Author Topic: The air that we breathe!  (Read 1551 times)

gunwharfman

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10255
The air that we breathe!
« on: 11:44:56, 19/04/18 »
I had to drive to Maidstone, Kent, for a meeting yesterday, a beautiful sunny and hot day. I left early and made it with out any real trouble, the M25 was packed but the traffic kept moving.

I left Maidstone at 15.00hrs, by now it was very hot, little or no wind and the route home was packed full on all lanes, I had a couple of trafic jams to worry about but the rest of my journey was slow moving for most of my route.

By the time I got to the A3 turnoff my eyes were smarting, I could taste the pollution, I started to feel very nausea's and drowsy. Whilst stationary, 4 motorway lanes, full of cars and lorries were all around me and I was amazed to see so many people smoking like chimneys as well. Most of them had their car windows wide open and they were sucking in the smoke and every other nasty in the air with gay abandon. I realised I was getting my dose of pollution but I consoled myself that the the cigarette smokers were getting even more!

My commuting days are well behind me now but I suspect that many of the people I saw around me do daily commutes over months and years. I wonder what state of health they are in?


bricam2096

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3579
Re: The air that we breathe!
« Reply #1 on: 15:13:28, 19/04/18 »
I'm not sure if it's related but I read yesterday about warnings for the South coast of polluted/toxic air coming across from Spain and France. Ok, the linked article is from the ever so truthful and reliable The Sun but I can't remember where I read or saw the warnings yesterday.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/6079462/uk-weather-forecast-today-toxic-air-france-spain/
LDWs done - 32 in total including 16 National Trails and 3 C2C

Wainwrights 176
www.brians-walks.co.uk

Mel

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10936
Re: The air that we breathe!
« Reply #2 on: 17:33:26, 19/04/18 »
Having just returned from doing 15 laps around a heavily congested Hull city centre and it's "roadworks diversions" here, there and everywhere, I too have headache and a clogged up feeling up my nose from all the fumes.

jimbob

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2503
Re: The air that we breathe!
« Reply #3 on: 17:47:25, 19/04/18 »
There has just been an article on the news about an installation in London where you enter 5 geodesic domes each with the normal everyday smell of 5 capital cities around the world.As for the one based on the air in London they were not allowed to use the air from outside the dome as it would breach H&S issues within the dome. Hows that for absolute bleedin irony. They had to get perfumiers etc to copy the smell but not allowed to have any of the fumes and particulates that occur in the outside atmosphere.
Too little, too late, too bad......

gunwharfman

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10255
Re: The air that we breathe!
« Reply #4 on: 18:12:39, 19/04/18 »
I also note that the Sun's online thumbnail headline states 'toxic French air to choke UK today'. So its France's fault then?

Dyffryn Ardudwy

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2578
Re: The air that we breathe!
« Reply #5 on: 11:01:22, 21/04/18 »
Unfortunately the SE of the Uk is where all the best paying jobs are located, resulting in the highest average property values.
Its been some time that ive visited the area, last time was with a friend who was visiting Munich Legends, the BMW classic car salesroom only a few miles from Brighton.

Living in sleepy Dyffryn, the sheer bulk of traffic took me by surprise, i am not used to seeing heavy grid lock commuter traffic.

I have great sympathy with those who have to live in this region of the Uk, due to their work.

As for clean air, Dyffryn Ardudwy must have some of the purest air in the country.

I went for a short walk the other evening, towards Moelfre, along the Cwm Bychan road, and the litchen and moss was overpowering the stone walls, indicating very pure air.

Litchen especially will not thrive, in polluted air,  so it was a great indication of the purity of seaside air.

Also, there has never been any industry in this part of NW Wales, but with the air purity, comes the disadvantage of living in a quiet remote location.

Poor infrastructure, job prospects are poor for the young, and if one is after an exciting night life, then Dyffryn will disappoint.

Clean air, or job security and the wealth that it brings.

A tough choice, but crime is virtually non existent in Dyffryn, the air is pure, and maybe living standards are not as great as our SE cousins,  but health is very important.

One cannot take clean air for granted, but as there are few job prospects in this area of Wales, it will remain a very popular retreat for those from the cities of Birmingham, Liverpool and Manchester.

barewirewalker

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4226
Re: The air that we breathe!
« Reply #6 on: 11:12:45, 22/04/18 »
Grandparenting takes me to an area just north of the north circular, and trips to the nursery for drop offs and pickups can be a 0.75 walk, a trip on the bus for many of the locals, who would be breathless after a round trip of 1.5 miles. The direct route would be along the main A road that links the various urban identities, this seems to be the chosen route for the rare few, who think anything over 40 yards is a car journey, but 200yds north is a quiet street running parallel, the air quality there is better, it is quieter and the children are safer.


Similarly I live on a B road that joins the town center to the outskirts, traffic calming features have been put in on the two A roads, which were the 2 main trunk routes out of town so, taxi man, fat4x4slob, white van driver, boy racer and all other and sundry choose it as favoured route.
This route goes past a primary school, and the pavements are thick with parents, push carts, buggies and all twice a day. Running parallel are a series of green spaces linked by footpaths, quiet streets and alleyways.


But does anyone use this route, precious few and I don't suppose many, who live a little way from it, even know about it.


I wonder how many captured by the sound bite news of air pollution, jumping up and down in media induced hysteria actually alter there routes to avoid air pollution. Mrs BWW is very sensitive to air quality, but even I can feel better by being 200yds offset from the Barnet High road, with nose to tail pollution machines 4 or 5 feet away.


Now back in the mists of time our forefathers or perhaps, more than likely our foremothers, used to do little detours. Look through the wonderful collection of OS 6in/mile, any series from 1880 and you will not go many sheets before you find a footpath, running parallel to a road, but on the field side of the hedge.


Why does this phenomenon exist? Sometimes it has made it through to today's rights of way and I was once told it was due to the inaccuracy of old mapping techniques, but these old maps are very precise.


Using Google Earth I have taken a closer look at a few of these anomalies, it is clear that the field levels are higher than the road, when the road floods, ladies with leather shoes, taking a basket of eggs or pies to market would choose a dry route and this was enough to get it mapped.


Times change, but a precedent is recorded, so when I am exploring a field margin a field or two's distance from the local ratrun, air pollution is the modern equivalent of poor drainage, for a reason to detour.


Now that is an explanation likely to test the blood pressure of a few local squires :tickedoff:
BWW
Their Land is in Our Country.

 

Terms of Use     Privacy Policy