atbman

https://www.theguardian.com/environm...d-routes-study

CB HI

Older studies pretty much show the same results.

CliffordK

Interesting conclusion. I think a lot would depend on routes and time on the road.

I rarely encounter places where I can ride faster than vehicles. On a good day, I might ride half the speed of a car. Less active, maybe 1/3 the speed of a car. So, that means I'm outside 2x to 3x as long.

Passing cars on the right can also lead to problems such as right hooks and cars pulling out in front of a person.

I'm not sure how the AC and air recirculation works in cars, but it would be easy enough to incorporate HEPA filters into the AC systems, as long as divers were willing to clean or change the filters periodically.

Of course, I avoid the freeways as much as possible. I like to do loops in my rides, but incorporate less busy roads and greenways as much as possible/practical. Thus, I can avoid a fair amount of vehicle smoke, but would still be exposed to environmental smoke. Forest Fire smoke?

rseeker

We can't kick our fossil fuel addiction soon enough. Bring on the electrics.

mr_bill

bobwysiwyg

Though I agree, I fall in the category of those who suffer from range anxiety so the Chevy Volt appealed to me. Sadly, it's being dumped I understand. Sixty Minutes had an interview with Elon Musk. They mentioned how he missed the S3 price target which was to have been $35k, but currently costs $49k to cover costs. Lesley Stahl asked, "when he would achieve the every man's price of $35k?" Sorry, but I doubt $35k is a price that will be attractive to "every man" to go electric.

rseeker

Yes, practical considerations for sure.

About the Volt, sadly yes, that's what I hear too.

I have to think subsidies now going to fossil fuel companies could be put to use solving some of these electrification problems instead. It seems to me that once car companies see that electric is the game, they'll start playing it, with innovation and improvement to come.

mr_bill

rseeker

So, not a Volt fan I take it.

KraneXL

The Chevy Volt suffer from poor branding and gross advertising mismanagement. GM would have been better off establishing an electric/hybrid car division sold through selected dealers, rather, they tried to convince consumers to buy what many see as an overpriced Chevy.

If the Volt had a Tesla badge on it, it would sell like hotcakes, instead of GM losing money on every one they make.

Maelochs

Ronald Reagan assured me that trees cause air pollution ... so i find it likely that cyclists do, too.

He was a cowboy And The President ... he couldn't have been wrong.

And he lived out West ... where every day he saw those illegal aliens working the fields, harvesting the ketchup crop so we could have fresh vegetables. He Knew, man ........


"Born in the USA .... "

Flip Flop Rider

Chevy Volt suffers from being made by Chevy. Own a Chevy Impala and it's been a nightmare. Not an isolated case either

mr_bill

Chevy Volt gen 1 suffered from Bob Lutz.
Chevy Volt gen 2 suffers from Bob Lutz's shadow.

But Chevy is *filled* with great ideas, like the Chevy Blazer Reboot which is going to beat the Ford Bronco Reboot to market, let alone the first announced but still vaporware Jeep Grand Wagoneer Reboot.

-mr. bill

KraneXL

Jeep still beats them all, and is still the quintessential off-road king despite its questionable reliability.

mcours2006

Interesting study but not all that surprising. More people on bikes is just good for everyone, even those who aren't on bikes.

CB HI

Roadway pollution levels are highest at the center of the road and the concentrations go down in the shape of a bell curve the farther away one is from the center of the road. So on any particular road, people in the fast lane get the highest exposure, and cyclist to the right tire track or bike lane or shoulder get much lower concentrations of pollution. Also there is a vertical component to the pollution concentration: heavier than air pollution is in higher concentrations at the height of car intakes and lower concentrations at the cyclist comparative higher breathing zone. Lighter than air pollution has minimal impact on motorist and cyclist because they quickly move above both the air vents and cyclist breathing zone.

So, even though there are other factors, on any given road, cyclist generally are subjected to less pollution.

downhillmaster

CliffordK

Perhaps.

Masks are more commonly used and accepted in some Asian countries. However, the little paper masks are really only marginally effective. In fact, one might ask if they are as effective as cigarette filters than have been demonstrated to not reduce cancer and smoking side-effects, apparently due to inhaling deeper, and passing the carcinogens through.

To be really effective, one should be clean-shaven, and have a well fitted rubber mask and cartridge filter. Perhaps even positive pressure system.

I can imagine our future society looking like a WWI/WWII gas attack.

CliffordK

Ahhh... so the moral of the story is to ride one's upright commuter bike to the side of the road. Don't take the lane. Don't ride your TT bike. Don't ride your recumbent.

I-Like-To-Bike

Sounds like good advice to me, regardless of air quality.

CB HI

No, the moral of the story is to not drive in the fast lane and ride whatever bicycle in the center of the right lane. Getting run over in the bike lane or shoulder will hurt you quicker than the pollution.

Bicycles do not collect and trap the pollutants the way cars do. Remember, I said the pollution follows a bell curve; the drop off of pollution density is pretty steep once out of the faster lanes to very little in the right most lane.

mr_bill

Even on an open road in still air the bell curve is wider than the road. If the center of the road is peak, the edge of the right of way is about 50% of the peak. You are *still* in the meat of the bell curve on the right of way, no matter where you are riding on the road.

But a typical urban four lane road with sidewalks, street trees and 2-3 story (or higher) buildings is commonly called a "street canyon." Significantly elevated levels of air pollution are found from facade to facade.

(ps. Trucks, by far the largest emitters, are typically found in the right lane, except in the UK and other such places where they are found in the left lane.)



-mr. bill

DrIsotope

When I'm using some of the more congested or light-metered roads, I can play leapfrog with cars and buses for miles. Not viewing the individual vehicles, but the "speed of traffic" tends to be ~18mph. Sure, they're hitting 40-50mph between stoplights, but then they get to wait a minute or more. I just keep plodding along, making the lights. So in my situation, I'm on that stretch of road for the same amount of time as the cars... but I'm not in a car, so I don't have the windows rolled up while sitting and idling, so I'm not breathing the same air over and over again.

I kept pace (leapfrog-style) with the #15 bus for about 10 miles one day. I mean sure, he probably stopped for passengers about 40 times, but the average speed of a city bus and a dude on a bicycle, about the same.

CB HI

The bell curve for heavier than air pollution is steeper than a 50% level at the right of the road. Closer to about two standard divisions or slightly more.

Canyon effects raise the pollution levels for everyone but still follow a bell curve. It does not reach an across the board equal concentration.

mr_bill

I'm sure there is a scholarly paper published somewhere that shows such a steep air pollution fall off at a road. I suspect I know who paid for such a "study."

As far as street canyons, when the wind is perpendicular to the canyon air pollution concentration is highest on the leeward wall, although at some wind speeds and some geometries (common in real life examples) an efficient re-circulation zone is established and dispersal out of the canyon is very low and concentration is nearly flat from facade to facade.

When the wind is parallel to the canyon air pollution flows down the canyon, and the turbulent eddies of traffic it mixes the air pollution effectively facade to facade. Dispersal out of the canyon is also low except at larger cross intersections.

Unfortunately, Midtown New York City Avenues are a great design for limiting vehicle air pollution dispersion. Long canyons with street trees and small cross intersections.

BTW, today the AQI for where I am is Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups.

Rather than follow the "expert" advice to just stay out of the fast lane, I think I'll follow my doctor's advice about my asthma meds.

-mr. bill