Am I over reacting. Please tell me I’m wrong.
- Thread starter nickr
- Start date
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smutchin
Cat 6 Racer
- Location
- The Red Enclave
Because they're entirely ineffective.
Saluki
World class procrastinator
- Location
- ...Norwich over the water.
Right you are then. Having not cycled, or lived, in big cities I had no idea. I've just seen folks wearing the things.
Pale Rider
Legendary Member
And they must be a bit more effective than walking a couple of metres away in the same air.
Fab Foodie
hanging-on in quiet desperation ...
- Location
- Kirton, Devon.
Kingston to Chiswick looks a pretty OK commute, through Richmond park, choice of 2 bridges to cross the Thames. Quite a few back-roads less frequented by trucks and buses.
Walk over the bridges on the upwind side to remove you from filtering between buses?
Your alternative is....
Infernal combustion Car? Do these filter all diesel particulates?
Electric car?
Bus?
Train?
Horseback?
Personal Jetpack (I was promised we'd all be using these when I was a kid).
When you were a kid the wheel was still in the realms of science fiction...
smutchin
Cat 6 Racer
- Location
- The Red Enclave
From what I understand (which may not be up to date information, I admit), none of the main brands of masks aimed at cyclists (eg Respro, Totobobo) are able to filter out ultra-fine particles, which are the most harmful ones.
The filter will probably go grey after an hour's use in central London but that only means it has caught the larger particles.
What's more, they tend to make breathing very difficult if you're putting in anything above the bare minimum level of effort - so probably fine for walking, but not really for cycling.
Pale Rider
Legendary Member
I was more thinking about a multi-pack of paper masks from B&Q which would probably be even less effective.
A relation of mine commuted on a motorcycle into central London in the 1960s.
He told me his face was black at the end of a journey, particularly if he'd ridden through a pea souper.
His children used to like to see the two white circles after he'd removed his goggles.
byegad
Legendary Member
- Location
- NE England
As an asthmatic whose condition reacts badly to diesel fumes, I fully understand the OP's reaction. I suspect that larger cities are nearly always going to bad news for everyone especially on dry still days. The more rain and wind you get on a day the cleaner the air will be.
classic33
Leg End Member
The correct ones are available, they'll filter out the particles. You have around 30 - 45 minutes of use from them.
I'll remember that tomorrow morning when I go out in the rain to get my bike out of the shed.
jay clock
Massive member
- Location
- Hampshire UK
+1 for overreacting. If you are inside a bus it is pretty much the same air you will breathing, without the exercise benefit
smutchin
Cat 6 Racer
- Location
- The Red Enclave
Good to know. What are they like for cycling in?
Simontm
Veteran
Kew Bridge or Chiswick? When I was in Paddington, I went via Kew Bridge onto Chiswick High. You're over it in about a minute or so. The biggest problem would be the Petersham Road where there are frequent bottlenecks at the bottom of Richmond Hill, so take the park route
