Diesel - seriously thinking of giving up cycling

[Mick F]

I was out riding yesterday, and climbing Gunnislake Hill (as I often do).
09:00 and the commuters were out and about.
Just about every single car and van who overtook me was a diesel, and every single one was SMELLY. New vehicles as well as old.

I've been cycling these roads for over 30years, and in the past couple or so, it's got terrible.
I cannot get out of the valley without either climbing Gunny Hill or by climbing the hill into Devon. Both as as bad as each other.

Breathing deeply and climbing long hills at circa 5mph, the muck going into my lungs is getting unbearable.

Going along on the flat or whizzing down the hills, there isn't much of an issue. It's climbing up the hills that is the problem, and then with diesel vehicles flooring their throttles to overtake me is making me seriously considering giving up cycling.

Thoughts?

[meic]

Try going cycling out of peak times, less traffic, less hassle, less pollution.

[mjr]

Complain to the police, DVSA and local council about the high-emission vehicles and poor air quality on that road until they do something about it. Write to your MP. Or don't you really care?

On a related note, weekend before last, the cycling group I was with suffered our first "rolling coal" incident where a normal sounding car overtook and then dumped a huge plume of black smoke as it powered away uphill. As there wasn't a dead car at the top, I'm pretty sure that was an illegal vehicle modification. I wasn't running the camera but I'm going to more often this winter, in the hope that I catch the next clown doing that.

[DaveP]

I know what you mean. Living in a conurbation as I do the fall in air quality as people start to go to work is scary and depressing. Just before dawn on Sundays is a reminder of the way things are supposed to be...
Solutions?

Get out really early and rest up during peak? Nice enough on a summers day, but miserable the rest of the time.

If you can't beat 'em... Resign yourself to driving out of the valley, with Bike on board, just far enough to have some tolerable options.
Obvious issues there, but better than giving up, and a better reason for driving than many.

[Mick F]

I could buy some decent lights and only go out at night.
It's about the only time that the A390 is quiet.

I understand that Gunnislake village is the most polluted village in UK.
http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/media/218072 ... ion_v3.pdf

[ANTONISH]

Complain to the police, DVSA and local council about the high-emission vehicles and poor air quality on that road until they do something about it. Write to your MP. Or don't you really care?

On a related note, weekend before last, the cycling group I was with suffered our first "rolling coal" incident where a normal sounding car overtook and then dumped a huge plume of black smoke as it powered away uphill. As there wasn't a dead car at the top, I'm pretty sure that was an illegal vehicle modification. I wasn't running the camera but I'm going to more often this winter, in the hope that I catch the next clown doing that.

A diesel under acceleration can pump out black smoke - basically incompletely burned fuel. Worn injectors can also cause it - it's one of the hazards of cycling uphill.
It isn't unusual to see vehicles like this - I doubt that the police will do much unless they are sitting in a car behind it.

[DaveP]

a normal sounding car overtook and then dumped a huge plume of black smoke as it powered away uphill. As there wasn't a dead car at the top, I'm pretty sure that was an illegal vehicle modification.

Maybe not. I get the impression that a lot of people get a diesel car for economic reasons, longevity, fuel costs, etc. then get a shock when they discover the costs of expert attention to the things they can't do for themselves, such as setting up the injection system. How much? Just because its smoking a bit?...

[meic]

I doubt that the police will do much unless they are sitting in a car behind it.

Then what can they do?
Give the driver a ticket to have it repaired or face prosecution. After having "turbo'd" up that hill the vehicle is repaired for the next few months. They just pay for a garage to run an emissions test and sign the ticket.

[rjb]

Put the bike in the car and go to somewhere a bit quieter traffic wise. At least it will get you up the hill with less effort.

[pwa]

Mick, I'm sorry your enjoyment of cycling is being spoiled. The geography of where you live seems to give you a particularly intense exposure. It's a problem I don't really experience. I don't need to go anywhere near serious traffic if I want to do a thirty mile circuit. But you have my sympathies.

Two possibilities occur to me. One is to time your climbs to coincide with periods of lower traffic volumes. The other, with some irony, is to get a car you can pop a bike into the back of and drive a short distance to a better starting point. I know that feels wrong, but it solves the initial problem.

[mark a.]

The death of diesel is coming, but who knows about the time-frame and whether you're happy to wait until then.

What with VW diesel-gate, cities like London & Paris hoping to ban diesels from 2020, the improvements in efficient petrol engines and the rise of electric and hybrid cars, diesels won't be around forever. The next London cab is a hybrid.

It'll be a decade or so before things really kick in, but hopefully the proportion of non-diesel cars will increase significantly so that air quality improves.

My new car is a diesel, sadly, because the model doesn't have anything else. But I think this is my last car with purely internal combustion engine. I'm hoping the next car will be pure electric, but if not then a plug-in hybrid will do.

[kwackers]

Wasn't there a thread on here not too long ago saying how clean diesels are? I'm surprised it's not been dug back up.

[mjr]

Is the 11% old road too steep or busy to consider? Looks a long way round to Horsebridge.

[mjr]

Wasn't there a thread on here not too long ago saying how clean diesels are? I'm surprised it's not been dug back up.

Don't care. They're still smellier than all unmotorised users, so the op still stands.

[kwackers]

Wasn't there a thread on here not too long ago saying how clean diesels are? I'm surprised it's not been dug back up.

Don't care. They're still smellier than all unmotorised users, so the op still stands.

I think they should be banned. I'm just interested in that not too long ago people on here were defending them claiming them as clean as petrol.

Personally I hate the smell of traffic - petrol and diesel. I can't wait for electric and/or hydrogen to become mainstream.