Why were most of the cyclists in this photo wearing masks in November 1977? Was it to avoid breathing polluted air?
If so, thank goodness we have the EPA now; I hope we can address modern threats to air quality, like climate change related wildfires, rather than giving up and letting the air become difficult to breathe again.
@oreoteeth Then would you say that it's odd they're still wearing masks in November, then? Would this have been after smog season?
Are they wearing the masks to make a point about how increasing bicycle use would reduce smog, rather than for practical reasons because it was actually smoggy that day?
@skyfaller Well, we do get those freakishly warm fall days sometimes. It's def possible that there are smog days in the spring or fall. I mostly went to the Velodrome on summer nights. Couldn't say if LV cyclists were still masking in the fall.
And of course it's also possible that local industry smokestacks were pumping out more pollution than normal on that particular day.
Deescalation seems to be working at #Penn's #Gaza solidarity encampment, though university police continue to issue advisories.
After university and city cops were out in major numbers this morning, "there has been a notable decrease in the number of police and University administrators present," according to the Daily Pennsylvanian at 2:45 EDT.