@bobjonkman asks:
Q7. Forest fires across the world have blown smoke to places hundreds of (miles|km) from the fires. Air quality has gone down, some days to dangerous levels. Have you adjusted your biking because of low air quality? Changed your route? Worn an N95 mask? Stopped biking?
#BikeNiteQ #BikeNite #BikeTooter #Cycling #MastoBikes cc @bikenite
A7. I'd love to see some good answers to this.. I tried riding 15 minutes in a N95 and was having a really hard time breathing. The AQI was bad that day, so I am not sure if I would have had an easier time breathing without the mask.
I have seen powered masks/filters with a battery powered fan that drives filtered air into your masked area. I hope I don't have to try one, but we (collectively) are arsoning our environment 😩
@ascentale @bobjonkman @bikenite
I use one of the cartridge elastomeric respirators that has an exhalation valve, which makes wearing the mask much more manageable for me (but clearly not helpful for reducing disease transmission to other people!).
@theantlady @ascentale @bobjonkman @bikenite A7 I have a 3M half respirator P100 mask and found that for my model I could buy add on exhalation filters. See part#604 - https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/p/d/v101254496/
The P100 with charcoal filters is so good I can paint or stand next to a bbq and smell absolutely nothing. #BikeNite
Air filter mask for dogs to protect dog health from wildfire smoke, dust, ash, red tide, chemicals, mold, toxins, bacteria, allergens, tear gas, and pollen with N95, PM2.5, and active carbon respirator air filters. As seen on Shark Tank Season 12 Episode 6. Made in USA.
@ai6yr @ascentale @bobjonkman @bikenite
I have biked long distances and done the marathon while wearing a mask. Just bring a spare for when the first one gets saturated.
But on bad air quality days I more commonly give up and do my exercise inside.
I've noticed that with perfumes and air "fresheners" too -- I don't smell them until I take off my KN95 mask.
#BikeNite A7
Yes, that video, played by $SPOUSE at a volume intended to attract my attention, is what prompted the question.
https://mastodon.sdf.org/@bobjonkman/114867026372222260
@BikeNite A7
@[email protected] Hi Phil: Another #BikeNitePQ: Forest fires across the world have blown smoke to places hundreds of (miles|kilometres) from the fires. Air quality has gone down, some days to dangerous levels. Have you adjusted your biking because of low air quality? Changed your route? Worn an N95 mask? Stopped biking?
@ascentale @bobjonkman @bikenite
A7 Special case, I camp much of the time. Each morning I look online at the NOAA smoke map, then try to go where the smoke isn't. It's not always possible.
Not sure what I'll do if NOAA no longer has the personnel to make the maps...
PurpleAir is crowd-sourced, so it would not be affected by NOAA cuts.
@andytiedye @wanderinghermit @ascentale @bobjonkman @bikenite It is affected by people being able to afford a sensor to put on the network. Luckily, the US has pretty good coverage.
Albania, though... #BikeNite
True, but whatever Albania has will not be affected by cuts in the US NOAA in any event.
@andytiedye @ascentale @bikenite Places like this that didn't have their own strong meteorological and atmospheric science departments probably were using and relying on US departments more than we realized. I certainly didn't know how many (more developed even) European countries used NOAA data until the fascists started slashing.
But even in the US, the coverage is going to be better in places with a higher average income. Not everyone can afford to buy a sensor for that network. #BikeNite
I think #CrowdSourcing and #CollectiveAction are the keys here. People there might not be able to afford a sensor themselves, but could the local cycling club?
In a small country like Albania, it might be feasable to set up your own network using open-source software and less-pricey sensors (but beware of quality issues on the really cheap ones).
My Apple Watch usually displays the air quality, I'm not sure where it gets it from, but, wherever it is, it doesn't work in Australia, where I was recently visiting.
The loss of NOAA satellite data will be a blow to weather forecasting around the world. I am not sure that the impact on air quality measurement will be as high though, since you cannot accurately measure air quality from a satellite. It is unlikely that NOAA has air quality sensors on the ground in other countries.
@andytiedye @ascentale @bobjonkman @bikenite
Thank you! That could be very helpful.
@ascentale @bobjonkman @bikenite A7. I've been lucky enough not to live somewhere there are bad fires, but ever since the pandemic started, I was wearing N95s anyway. Including while cycling. If I start breathing too hard, either I slow down or take rests. But it really didn't give me a problem much...only on bigger hills.
When it comes to exercising during low air quality days, it's important to keep that shit out of your lungs. #BikeNite
@meganL @ascentale @bobjonkman @bikenite
A7. We get really bad Canadian smoke (AQI over 200 a few times!), and I am thinking of getting a GATA mask for any outdoor activity when the air is bad, plus it seems like it would be perfect for riding due to it being silicone and having replaceable filters.
@puppethead @ascentale @bobjonkman @bikenite Starting in the '80s or '90s, I occasionally used a mask called Green Screen, which looked similar, but had an insert for a carbon filter. It was helpful keeping out that chunky exhaust coming out of city buses. But I stopped being able to find them and eventually the foam fell apart.
For a N95 with replaceable filters, I've got a Flo Mask. Also has a silicone frame. https://www.flomask.com/ #BikeNite
Flo Mask: The World's Best Breathable & Reusable Mask. Filters made in the USA. Winner of the BARDA/NIOSH Mask Challenge. Our next-gen respirators features a medical-grade silicone rubber, zero glasses fogging, and award-winning design for adults and kids. Experience the ultimate in comfort and protection.
@ascentale @bobjonkman @bikenite A7: as always I have a blog post :) https://www.uradmonitor.com/smoggie-in-sydney/
Right now in Sydney AQI is pretty good so I'm not wearing a mask when riding, I wear it because of the pandemic (that has gone away!) mostly as a chin warmer when riding but I do move it up at a couple of places where I cross major traffic sewers.
Per blog post, I'll go right up to an industrial N99 mark if I feel I have to, and just ride to suit the amount of air I get through it.
@ascentale @bobjonkman @bikenite
I'm currently in a place that mostly gets smoke from Canadian wildfires. I put on an N95 mask for the really smoky days, and run indoor air filters at home and at work. With the mask on, I tend to really take it easy when riding. Learned that I'm "sensitive people" while living in CA dealing with smoke there, which was worse.
#BikeNite A7: I've been wearing an N95 pretty much any time I'm out of the house for a few years now (basically, since I learned how much more effective they are compared to cloth masks) and that includes cycling.
My usual mask is a 3M Aura, though on a recommendation from a friend I've started keeping a V-flex handy for really intense rides (e.g. I'm running late for an appointment across town) because that "duckbill" style mask has more surface area and correspondingly better airflow. I think it took a little getting used to at first, but I hardly notice it now. I occasionally ride with an elastomeric respirator, but usually reserve those for indoor spaces and/or big crowds.
Edit: Right, the question was about smoke! With an N95 as part of my normal riding kit, I don't worry too much about air quality these days because I'm already doing pretty thorough mitigation for it.
@ascentale @bobjonkman @bikenite A7. I won't bike if air's really bad. I dropped the kid off once when a pool chemical plant caught on fire and on the way home was wondering why my throat was feeling rough before it clicked. On a later errand I decided to take the car since it was available.
I do have some masks as well, but even the vented one isn't a great fit (slightly too small) and is rough with glasses.
@ascentale @bobjonkman @bikenite I’m a hiker, not a cyclist, but the problem is the same and I live in a place that’s prone to wildfire smoke. I won’t do a strenuous hike on days that the AQI is above 50 and won’t even do a light hike if it’s approaching a hundred. We’ve had days over 300 in the last couple of years and I avoid going outside at that point.
I’ve tried hiking with a mask but it gets saturated with moisture in a very short time and is then extremely unpleasant. I hike for fun and that isn’t fun.
If the AQI is bad, I just don't. If I try to exercise in an N95, I'm gasping for air. Not really the sort of thing I could get used to.
@ascentale @bobjonkman @bikenite A7: I bike in KF94 masks routinely, which means it's normal for me and I've built up lung muscle strength for it, so smoke season doesn't matter all that much.
I still bike less during smoke season tho', just because it's all unpleasant and feels bad. :(
#BikeNite A7: Last Monday I noticed the haze riding into the city, but didn't know about air quality warning until the ride home. So I wore an KN95 (straps around the ears; proper N95s have straps behind the head) and had no trouble with it. I rode pretty hard, so the mask was puffing in and out, but the fit was good and my glasses didn't fog up. Added bonus: I didn't swallow a single fly! (Flies have been pretty thick on the ride home lately and I've swallowed quite a few)
@ascentale @bobjonkman @bikenite
Luckily not a problem here - reading Q &As was a bit chilling as I hadn't grasped depth of problem in NAm
I used to wear a pollution mask but London has got a whole lot better and I always hated riding in it so not for last couple of years (I literally noticed the filter pads were lasting longer and longer before discoloration).
@ascentale @bobjonkman @bikenite A7. #BikeNite @bikenite With the youth MTB team we've made all sorts of adjustments to practices due to nearby wildfires. We've had to cancel sometimes, but other times we'll ride in a different direction to avoid the smoke, like we'll avoid going down into this canyon area where the smoke settles overnight. We're fortunate to have enough air quality sensors nearby. During high fire danger windy days we'll also avoid going into more remote areas or areas where it would be too easy to get trapped.
Regular rides during our dry season kicks up a lot of dust, especially when riding in groups. I definitely feel that in my lungs afterward. Kind of makes you wonder how bad it is for you. I've worn a neck gaiter over my face during a race because I knew that the start would be dusty.
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