face mask

[the_bing]

i'm fortunate enough to have a commute route through countryside but there is the inevitable town at either end with lorries and the usual smog.

on an uphill, i was over taken by a truck puffing out black smoke, leaving me with nowt but oxides of nitrogen and exhaust particulates to suck on.
i just thought of using a face mask to filter out traffic crap. Does anyone else use one? any recommendations? are they worth it?

apart from for protecting your identitiy when slapping some dumb motorist with the pump after being cut up...

 

[ianrauk]

They don't work too well. Apart from being too hot and sweaty, the particles that spout out from vehicles are too small to be stopped by a face mask filter.

 

[fossyant]

Horrible things

 

[the_bing]

ok then

 

[idlecyclist]

I use one. I cycle through London and found I was getting really bad headaches after a ride. Since using a mask, these headaches have stoped.
Down side is it does get hot (but that is an upside in winter) and it does help fog up my glasses. But I wouldnt cycle through london without one.

 

[Melonfish]

suck it up, at least you get all your minerals in one breath

 

[Recycle]

Wot ianrauk said.
I occasionally wear one in May when the seed balls of the London plane tree break up and release their fibrous content into the wind. That stuff sends me on choking fits when I breath it in. I hate wearing the thing though.

 

[Tribanite]

Tried one,but it didn't help my breathing .... i changed my route away from heavily congested roads. The plus is it adds a couple of miles to my commute :dance