With over 10 million bicycles on its roads, Beijing is one of the great cycling cities of the world, but its air is amongst the most polluted on the planet.
British artist Matt Hope draws attention to the problem with his breathing bicycle, a piece of sculpture that filters dirty air courtesy of a collection of recycled components including an old dustbin from Ikea and an old Chinese fighter pilot’s helmet and mask.
Air pollution and problems with urban commuting are of great concern to people today. European surveys have shown that over six people in ten consider urban car traffic as unbearable. Seven out of ten say they support a ban on car traffic in the centre of cities on certain days. However, at the same time, the number of cars and urban traffic is constantly increasing, eroding the quality of life of urban dwellers with the increase in road danger, noise, air pollution and stress.
Before you rush out to build your own breathing bicycle, consider that of all road users cyclists tend to fare best when it comes to air pollution. Their elevated position puts them above the worst layer, which tends to be at the level where air taken in by cars to ventilate the vehicle’s interior.
Ian Byrne
If you are ever lucky enough to go to Beijing, don’t let the talk of air pollution and traffic stop you from packing your cycle helmet! I was there in 2011 and rented a bike on a summer Sunday and had a great day discovering bits of the city that are not so easy to get to otherwise. There are plentiful cycle lanes in the centre, and Sunday traffic was manageable. Maybe I was lucky, but the air quality was passable and the heat (it’s a continental climate – hot summers and cold winters) was the main problem. But you’re never far away from a shop selling cold drinks.