Anybody wear a face mask?

thefilbertfox

As per title. Only reason I ask is becuase I read the following the other day:

In London and Bristol cyclists now outnumber passenger cars on the streets
of these cities. This seems to be a reflection of high fuel prices and a desire
for better health amongst commuters. Cycling groups are now demanding parity
with cars and want all dual carriageways to have a cycle-only lane. One little reported
fact is that cyclists will seriously damage their health in most UK cities
unless they wear effective face masks, capable of trapping particulate emissions.
Over 300,000 people die each year in the EU and 30,000 people in the UK
from heart and respiratory disease caused by poor air quality, primarily from NOX
and particulates.

It was written in an "Environmental Update" from a well known vehicle manufacturer.
*I work for a vehicle leasing company and often have to read loads of guff.

asprilla

The jury is still out on this one. Some reports state that drivers in traffic are exposed to far more particulates than cyclists and some reports say it's the other way round, or at least for certain kinds of particulates.

hfidgen

I would have thought just being in London by a road means you're being exposed to all sorts of ****. Where to drivers get their air from, if not the exhaust of the vehicle in front?

Cyclists work hard and breathe more air than drivers so it makes sense that they are exposed to more, simply due to the volumes of air they inhale.

Not sure I could abide a mask though - I probably sweat about a pint of fluid each commute and the thought of enclosing half my face in hot sweat makes me shudder.

pangolin

Hmmm not sure what to believe. I don't wear a face mask, just for convenience / looks sake really.

Massively agree on the sweating front as well. Even sunglasses take their toll on me, covering most of my face in neoprene could have serious consequences.

Reminded me of this

http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/health/leave-bacon-out-of-it,-health-experts-warned-20071031506/

Wallace1492

Only for looting and rioting....

Clever Pun

the fact it's from a vehicle manufacturer, doesn't fill me with trust

gilesjuk

The general health improvements cycling brings will always outweigh pollution.

If only they could ban all non-electric and hybrids from city centres.

bails87

The only times I wish I'd got one is when a particularly smoky diesel car/truck accelerates past me, or when the fields are being harvested/sprayed. But both of those are rare, and most of my commute is down deserted country lanes, so there's really no need. If I was commuting somewhere where the air was chewable then I might reluctantly use one, but only if I had problems riding without one.

MonkeyMonster

I'm so used to mine now that I find my mouth gets uncomfortably dry when riding without. Actually helping an american student with studying the effects so I get free masks every few months and send the old ones back for analysis. If you want to help out send me a pm as he wants more users.

It is a filter. Sometimes its disgusting with let alone how heinous it can taste without.

Headhuunter

I wore one for a couple of weeks and when I removed it, my mouth felt "fresher", but I'm not sure if that was just because it wasn't as dry as it would have been without the mask. In the end I just couldn't get on with the mask, it made my face under it a sweaty, snotty, dribbly mess and as breathing was much harder, my speed dropped. Also I tend to rely on shouting to warn pedestrians I'm coming etc, with a mask you're effectively gagged...

Applespider

I thought I'd read recently that car drivers were exposed to more fumes than cyclists since they spend more time sitting in jams and their air has to come from somewhere too. While cyclists may breathe more deeply, we are generally moving so the particulates are more dispersed. Scooters and motorcyclists are the worst offenders for the little nasty particulates though since their vehicles are so small that they can't have the convertors that cars do. Which makes it all the more annoying when they come into an ASL and spout those upward blasting exhaust fumes in your face.

For a mask to be truly effective, it does have to be properly fitted and without gaps. I find I just get hot and sweaty - even with a buff in the autumn - so can't imagine really using one when commuting.

Wrath Rob

Bought a mask, snotted into it for one journey and have never worn it since. It would take some serious suffering on my part to sport one of those...

Paul E

I have trouble getting enough air at times as it is without placing something over my mouth that restricts airflow more, I will do without.

Fireblade96

I tried wearing one of the old bandana-style respro Bandit masks while commuting round Paris by motorbike, having noticed quite how much grime I could wash off my face after each trip. Even then it was a hindrance, got all sweaty and horrible, and I couldn't get my shades to sit properly because of the nose piece.

I couldn't imagine wearing one while cycling. Yuk !

But then I live in the countryside I suppose it could lessen the risk of inhaling insects, but I find the beard does a good job there.

Clever Pun

MonkeyMonster wrote:

I'm so used to mine now that I find my mouth gets uncomfortably dry when riding without. Actually helping an american student with studying the effects so I get free masks every few months and send the old ones back for analysis. If you want to help out send me a pm as he wants more users.

It is a filter. Sometimes its disgusting with let alone how heinous it can taste without.

you got gills yet?

rick_chasey

I got the impression they were a double edged sword. Worked fine untill the filter got full, when it started concentrating the bad stuff, making it doubly bad.

sharky1029

Surly it would be just as dangerous (or nearly as) to be walking near to cars on the pavement and you don't see anybody walking with facemasks in the UK anyway.

CRAIGO5000

Cycling or exercise that creates deeper breathing will pull the harmful pollutants deep into areas of your lungs that you don't use while sat in a car listening to radio 2 or walking along the pavement.

I'll not wear a mask as I struggle to gulp enough air as it is. Diesels are a pain in the ass for me - especially when they accelerate hard to creep past you and the turbo spools up enough to produce a nice plume of burnt oil in it's slipstream.

shouldbeinbed

No

Masks steam my glasses up, I figure cycling blind will kill me before particulates

The Rookie

gilesjuk wrote:

If only they could ban all non-electric and hybrids from city centres.

Oh please, don't get sold on all this BS about Hybrids!

Most cars now have 'pollen filters' which are also pretty effective at removing particulate emissions (the long term most harmful) from the air.

As I commute across country it's not a topic that overly bothers me though!

Simon

thefilbertfox

Clever Pun wrote:

the fact it's from a vehicle manufacturer, doesn't fill me with trust

The document it was in is pretty impartial and uses facts rather than opinion.

I personally don't need a face mask as my commute is 6 miles with light(ish) traffic.