BIKE: Ozone Action and our bike commuter lungs

[Lane S. Wimberley]

I don't have your answer, Elizabeth, but I'm glad you asked.  I hope
someone can chime in with helpful info.  I've been wondering this
myself lately, as the ozone action days pile up (although not as bad
as previous years, it seems).  I ride every day, and maybe it's just
my imagination, but it seems harder to breath on ozone action days.
The air today certainly looked awfully nasty.  I've read before that
excessive ozone exposure can cause some pretty bad things, including
permanent lung damage. =20

Makes me mad as hell when, on these days, I see idiots blowing leaves
and idling their cars to keep the air conditioner going.  Hey, I'm
trying to BREATH over here!

Sheesh.

-Lane

PS Where did you get the mask?  How much?

elizabeth gray writes:
> How much damage do you figure we do to our own health by riding on Oz=
one=20
> days?  Has anyone used masks to filter the air?
>=20
> I tried the N95 mask (1870 NIOSH compliant) made by 3M=97clamps aroun=
d the=20
> nose and lower edge covers chin to create a minimum seal-- and I coul=
d=20
> breathe better than I thought=85but of course it does require more ef=
fort to=20
> breathe than no mask.
>=20
> Any thoughts?
>=20
> Elizabeth
> 8 miles each way W Austin to 183/MLK
>=20
>=20
>=20
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