Commuting - Car Fumes

Hey, I'll be starting at university in september and I've been thinking about how to get there. Naturally my bike pops to mind and it is acctualy quicker than public transport into the city. The only thing against riding in is thinking about the car fumes.
Is anyone bothered about it? Sitting behind a great big belching double decker at the lights for example. Maybe I'm just paranoid, walking around town is probably as bad.

At least on a bike you can plan around it. I've found myself holding my breath as a big bus or truck passes me.

I've often wondered about the air along busier, more crowded sections of my commute - especially when you're really using the ol' lungs. Never thought to ask a doc though. Does anyone know if there is a risk?

there's more toxicity in a car than outside a car for the most part.

MERTON you're right there's more toxic traffic fumes inside a car than outside, though it does'nt seem like it at times, especialy when climbing a hill & a recently started car goes past on a cold morning & they think a cyclist clearing his nose & throat is dirty !!!

As others have said, the air inside a car is worse than that outside the car, so a bike is probably your best option for making the best of a less than ideal situation. However, something else you might consider is looking for a route that carries fewer heavy vehicles. Oh yeah, and at traffic lights, you'll always find me at the front of the queue.

We'll all find out in 20 yrs or so. We have 2 options:
1) keep riding and see what happens - if we do die, we die happy and healthy.
2) stop riding and get stressed and overweight and eventually die from that.

I also agree with my fellow australian above, front of the line at the lights is the way to go. They may have to look at my plumber's crack but at least that wont give them respiratory problems.

But yeh Johnny, I do notice the crappiness of the air at the intersections I have to go through which are part of my predominantly-bike-path commute. Try and stick with the bike paths if available and as rykoala said, plan your route well to avoid the smelly areas.

They may have to look at my plumber's crack but at least that wont give them respiratory problems.

:p depends on what you ate that day for lunch :p


sorry i couldn't resist...i'm an immature man.

I was thinking exactly the same thing as I wrote it

I find it affects me on hot humid days with lots of traffic, my lungs tend to hurt more...

I found these... online... good luck finding them in the States though... I emailed them and there aren't a lot of options... couple of companies sell them online here... but not all the masks... as far as I can find at least, though that was a while ago:

http://www.respro.com/urbancommuting_cycling.php

Yeah, I dont think it can be any worse than sitting in a car sucking it all in thro the vents. Much more appealing than a slow frustrating bus or train too. As for alternate routes, when your heading into the city theres not much choice really, you'll end up in it one way or another. Maybe some residential roads could help.

I find it affects me on hot humid days with lots of traffic, my lungs tend to hurt more...

I found these... online... good luck finding them in the States though... I emailed them and there aren't a lot of options... couple of companies sell them online here... but not all the masks... as far as I can find at least, though that was a while ago:

http://www.respro.com/urbancommuting_cycling.php

There's always this. (http://tinyurl.com/65d8x)

World Health Organisation and British Medical Association funded research showed that air pollution insid a car is between 3 & 4 times worse than outside.

Similar findings on carbon monoxide - vehicle passenger/driver blood levels higher than cyclists' - largely because cyclists fill and empty their lungs more completely.

Worry? Look at cyclists obits in cycling magazines - oldest surviving TdF rider just died at 104!

Toxic fumes are heavy, and the air intakes for a car are a lot lower than a cyclist. (Don't know about you 'bent riders.)

World Health Organisation and British Medical Association funded research showed that air pollution insid a car is between 3 & 4 times worse than outside.

Similar findings on carbon monoxide - vehicle passenger/driver blood levels higher than cyclists' - largely because cyclists fill and empty their lungs more completely.

That's a relief to know. I always worried about all the exaust I was breathing. Thanks for the info

that mask would look cool with and aero helmet and a spped suit. :)

Toxic fumes are heavy, and the air intakes for a car are a lot lower than a cyclist. (Don't know about you 'bent riders.)

My head level on my 'bent is not much lower than a DF in a tuck.

Now, there are lowracers out there where one's lips are no higher than the top of a 26" wheel, but I don't ride one of those for my commute.

My head level on my 'bent is not much lower than a DF in a tuck.

Now, there are lowracers out there where one's lips are no higher than the top of a 26" wheel, but I don't ride one of those for my commute.

How'd you see where your going!

How'd you see where your going!

With my eyes, of course! :)

In all seriousness, I don't have many problems with visibility at my level. I can look most sedan drivers in the eyes, and see over the majority of them. I have very good visibility for the forward 225 degrees, but behind that, I rely on my mirrors, since I don't have the owl-like ability to turn my head 180 degrees.

A couple of points here.

1. While there may be more overall pollution inside the car than out, it probably is in the form of carbon monoxide (CO) and some other gases (nitrates, etc.). Outside, there is probably more diesel fumes, which are very fine particulates that can cause problems later on. I worry more about the diesel exhausts than about the gases, even if the gases smell bad (CO has no smell, however). Diesel exhaust has been declared by NIOSH as a potential occupational carcinogen. Here is the NIOSH Pocket Guide information on diesel exhaust:
NIOSH Pocket Guide information on Diesel Exhaust (http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/npgd0207.html)

2. While the bicycle filter masks may help, they are not certified by NIOSH (the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health in the USA) as particulate filters. They need a NIOSH certification number (TC #) for that. Each respirator that is certified by NIOSH bears this number stamped on the mask in order to be used for anything other than "non-toxic dust." The site shown above does not make any claims for having this certification on the respirators, and some show the person's face through the respirator. These would make you feel better, but probably don't offer much protection. For more information on respirators, you can download all or parts of the following NIOSH document:
NIOSH Guide to Industrial Respiratory Protection (http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/87-116.html)

All this being said, I do not wear a respirator. I do hold my breath when I'm inside a "pocket" of diesel exhaust fumes, and try to stay away from the routes where I would encounter them more often.

John