Am I over reacting. Please tell me I’m wrong.

[atalanta]

I get where you're coming from, totally. But London has terrible air quality full-stop, and Richmond borough is one of the greenest places you could live (I live here too). Even riding along the river doesn't help? I know it lengthens the commute, but...

 

[Drago]

On a related thought, does the OP own a car? Is it diesel powered?

 

[400bhp]

If you do nothing else OP read the conclusion:

http://www.bmj.com/content/357/bmj.j1456

I was wondering. I have windows in my house but am afraid of the UV. Shall I remove the windows from my house?

 

[mustang1]

Then sorry but you've screwed up. Motorists, bus passengers and some walkers inhale more fumes: https://www.theguardian.com/environ...2/london-air-pollution-public-transport-video

Walking quiet routes is the only mode that does better than cycling, but you may not have such a route and it takes longer. So I think the best bet for most travellers is to carry on cycling, while doing whatever you can to help the campaigns to clean up the air.

I do not have with that report.

 

[steveindenmark]

I think if you are that worried about it you should stop cycling. Stop walking. Keep out of the garden.

But it seems that the rest of us can manage it and do not seem to be dying at a faster rate than usual.

 

[ufkacbln]

For those of us of a "certain age" ...

We have been through this all before, with pollution levels high and causing Asthma and other illnesses to exacerbate (especially in children) and how it needed to be tackled.

So the motoring lobby installed a magic box called a catalytic converter, that despite never actually being effective (most journeys are too short for it to warm up enough to work) became the ultimate answer

Then we had the fact that Diesel cars were more efficient and less polluting so we should all drive diesel

All was well, the motoring lobby managed to sell a package that cosmetically made everything better and avoided discussing the reality that ALL vehicles pollute and looking at ALL vehicle use was the real way forward


Now some 25 - 30 years later we are allowing them to pull the same cheap card trick again

Diesel is very naughty, so we will ban diesel cars, every one can buy those nice, clean effective petrol cars and we will have cleaned up the problem..... pat ourselves onto back and sit down for another 25 years polluting away

What is needed is to stop scapegoating Diesel and look at the real problem of pollution from vehicles as a whole

Otherwise we are simply allowing the same con to be repeated

 

[Drago]

For our own part, us car drivers should be tackling the culture of using the car for short, unnecessary journeys. The very joirneys that create the greatest pillution.

I refuse to drive a journey of under 7 miles and will cycle or, very occasionally, use public transport. People trot out all the excuses about time, convenience, the bus timetable etc, but they're all just that - excuses.

 

[Simontm]

I get where you're coming from, totally. But London has terrible air quality full-stop, and Richmond borough is one of the greenest places you could live (I live here too). Even riding along the river doesn't help? I know it lengthens the commute, but...

Part of the problem, which people forget, is that London is in a bowl which doesn't exactly help with dispersing the fumes on a still day.

 

[boydj]

Switching to the train is a very expensive way of reducing further what is actually a very low risk of damage from pollution or other vehicles.

 

[mjr]

I do not have with that report.

If that's a game of Blankety Blank, you forgot to include BLANK there. Nonetheless, if you don't trust het Grauniad, there are plenty of similar reports available and few claiming motorists are healthier.

 

[jonny jeez]

In the light of what seems like almost daily reports about the danger of inhaling diesel exhaust. I have from today stopped commuting to work by bicycle.

I’ve been commuting by bike for 5 years between Kingston and Chiswick and have loved it. Its been additive, like a drug. I've tried to ignore the dangers, but cannot do so any longer. I've tried many different routes but have found it impossible to avoid what I consider to be a dangerous level of exposure to the fumes.

Its seems to me that to have continued would been as idiotic as climate change denial.

yes, you are over reacting.

 

[Bimble]

You should get back on the bike now that diesel car sales are falling: http://news.sky.com/story/diesel-car-sales-down-a-fifth-as-drivers-shift-to-electric-10905179

Just out of interest - did you notice any downturn in your health and wellbeing during the time you commuted by bike? What about your energy levels since you stopped cycling?

I think the 'fumes' might be convenient excuse. Are you simply just tired of cycle commuting? It happens, there's no shame in it.

 

[mjr]

You could get an air-cleaning bicycle. http://midlifecycling.blogspot.com/2017/05/this-bike-sucks-and-thats-good-thing.html

 

[TheDoctor]

I have to say, the dangers of PM10 (particulate pollutants of around 10 um) was well known, and covered in the course material when I started my degree in '95 or so.
Has it really taken 20-odd years for people to start worrying about them?
And, to the OP, if you've been riding through them for the last five years, then what makes you think stopping now will help? Diesels have been around for years and years.

 

[mustang1]

If that's a game of Blankety Blank, you forgot to include BLANK there. Nonetheless, if you don't trust het Grauniad, there are plenty of similar reports available and few claiming motorists are healthier.

Sorry my typo. I meant to say:
I do not gel with that report.

I remember that report when it came out and did not agree with it. I saw other news sites also duplicated the report but did not independently verify it (except to source another duplicate news site).