Sahara Dust Cloud - Avoid!

Rode last few days, but last night the air tasted rank, and this is in rural Worcestershire/Gloucestershire.

Really wish government would grow a set and actually deal with pollution, blaming it on the Sahara is just looking for an excuse. Every winter if I go up into the Cotswolds and look out over the Severn vale you regularly see the brown crap in the air. I doubt it is any different in the summer just more obvious in winter.

Would those worried about the dust still be panicking if there were no news reports telling you to?

The Isle of Man is always covered in mist so I can't actually tell right now O.o

Another who rode in SE London and kent and now have a very unhealthy hacking cough.

Its definitely a bit snoggy in Manchester, but if the Boat Race crews are out training I think you will survive. Looks like it will clear tomorrow anyway.

Just been out for a tempo run and no problems with breathing - just felt humid.

I survived a half hour spin at lunch.

Hopefully it'll all blow over us and be gone for the weekend.. anyone know if this will be the case. I did a few laps of regent's park last night. Lovely temps, not too many people about and quite a nice ride generally.
The biggest risk faced was a National Express driver who shut the door on me (veered left to squash me into parked cars) when nothing was coming from the opposite direction, this on wide roads. I therefore feel he had no reason to do it - I made sure he had seen me by way of his inside mirror and yet still I had to sprint forward to stop an accident.

However heavy the smog gets, we will still ride our bikes and enjoy doing it. only a little less so

Think wearing the above mask qualifies one for the Darth Vader supporters club! Got a 40 miler in this am in the Chilterns and didn't turn into a pumpkin / have any lung-related probs. I suspect some people are more susceptible to smog-related issues and clearly the density of the smog varies considerably.

Get yourself one of these, I'd have a respirator mask anyway if I lived in London

I'm in SE London, and went out into the North Downs and back. To be honest, at this time of year the pollen has a big effect on my lungs - long periods of exercise result in coughing and slight shortness of breath for a while. Pollution exacerbates them too, but far less.

Meh, it's not too bad. I've been out and done a fairly hard 40 miles and I'm still here.

Was going for a pre-event training run tomorrow and picked-up the warnings on the news - no physical exercise outside in the affected region(s) wed and thur. Have decided to bin it, for the reason you highlight. Just need to cram the run in some other time - which is a bit short at the moment.