If you are riding around in downtown of your city, you know what it feels like to get an exhaust-filled head. You want to go out for some fresh air and enjoy the weather ahead of your life-related chaos. But sometimes, the air around is not as good in quality as you expect it to be. You might have heard about the recent increase in the level of air pollutants surrounding different Indian cities. Riding a bike in these adverse weather conditions is not good for your health.
However, there are a few safety measures that you can follow to stay safe while riding your bike amidst poor air quality, such as:
1. Without a Mask
Excessive pollution is the most critical factor to consider when riding a motorcycle. A face mask can keep you safe when riding your bike amidst polluted air. It helps to reduce the risk of suffering from harmful diseases arising out of bad weather. You will less likely to fall ill than those who avoid using pollution masks.
You can even find a wide variety of face masks designs available in the market to choose from.
2. Avoid Riding in Peak Hours
The best way to reduce your exposure to air pollution is to not put yourself in a position where you are subjected to more air pollution. Another way you can stay safe amidst poor air quality is to avoid riding your bike during peak hours. If you are highly sensitive to air pollution or suffering from an air-borne disease, it would be good for your health to avoid biking altogether until the pollution levels go down. However, if you must ride on a busy road, make sure you consider the necessary precautions to prevent any adverse effects on your health.
3. Check for Air Filter In your Bike
One source of pollutants in the air is your bike itself. The fuel that burns while you ride your motorcycle adds more smoke to the weather. To ensure your bike does not release pollutants in excess to the air around, it has an air filter fitted inside. This filter cleans the air and helps in fuel combustion.
If your bike’s air filter does not work properly, it will emit more smoke and further degrades the air quality. So, get your bike’s air filter checked and replaced in due time.
4. Do not Exceed Optimal Speed Limit
At times when the air quality is poor, you may not get to see things around you. Due to rise in pollutants in the air, visibility decreases. Riding your bike at high speed even when you can’t see clearly on the roads increases the risk of meeting with an accident. The severity of loss and damage depends on the traffic, level of air population and the resulting drop in visibility.
So, you are advised to ride your bike at an optimal speed when the air quality is poor.
5. Keep Your Bike Insured
As a responsible bike owner, you must check the validity of your bike insurance policy. Especially when air quality is poor, you can’t see clearly on the roads while riding your bike. Thus, the risk of meeting with an accident is higher than on normal days.
An unfortunate road accident because of poor air quality can cause significant financial loss unless you have a valid bike insurance policy. So, make sure you renew your bike insurance online or offline timely.
Besides being mandated by law, one of the main reasons to choose the right two-wheeler insurance policy is to protect yourself against third party liability costs. In case you want to switch to some other insurance company, prefer buying bike insurance online from reputable companies such as Tata AIG. You can even choose multiple add-ons for additional insurance benefits.
Air pollution is the most significant risk factor for you while you ride your bike on busy city streets. By keeping in mind these safety measures, you can ensure your love for biking does not have an adverse impact on your health.
