To wear one of these on my walk to work

[MargotMoon]

Not really an AIBU, more WILLAT (will I look like a twat)?

I walk to work for 35-45 mins a day, depending if I've had to drop DD at school, then walk home 2-3 days a week as well, and it's nearly all on main roads with lots of traffic.

I'm worried that the benefits of walking are being negated by all the pollution, plus I get a lot of blocked nose/sore throat/sinus problems.

But, on the other hand, I don't want to look like a fucking weirdo...

YWLLAT

You will look weird, sorry!
I do see (mostly Japanese) tourists wearing them in the Academic City in which I live, but no one else!

Those make are no more useful than tying a rag around your face. They are more for reassurance than for protection.

If you truly want to wear a particle-filtering mask, you need to be face fired, and buy an appropriate mask with the correct filters. The filters will need to be changed at specific intervals.

2 ticks, I'll find the proper info.

metro.co.uk/2017/02/01/how-do-pollution-masks-work-and-is-it-worth-getting-one-6406889/

So, you'd need a solid particle filter, graded to FFP2 at least. You can buy disposable ones, but they are only designed to be worn for an hour or less, then thrown away. There are plenty of other types of there, but they are more complex looking.

I won't bore you with all the details, but if anyone is interested, have a read of HSG53 - HSEs guidance on the use of respiratory protective equipment. It's written about workplace risks, but the science is the same. And it includes photos of types of RPE.

YWLLAT and it won’t do anything useful. Sorry OP.

Laural/Yanny... I "missaw" the picture.... I thought it was some kind of miracle corset... Strap it on and walk yourself thin!

I obviously not due to drink got my proportions wrong. Quite disappointed.

(But quite happy that I don't have to contemplate buying one)

Yes you will look like a weirdo

I saw a Japanese tourist wearing one in Keswick - I thought 'this isn't London mate, it's the Lake District!'. He got some strange looks

What about a full scuba mask and tank, would that work?

I saw a Japanese tourist wearing one in Keswick - I thought 'this isn't London mate, it's the Lake District!'. He got some strange looks

IME people sometimes wear these because they have a cold and don’t want to spread germs, not necessarily for pollution.

Ive seen a few people wearing masks like that. I come from Scotland - and nowhere near the town. In fact a stones throw from countryside. They look like weirdos paranoid about germs. It looks ridiculous. Don't do it.

There is no benefit from wearing them. If there were then East Asia wouldn’t have such high incidences of pollution related cancers and other diseases.

A lot of Japanese people wear them because of hay fever, not pollution, according to my Japanese friend, which might be why the tourist was wearing one in the lake district.

I used to commute on my bicycle. I had a pollution mask. You really dont want to be behind cars pumping out all kinds of crap. So I get where you are coming from. That one though looks nothing more than a hankichief so unsure howmuch actual protection it would provide.

The germ phobe in me was tempted many a time to wear it on the tube in flu season

Yes you will look like a massive twat and as a previous poster has explained well won't actually be making much of a difference.

I saw a family of 4 board a flight in these recently. Totally accept they may have had a valid reason but OMG did they freak out my 3 and 5 year olds. (And indeed they looked like twats.)

YWLLAMT

I get the urge to tell people to go live elsewhere if they think the UK is too polluted for them.

Are you pregnant?

It’s the only plausible excuse for being such a bellend 😂🤣

In the nicest way.....you have too much time on your hands

Saw someone (tourist) wearing one of these on a dry ski slope in the UK. He had it pulled down so he could have a fag (so much for clean air)

He most definitely LLAT!

hunthro

I find what you said incredibly racist. Maybe I'm out of touch 🤔

Agree with a PP, lots of people wear them if they have a cold to stop it spreading.

Saw this a lot in Vietnam, with explanation from my step sister.

Haven’t read all the thread, this has probably been said, but Japanese et al wear face masks because they have a cold or whatever, to stop the spread of germs, not because of pollution.

As others have said, a lot of Japanese people wear them to protect against hayfever, or to avoid spreading their own germs if they have a cold. No idea if either of these strategies actually works!

Humthro