[GTO]

Source & Full Article - Jalopnik

No matter what city or car was being studied, open windows showed the highest exposure to pollution. Driving with the windows down during peak commuting hours showed a 90 percent rise in pollution exposure. The safest was driving during non-peak hours with the windows up and air recirculation turned on to allow cabin filters to do their work. So if everyone could drive like that all the time, that would be great. But these are some of the poorest cities on the planet filled with older, cheaper cars operating in some of the hottest places in the world, many without air conditioning. Exposure to road pollution is just another way poverty kills people.

Source - University of Surrey

In a study published by the Science of the Total Environment journal, a global team of researchers led by Surrey’s Global Centre for Clean Air Research (GCARE) investigated air pollution exposure levels for commuters in 10 different global cities – Dhaka (Bangladesh), Chennai (India), Guangzhou (China), Medellín (Colombia), São Paulo (Brazil), Cairo (Egypt), Sulaymaniyah (Iraq), Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), Blantyre (Malawi), and Dar-es-Salaam (Tanzania).

The research team investigated PM2.5 and PM10 exposure levels inside vehicles during peak hours in the morning and evening, as well as off-peak hours in the middle of the day. The scientists measured how exposure levels changed when drivers used recirculation systems, fans and simply opened the windows.

The study discovered that drivers in some of the world’s poorest cities experienced higher levels of in-car pollution.

I guess bikers & those who drive open cars (like my Jeep) are even worse off?

[ashis89]

One thing I know for sure - I keep my windows rolled-up 99% of the times and the car interiors remain dust-free/clean for months together. It also keeps foul odours and smoke away from cabin.

That said, sometimes the passengers insist to roll down the windows to get some fresh air or click pictures and I oblige.

Edit: Few years ago, when I had a bike and went on long rides, I remember a coat of dust, grime and soot deposited on my helmet. During long trips, I got some traces on my face near the air vents of the helmet. That explains what we are exposed to on the road.

During my younger days, I came from a 60 km bike ride with just my sunglasses on. Parked at my friend's place, open my glasses and the fellow burst out laughing! When I saw my face in the mirror in his washroom, the area around my eyes were white (protected by the sunglasses) and most of my face was black.

[MegaWhat]

Completely agree with the findings. I used to drive with the windows rolled down to let in some outside air but primarily to save some fuel by keeping the AC off during the mad bumper to bumper jams. But over time as the traffic build-up increased, this started to affect my health severely. Realised that a few rupees spent on fuel is better than a trip to the hospital and started to keep the car sealed. I still do switch off the engine and the AC at those long signals and immovable jams, but always with the windows closed though. It must be quite bad for all the bikers, cyclists and pedestrians.

[am1m]

Originally Posted by GTO

I guess bikers & those who drive open cars (like my Jeep) are even worse off?

Originally Posted by MegaWhat

It must be quite bad for all the bikers, cyclists and pedestrians.

I used to wonder about this too during my morning commute. And funnily enough I read a study that concluded that cars with the windows rolled up exposed their occupants to the most pollution!

I guess it all depends on the kind of weather conditions, traffic conditions, average speed of traffic in cities, effectiveness of the car filters, what kind of pollutants the study is measuring, and the time spent in commute that the particular study took into consideration. So for practical purposes, I would tend to go with personal judgement based on local conditions. For example, for my morning commute in peak Bangalore traffic (pre-covid times) I would take 30-45 mins by bike but anywhere between 1-1.5 hours by car. In addition, with the bike I'm constantly moving, but with the car there are frequent stops where I'm just sitting behind several exhaust pipes of the vehicles in front me. That too diesel cabs mostly. And I'm not entirely convinced that Maruti cabin filters (do they even have any installed?) will be great. So what exposes me to pollution more? I think commuting by car will under those circumstances.

But yes, better to avoid peak traffic, which in Bangalore could be anywhere from 8am-10pm! (Yes I have been stuck in jams at 10pm and not just once!)

Best yet is to work from home like a lot of us have been doing for the past few months!

[naphill]

Fully agree. Any idea of the period when the study was conducted?. I am curious as most of us are wearing masks when we have passengers in the cars, these days. Do the masks offer any protection against pollution?

[Eddy]

Yes, that is the only reason I have not bought a convertible yet


On a serious note, I don't know how we survived a decade in an Omni without an AC. Windows open was fun then, it is unimaginable now.

[SoumenD]

Can't remember the last time I drove with my windows down irrespective of season in Bangalore. Only once inside the society I get my windows down these days for thermal check.

We really don't need a research to figure out the level of pollution in indian cities. Windows up & seatbelts on should be the default way of commuting. Period!!!

Originally Posted by GTO

I guess bikers & those who drive open cars (like my Jeep) are even worse off?

On bike I have been using full face helmet along with cloth mask since last 3 years for same reason.

[ast.ggn]

Originally Posted by GTO

I guess bikers & those who drive open cars (like my Jeep) are even worse off?

Thank God they didn't check the levels in Delhi. I have been using a 3M N99 mask from last 2-3 years for my office commute on a bike (long before covid forced everyone to wear one anyhow). The mask was used for 2 hrs daily and after a week (5 day usage) the colour of mask would turn from white to complete ash grey/ brown. I wish I had pics before/ after pics to share here now. Imagine the level of pollutants going in every day for lakhs of bikers/ people who travel in open vehicles in the area, it is a slow killer. I feel sorry for traffic policemen who have to stand there day in and out.

[VRJ]

Apologies for the long post,

I have to send this thread to my friend who’s planning on buying the Mini Cooper convertible
Coming to the point, isn’t it obvious that if you are directly breathing the air when stuck in traffic is harmful? When I was in Hyderabad, i frequently used taxi services from Uber/ola and these drivers often drive with their windows rolled down, even in peak traffic. Whenever I get in to the cab, I immediately ask them to roll the windows up and switch the air conditioning with recirculation on. I’ve told multiple drivers it’s not a healthy practise, however, they claim fuel efficiency as the reason for doing so. There are only two instances where I drive with my windows roll down. One is when it’s drizzling and I drive along the beach road in Vizag (we have fantastic roads). Very low to zero traffic during this time. Second is when I’m driving in the ghat roads of Araku (hill station close to Vizag), which I frequently visit with friends during rainy and winter seasons. Put some music, roll down the windows and take in the fresh air. Pure bliss.

I feel bad for people commuting on bikes in Tier 1 cities, especially when you’re stuck at a traffic jam, riding on the first gear and trying to squeeze your way through traffic. I haven’t come across anyone who switches off their cars engine during a red light as everyone wants air conditioning.

I lived in Vizag and Hyderabad and the difference is night and day. Going a bit off-topic, In Vizag, when I drive around with my friends on their bikes, not once did I ever feel uncomfortable. But in Hyderabad, this one time I was house hunting with my friend and we had to take his bike instead of my car as finding parking is difficult. 30 minutes on the bike and my eyes turn red due to the dust, my scalp becomes itchy and I’m so uncomfortable. I agree that I wasn’t wearing a helmet as we didn’t have a spare one on hand and I personally never owned a bike not I’m used to riding one daily because my parents won’t let me buy one due to my small accident on my Honda Activa in my 12th grade.

Long stretches of roads with hundreds of cars and bikes moving at snails pace is not a place to be on a bike or an auto rickshaw or especially a slow moving non-ac bus. One good thing about Bengaluru is that they have a lot of AC buses, but I haven’t seen any in Hyderabad.

This is one reason why I support electric vehicles. Our daily commutes can become a lot better. We’re not only not emitting harmful gases, even the bikers and bus goers will indirectly benefit out of this. They’ll breath much cleaner air during their commute. I’m aware of the argument that EV’s are not carbon neutral, the electricity to charge the car comes from burning fossils fuels. But hey, at least the pollution levels will drop where you commute and where you live. Your respiratory system will thank you in the long term. Let the pollution happen else where, far away from your homes for the time being until the government of India moves more towards renewable sources of energy. The government has already made good strides towards renewable sources and hopefully one fine day our country will be carbon neutral like Bhutan.

Cheers!!

[Cessna182]

I see most people driving with the AC on these days. Maybe it is comfort, but for me it is the reduced cleaning requirement for the interiors. One drive through the market area in the city and you can feel the dust and carbon soot on the seat covers.

I really feel bad for the numerous auto-rickshaw and Tata Ace drivers.

[Researcher]

So I have now concrete proof for use in my future arguments!
On a serious note though, I always keep my windows closed with air conditioning set on the right temperature. In city, its the smoke that makes me do this. In the highway, its personal safety which makes me be cautious. There have been incidents where bottles and stones were thrown at moving cars in highways passing through villages.
I also feel there is no need to ever open a window. One can get the desired temperature and air direction in almost all cars. And I always keep in recirculation, barring a few seconds in long highway drives where I switch to fresh air mode if uneasiness is felt. A slightly lower average and wear-tear on air conditioning equipment are trade-offs I am absolutely ok to live with.

Originally Posted by ashis89

One thing I know for sure - I keep my windows rolled-up 99% of the times and the car interiors remain dust-free/clean for months together. It also keeps foul odours and smoke away from cabin.
That said, sometimes the passengers insist to roll down the windows to get some fresh air or click pictures and I oblige.

Initially I used to have arguments with my passengers, then I found an innovative way. Most passengers have no idea about window lock switch on the driver's side window control panel. Driving a 12 year old vehicle, I just simply say that the power windows don't work. One must get down for few minutes if the need is for fresh air. End of story.

[Nalin1]

I always drive with the windows rolled up except when it is all greenery around and no traffic with cool weather .

But a lot of my relatives do insist on rolling down the windows at night or when the sun is hiding behind the clouds with quotes "there is no sun, why AC?, at night why do you need AC? Let us save some fuel!".

I absolutely hate that habit. Noise, smell, pollution from outside get a free invitation into the cabin .

Maybe the mods can add a poll?

Do you always or never or sometimes or depending on the surroundings?

[locusjag]

To GTO's question of what happens to motorcyclists - I have been using a PM 2.5 filter equipped pollution mask whenever I'm commuting via motorcycle in India.

The PM 2.5 filter gets clogged every 3 months with an average of 2 days a week of motorcycle usage (i.e., the filter gets clogged and replaced every 1200 Km) here in Chennai. And the cloth mask which houses the inserted PM 2.5 filter gets dusty and nasty every month so as to require a full detergent wash.

[Raghav96]

I drive with windows rolled up and ac temp at 24 degrees 365 days of the year. Luckily, nobody in my family ever ask to roll down the windows thanks to the weather and pollution. It is my responsibility to cool down the cabin before they enter the car.

[Fordlover88]

I always drive with windows rolled up and ac on(except in hills for photography & fresh air). It helps in reducing my exposure to pollution & keeping the interiors clean. Initially my family members insisted on rolling windows down or not to turn on ac as it's not required but i never listened to them. Now they have stopped telling me knowing i am not going to budge. Infact i have activated the windows lock button so that they can't roll down the windows even if they want.