[*BCM*] Face masks

[Gabriel Ytterberg]

I used to be concerned about this but I found that at least one study
was done to figure this out, and they found that the air cyclists
breathe when riding in heavy traffic is significantly less polluted
than what drivers are breathing.

On a bike you're breathing from the entire volume of air around you,
not just what's confined to a small vehicle cabin.  The "fresh" air in
that cabin comes largely through the vehicle's air intakes which are
placed at roughly the same level as the exhaust pipe of the car in
front.  Inside a car you're also exposed to all the chemicals being
outgassed by the huge amount of plastic - the remnants of "new car
smell."  So on a bike, no doubt you're still being exposed to some
nasty air, but you're no worse off than anyone else on the street and
better off than folks sealed up in cars.

If you're actively being bothered or are very sensitive some people do
make special products.  I think they're targetted at dirt riders in
dusty areas but I've definitely seen some marketed to urban commuters.
 They even look like bandanas instead of a gas mask.

-gabriel
(former bcm lurker)

On 6/9/07, Noam A. Osband <noamosband at yahoo.com> wrote:
> So I ride at least 90 minutes a day in Boston, meaning I spend much time
> stuck behind cars belting out fumes. Does anyone know if it makes sense
> medically to wear a surgical mask or something to try and minimize the
> potentially harmful effects of being in traffic? I have no idea what the
> science behind the issue is.
>
> Noam
>
>
>  ________________________________
> Yahoo! oneSearch: Finally, mobile search that gives answers, not web links.
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Boston Critical Mass mailing list
> list at bostoncriticalmass.org
> http://bostoncriticalmass.org/list
> To unsubscribe email
> list-unsubscribe at bostoncriticalmass.org
>