I haven’t noticed anyone wearing a mask this trip. Sometimes you see bicyclists in cities wearing white masks, which certainly makes sense given the air quality on London streets. I never did, myself, when I cycled here. There are many cyclists in London and especially in Oxford, which is great. The physical benefits of cycling and walking outweigh the effects of breathing car exhaust – and in fact people in cars breathe air that is just as polluted. But I talked to a taxi driver last night who said he counted between 5 and 7pm 57 cyclists riding without lights. Drivers hate this, and it’s amazing to me that cyclists would take such a risk, given the, well, forceful way people drive in Britain! Cycle paths and lanes would be a help, but cyclists won’t help their case by being careless about safety (or by being “knocked off their bikes” as the taxi driver put it).
London life
About the Author: Karen Christensen
Karen Christensen is an entrepreneur, environmentalist, and scholar who writes about the many ways women have gained and wielded power. She is the owner and CEO of Berkshire Publishing Group, a former trustee of the University of Pennsylvania’s Penn Press, a member of the National Committee on US-China Relations, and the founder of the Train Campaign. Subscribe to Karen’s Letter @Substack https://karenchristensen.substack.com or try her Home Ecology newsletter. She can also be found on Twitter @karenchristenze.
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