Author Topic: Commuting to work...how do you protect yourself from sweat, UV rays, pollution?  (Read 3349 times)

moneyandmillennials

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 41
    • Money and Millennials: An Illustrated Advice Book
I live a few miles from work. I'm thinking about walking to work.
I'm walking over biking because I live very unfriendly bike city.

here are my questions and points:

when walking/ biking to work, what do you wear?
how do you not get sweaty?
isn't your backpack heavy carrying. your lunch and change of clothes?
if you get sweaty and have no access to a shower, how do you prep yourself once you arrive at work?
how do you protect yourself from all the UV damage? I'm planning on sunglasses, gloves, lots of SPF, umbrella  but it would be very hot.
How do you protect yourself from smog, car pollution? I'm taking of wearing a mask but maybe that is overkill.
How do you protect yourself from psychos or weirdos? I'm a small person.


As you can tell, I'm highly anti UV rays and pollution. Any recommendations are most welcome.

Thank you!!!



patrickza

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 555
  • Age: 45
    • I live on a boat
Quote
when walking/ biking to work, what do you wear?
Clothes, whatever I planned to wear that day usually. Sometimes I shower at the office.
Quote
how do you not get sweaty?
I get less sweaty because I'm on an electric bike, it really works well. I can sweat on the way home if I feel like it.
Quote
isn't your backpack heavy carrying. your lunch and change of clothes?
No, but I intermittently fast, so I don't eat all day. I also usually wear the same clothes biking as working, but I don't have to dress smart. You could try leaving your smart stuff in the office.
Quote
if you get sweaty and have no access to a shower, how do you prep yourself once you arrive at work?
I wash my face and sit in an airconned office. The sweat is soon not noticeable.
Quote
how do you protect yourself from all the UV damage? I'm planning on sunglasses, gloves, lots of SPF, umbrella  but it would be very hot.
Sunglasses, and a decent helmet. I don't really worry too much about the UV as I get to work really early when the sun isn't strong, like 7am, and I leave again after four which means it isn't that string here either. In winter I barely see the sun, though I wear loads of layers then in any case.
Quote
How do you protect yourself from smog, car pollution? I'm taking of wearing a mask but maybe that is overkill.
I actually try breathe less when I'm behind a polluting vehicle. It's impossible to avoid all pollution, but I've read that the health benefits of cycling outweigh the pollution damage.
Quote
How do you protect yourself from psychos or weirdos? I'm a small person.

I'm the weirdo. I've only had one incident on the bike where someone tried to pull me off. I live in South Africa, so probably a lot more dangerous than where you are. Fortunately as mentioned earlier I have an electric bike, a really powerful one actually. When I twisted the throttle he went flying. On a normal bike I'd probably suggest carrying pepper spray.

Friar

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 231
  • Location: England
You've raised an interesting topic here m&m!

Although I don't currently have the luxury to walk to work, and I can't make the 20 mile round trip very easily at the moment on my bike, I can answer based on experience from when I have had the opportunity to do so.

when walking/ biking to work, what do you wear?


If I'm walking then I just wear my normal work attire. When biking I'll go full lycra (or equivalent).

how do you not get sweaty?


This entirely depends on the weather. For walking, generally I won't build up much of a sweat as in the UK it's quite temperate. However, I did do a bit of walk commuting when working in San Francisco a few weeks ago. With the hills and the warmer weather I did get a bit sweaty but it was nothing that was massively noticeable to others.

Cycling? Yes I would get a bit sweaty. But a small towel to wipe any away and a change of clothes is enough for me to not smell throughout the day.

isn't your backpack heavy carrying. your lunch and change of clothes?

Yes. I used to have a rucksack that contained change of clothes, lunch, laptop etc. I have since moved to pannier bags that are mounted on the rack at the back of my bike. It's a definite reduction in the amount of effort needed to cycle.

Alternatively, try and reduce the load you're carrying by leaving items at work.

if you get sweaty and have no access to a shower, how do you prep yourself once you arrive at work?


A small towel to wipe away the excess sweat, a few minutes to air dry out, some anti perspirant for the armpits and a change of clothes. If the bike ride is enough to make you seriously sweat, and you have no shower available, then perhaps it's best to cycle slower or walk.

how do you protect yourself from all the UV damage? I'm planning on sunglasses, gloves, lots of SPF, umbrella  but it would be very hot.


I generally wear sunglasses if the sun is out and I have to squint; after reading once that it protects your eyes for longer. If the UV is a genuine issue then I'd put on some sunscreen.  Generally in the UK, during commuting times (i.e. not 10am-3pm when the sun is at it's strongest), there is little need for sunscreen and is beneficial for vitamin D production.

How do you protect yourself from smog, car pollution? I'm taking of wearing a mask but maybe that is overkill.


I don't wear a mask, but you might feel it necessary especially if you're in a densely populated area such as London or LA. It's about weighing up the benefits of reducing pollutant inhalation with looking silly!

How do you protect yourself from psychos or weirdos? I'm a small person.

The real question is how do others protect themselves from me? ;) In all honesty I can't answer from your perspective as I'm a 6'2" guy and over 200lb, but I generally just ignore others and they ignore me.

Playing with Fire UK

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3449
If you are a small person, think about walking confidently and with purpose. Have a sense of awareness without fear, if you are worried about weirdos then they will find you (I think they smell it like dogs do). Take a self defence course if it will make you feel better. 

Would a small wheeled backpack or case work better than a bag you carry (I am small and have back problems and this works for me).

I have a work clothes to change into, but also have a pack of baby wipes and can of deoderant in the office for warm days. I leave a few shirts in the office as they don't need washing every day after 8 hours sitting down. I don't carry in all my clothes everyday, I hang up my jacket on the coat stand and leave my shoes in my desk drawer.

A backpack with a mesh to keep the bag away from your back will help air to move and keep you cool. If you are new to walking that distance, the sweating will get less as you get fitter, and if you combine a calm walk to work with a fast walk back, that will happen more quickly.

shelivesthedream

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 6745
  • Location: London, UK
Walking and cycling are totally different ballparks for me. I live in the UK and started commuting in London so temperate climate but lots of traffic and weirdos.

Walking
Sweat: not a problem. Temperate climate, dress appropriately, remove layers as necessary.
Carrying stuff: can be heavy, depends what you're carrying. Shoes are certainly heavy - keep them at work.
UV: long sleeves, suncream on my face. No sunglasses because I CBA to get prescription ones. BIG hat.
Pollution: don't worry about it.
Weirdos: choose your route and take a self-defence class. Consider walking in and taking the bus home if it's the time of day that changes the weirdo quotient.

Cycling
Sweat: yes, it's a thing. I bike in shirt sleeves if I'm going any distance as even in winter I warm up quickly. Small towel to wipe off in a toilet stall as soon as I arrive, wash my face, don't get too close to anyone! Sometimes I wear a vest as an underlayer to absorb the sweat and take it off as soon as I arrive, taking a lot of the sweat with it. Allow time that you don't need to cycle excessively fast. Just don't worry about it! No one will be able to smell you from a foot away, and you just don't get that close to people in day to day life. I say this as someone who sweats a lot generally. No one ever notices (and yes, I have asked).
Carrying stuff: basket on the back, just pop my bag and coat in there. Cycling with a rucksack is way too hard and sweat-inducing.
UV: suncream and a relaxed attitude. An hour of direct sunlight won't kill me.
Pollution: don't worry. Think of how healthy your lungs are getting with the exercise! If I lived somewhere really gross I wouldn't mind wearing a mask while cycling, although I would feel stupid while walking.
Weirdos: not a problem. I can cycle faster than they can run.

Eric222

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 902
Cycling
I have a messenger bag that straps across my back and lets me carry lots of stuff.  I bring a change of clothes, my computer, and lunch at a minimum everyday.  A good backpack that efficiently distributes the weight across your back can do wonders. 

I sweat like a stuck pig, but I just go into an empty bathroom (or empty bathroom stall) and change clothes and wipe off with a small towel (or paper towels if desperate).  This minimizes the smell. 

Pollution?  Do you stay indoors the rest of the day?  What do you do whenever you leave the house?  I don't know that what you are being exposed to biking or walking is any worse that the air your car will suck up from the outside and blow into your car. 

For UV:  Sunscreen, hats, SPF clothing that covers your body. 

Good luck!