” the note adds. 

ALL ABOUT TYRE EXTINGUISHERS

The climate-activist-tyre-deflating group identifies itself as Tyre Extinguishers and have only one aim – to make it impossible to own a huge polluting 4x4 in the world’s urban areas. They claim to be from all walks of life and to be defending themselves against climate change, air pollution and unsafe drivers. They are present in the UK, USA, Canada, Czech Republic, France, Spain, Germany, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Austria, New Zealand, Italy, Ireland, Belgium and Portugal.

Why are they deflating tyres, you ask? The group wants to cause inconvenience for the owners of SUVs or 4x4s. Deflating tyres repeatedly and encouraging others to do so too will not only create minor inconveniences for the owners but will also become a giant obstacle for driving SUVs on the roads. 

They say that governments and politicians have failed to protect people from these huge vehicles. “Everyone hates them, apart from the people who drive them,” they said, further adding that polite protests have led to nothing. 

The group has no leader and anyone can take part, it said. 

For the convenience of the people who want to join their cause, the group has also directed people on how to recognise a SUV, and has listed the common brands behinds these SUVs – Jeep, Land Rover Discovery, Volvo, Nissan and Toyota. 

WHAT DO THEY DO

They first locate an SUV, and then unscrew the cap on the tyre valve. They say that to get the air out of the tyre, something must be pushed down on the pin located at the centre of the valve, for which they suggest a small bean, green lentils, couscous, bit of gravel inside the valve cap. They then replace the cap to deflate the tyre. 

Once that is done, they put the note under the windscreen wipers so that the owner knows that the car is unusable. After that they let the local press know anonymously what they have done and why. 

Their website provides other tips too, like practicing on a bike first, working under the cover of darkness, and split into pairs to avoid large groups. They have also asked its members to avoid cars for people with disabilities,  traders’ cars, mini-buses and normal sized cars. 

Are hybrid and electric cars safe? According to them, no! 

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