Side Effects of Commuting

UndercoverElephant

Was cycling along Porty Prom an a really filthy day a couple of years back. It was one of those cold, wet days in winter where the headwind is so strong it was making the near-frozen raindrops cut into my face as I rode along. Dreadful weather, so nasty.

Looking out onto the beach, I thought to myself, "look at those idiots, walking their dogs in this weather!"

Then I realised...

jimmypippa

rower63 wrote:

jimmypippa wrote:

Black ears?

My ears seem to collect most of any given day's soot/traffic particles. Every few days I stick my finger in a not-too-inner fold in my ear, and it comes out black. Christ knows what my lungs must look like. Left ear much better collector than the right.

Ah, something I don't worry about.

MonkeyMonster

connected to boffins ramblings... occasional butt hair pimples - but only on my left cheek.

First.Aspect

MonkeyMonster wrote:

connected to boffins ramblings... occasional butt hair pimples - but only on my left cheek.

Why have you been rubbing your face against someone's butt hair?

fatsmoker

This side topic of mucky ears. Doesn't anyone worry about what's going into their lungs? Has anyone checked their lung function as a result of commuting through large cities?

MonkeyMonster

fatsmoker wrote:

This side topic of mucky ears. Doesn't anyone worry about what's going into their lungs? Has anyone checked their lung function as a result of commuting through large cities?

Too many variables for it to be statistically viable really without some rigorous and hardcore long term studies - and good luck with that. Those that run filter masks can see some stuff caught and there will be stuff they can't see that is too. Get a lab to test rj's filter after a month sand see what it's caught...

cookeeemonster

fatsmoker wrote:

This side topic of mucky ears. Doesn't anyone worry about what's going into their lungs? Has anyone checked their lung function as a result of commuting through large cities?

nope f*ck it.

MrSweary

CookeeeMonster wrote:

fatsmoker wrote:

This side topic of mucky ears. Doesn't anyone worry about what's going into their lungs? Has anyone checked their lung function as a result of commuting through large cities?

nope f*ck it.

I too am burying my head in the sand about the effects of huffing diesel up CPP Hill every day... Still gotta be better than getting on the train.

tgotb

MrSweary wrote:

I too am burying my head in the sand about the effects of huffing diesel up CPP Hill every day... Still gotta be better than getting on the train.

Exactly. Hard to believe that getting the train would be the healthier option. Ditto wearing one of those breathing masks. Even if I forced myself to wear one, I'm quite sure I'd end up riding more slowly, and therefore getting less exercise...

MonkeyMonster

TGOTB wrote:

I'm quite sure I'd end up riding more slowly, and therefore getting less exercise...

Why slower? Vo2 max lost on a commute due to it... I doubt would affect you *that* much. You could count it as a training mechanism for when you have full air access on the weekend

tgotb

MonkeyMonster wrote:

TGOTB wrote:

I'm quite sure I'd end up riding more slowly, and therefore getting less exercise...

Why slower? Vo2 max lost on a commute due to it... I doubt would affect you *that* much. You could count it as a training mechanism for when you have full air access on the weekend

Because the resistance to breathing will be greater than zero, and therefore I'm not going to be breathing as effectively. And whilst it's probably true that I'd be performing some sort of resistance training for my lungs, the reduced oxygen uptake is likely to mean I'm performing less resistance training on my legs, which are what I really want to train. This is supported by the fact that the riders who can go faster than me are not the ones wearing masks. If there's one thing I've learned in the last couple of years, it's that riding slowly is not an effective way of training to ride fast.

In addition, my experience of wearing face masks for lab tests, in workshops etc, suggests it is very likely to be uncomfortable and sweaty, which will seriously inhibit my enjoyment of cycling; although the air I breathe might be technically cleaner, it's unlikely to feel fresher. I've never had any respiratory problems. Given that no-one seems to have properly quantified the health benefits of wearing a mask, all I see is a definite downside and totally unknown (quite possibly non-existent) upside.

rjsterry

Sweaty? No more than the rest of me when cycling. Uncomfortable? Not if you've adjusted it properly. Obviously it has some resistive effect on your breathing, but I reckon it only takes a couple of weeks for my diaphragm to strengthen up, and then I barely notice it. If London's filthy* air doesn't irritate your respiratory system, then lucky you. I'd suffered from asthma as a child, but had been symptom free for ~20 years until I started cycling in London. I developed a niggling cough and was always clearing my throat (I hadn't really noticed, but it was annoying my wife). GPs check persistent coughs fairly thoroughly, but when the consultant prescribed a steroid inhaler (side effect: likely to cause thrush infection in throat) I thought I'd give a mask a try. Symptoms cleared up within 2-3 weeks; wife less irritated; also helps with hayfever.

Side effects: I can blow up balloons for childrens parties much quicker.

*It regularly exceeds maximum permitted levels for various pollutants.

Sharkyssurfers

passing bus stops and seeing their miserable faces as i go past, even better when you give them a cheery hello

rubertoe

CookeeeMonster wrote:

fatsmoker wrote:

This side topic of mucky ears. Doesn't anyone worry about what's going into their lungs? Has anyone checked their lung function as a result of commuting through large cities?

nope f*ck it.

This.

I smoked for 20 years, i think i need worry about that more than a bit of diesel fume, but I also suggest avoiding the limehouse tunnel if you can...

tgotb

Sharkyssurfers wrote:

passing bus stops and seeing their miserable faces as i go past, even better when you give them a cheery hello

Better still when you high-five the person flagging down the bus behind you.

NB: Some age groups and demographics are more likely to see the funny side of this than others...

Sharkyssurfers

TGOTB wrote:

Sharkyssurfers wrote:

passing bus stops and seeing their miserable faces as i go past, even better when you give them a cheery hello

Better still when you high-five the person flagging down the bus behind you.

NB: Some age groups and demographics are more likely to see the funny side of this than others...

had that this morning, they were sticking their arms out for the bus behind me I mean seriously a bus drafting me , so i asked for their tickets as i went past and not one of them smiled

tgotb

Sharkyssurfers wrote:

TGOTB wrote:

Sharkyssurfers wrote:

passing bus stops and seeing their miserable faces as i go past, even better when you give them a cheery hello

Better still when you high-five the person flagging down the bus behind you.

NB: Some age groups and demographics are more likely to see the funny side of this than others...

had that this morning, they were sticking their arms out for the bus behind me I mean seriously a bus drafting me , so i asked for their tickets as i went past and not one of them smiled

It's the older teenagers you want to go for, especially groups of teenage guys.

The other one is waving back at people who are hailing cabs; that occasionally gets a smile...

Kieran_Burns

TGOTB wrote:

Sharkyssurfers wrote:

TGOTB wrote:

Sharkyssurfers wrote:

passing bus stops and seeing their miserable faces as i go past, even better when you give them a cheery hello

Better still when you high-five the person flagging down the bus behind you.

NB: Some age groups and demographics are more likely to see the funny side of this than others...

had that this morning, they were sticking their arms out for the bus behind me I mean seriously a bus drafting me , so i asked for their tickets as i went past and not one of them smiled

It's the older teenagers you want to go for, especially groups of teenage guys.

The other one is waving back at people who are hailing cabs; that occasionally gets a smile...

There's a few bus stops on my commute in, and when the person has waved to flag the bus behind me down, I've been known to say "I can't give you a lift! You need a bus for that!" and it has raised a smile.

Clearly us Northern folk are more friendly

elbowloh

I often smile and wave when people are taking photos of whatever landmark or site I'm passing.

rubertoe

Kieran_Burns wrote:

TGOTB wrote:

Sharkyssurfers wrote:

TGOTB wrote:

Sharkyssurfers wrote:

passing bus stops and seeing their miserable faces as i go past, even better when you give them a cheery hello

Better still when you high-five the person flagging down the bus behind you.

NB: Some age groups and demographics are more likely to see the funny side of this than others...

had that this morning, they were sticking their arms out for the bus behind me I mean seriously a bus drafting me , so i asked for their tickets as i went past and not one of them smiled

It's the older teenagers you want to go for, especially groups of teenage guys.

The other one is waving back at people who are hailing cabs; that occasionally gets a smile...

There's a few bus stops on my commute in, and when the person has waved to flag the bus behind me down, I've been known to say "I can't give you a lift! You need a bus for that!" and it has raised a smile.

Clearly us Northern folk are more friendly

Surely the only thing you can say is:




this will probably result in me getting a slap on the wrist - sorry ugo.

Agent57

TGOTB wrote:

Better still when you high-five the person flagging down the bus behind you.

Heheh, I try to do that. Has been a bit of a background mission for the past 5 years, since I saw the high five new york city video.

Sharkyssurfers

in relation the bus stop hello/hi fives, did a new one last night the peds that look up the road with their hands shielding their eyes so they can see, go past them doing the same and then salute them at the last minute it throws them off guard considerably