What's your bad air quality strategy?

[anomad]

What do you do on days when there is an air quality warning? Today and yesterday I have gotten messages from cleanairpartners.net that the ozone is pushing the air quality index up into unhealthy levels. I take it easy pretty much all the time, so I just go even slower on bad air days here.

When I lived in Salt Lake City the winter would bring periods of terrible particulate pollution. I would just row inside on those days with a good HEPA air filter running in the house. Ozone buildup wasn't an issue because the summers were windy and low humidity. I've never tried one of the respirators and I have read mixed opinions on their effectiveness. Ozone doesn't seem to bother me till it gets up pretty high, but the particulate pollution really affected my breathing.

If you're not paying attention to air quality and planning how hard you push when its bad, I encourage you to do so. Keep it super mellow in the evenings when the AQI is high.

[Judd]

What do you do on days when there is an air quality warning?

I suffer.

[Emm]

My asthma gets pretty rough when the air quality is poor. Similar to you I just slow down. I also avoid the big hill at the end of my commute since feeling like I cant breathe is pretty miserable. At home we keep windows closed and a good air filter running. I also do things to avoid other allergens like dust and mold during days I know the air quality is already bad.

I keep riding though. I don't think air quality has ever gotten me off my bike. It's gotten me to bike slow, and maybe not as far, but it's never stopped me from commuting before.

[huskerdont]

I read a comment from someone once where he said he practiced shallow breathing when the air was bad. I don't think there's any basis to this whatsoever, but you have to pretend you're doing something. Not going to wear a filter or a mask, and you gotta get to work. I've tried breathing less but there are a lot of hills about and it doesn't seem to work for me.

[MFC]

As pollution impact can be very location specific, I move to the front of the line when at a light to minimize the amount of exhaust I am breathing in. Other than that, not much else. There are at least some studies that indicate that if you only ride a few hours a day in all but the most polluted cities, you will be below the tipping point where the risks of exposure to pollution outweigh the benefits on exercise. https://qz.com/686131/how-long-you-c...s-of-exercise/

[Harry Meatmotor]

Electric KOM Killing Meatmotor

[anomad]

As pollution impact can be very location specific, I move to the front of the line when at a light to minimize the amount of exhaust I am breathing in. Other than that, not much else. There are at least some studies that indicate that if you only ride a few hours a day in all but the most polluted cities, you will be below the tipping point where the risks of exposure to pollution outweigh the benefits on exercise. https://qz.com/686131/how-long-you-c...s-of-exercise/

Just to clarify, the type of air quality index warning we experienced today is not from point sources like a busy road or one factory. Regardless, getting in front of a bunch of smelly cars is always a good idea.

Ozone is formed in the atmosphere by solar energy pushing a chemical reaction between Oxygen, Nitrogen Oxides, and volatile organic compounds. It is very much a regional problem. https://www3.epa.gov/airnow/ozone/o3.html

[vvill]

When I commuted regularly I did use a mask some days in the summer. I have a bunch of the disposable carbon activated ones you'll see in Asian cities, but also a Respro that has replaceable filters.

[rcannon100]

I ride.

[consularrider]

I ride.

I breathe.