It is raining, run or not

I was going by memory before but I've found a bit on the web regarding running in the rain or not.This site says it matters while referring to one that says it doesn't much. I'm not convinced by the experiments done.http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_395.htmlHere is another mentioning math that says it is even but discusses experiments as well.Do you get wetter if you run or walk in the rain?This one reports a clothes weighing experiment where the walker gets 40% wetter.It would be interesting to see a reconciliation between the experiments and the modeled results.

Mythbusters did it twice. See http://www.mythbustersfanclub.com/html/revisited_ii.html (about 1/4 of the way down).

Here in the wilds of West Texas, it's usually blowing a full gale if it's raining at all. So you'd have to specify whether you're running against or with the wind, or perpendicularly. Too many variables for me.

I can say you get better gas mileage in the rain.Think of it this way, sometimes you have to slow down when driving so you see out the window, but I guess the rate of horizontal speed would have to be greater than the speed at which a rain drop falls to accumulate more rain horizontially, then just standing still.If you run fast enough, at least your back will be dry, lol

You can only get so wet. Once you're saturated, it's just a function of how long you want to be cold and wet.Your body posture changes when you run as compared to when you walk. I would expect your rain shadow to be larger with the running.I guess it's like this. I'd walk to the car but I'd run home. There's a crossover point where depending on how far you have to go, it becomes better to run than to walk.

There are lots of variables. What type of clothing is worn? Raindrops may bead and fall off of clothing more readily while running.obviusly, from the car to the house, less time is spent in the rain....but in an equal time spent in the rain, I would guess that a person would get rather equally wet.

Thinking about the basics.Resolve the velocity of the rain into a vertical component, a horizontal component parallel to your path and a horizontal component orthogonal to your path.Vertical component:The amount landing on the top of your head will be proportional to time. Running reduces that.The amount of rain you walk into will be proportional to the distance travelled, your velocity is irrelevant to that.Parallel Horizontal component:The rate at which rain hits you from this factor will be proportional to the magnitude of your horizontal velocity relative to the rain.If the rain direction is with you, then matching its speed is best (reducing this factor to zero). If it is against you, you are better going faster (doubling your speed will halve the time, but it will not double the rate at which the rain hits).Orthogonal Horizontal ComponentThis factor only affects the rain that hits you from the side.The rate will be constant. Running is better from this point of view.From this reasoning it looks as if running is usually better, in terms of the sheer amount of water that will hit you in most cases. It is always better for the amount of rain hitting you from above or the side. If the wind is against you it also reduces the amount that will hit your front.Of course there are plenty of other factors (does the velocity with which the rain hits have an effect ?)
r

Since a child, I have learned to run between the drops

Hi NosyNed:The Discovery Channel program, "MythBusters" took this one on a while back. Although I do not agree with everything they do on the show, by and large they do a pretty good job of experimental design. In this episode they went inside an aircraft hanger...controlled the amount of water (rain) that fell, and measured clothing weight (cotton coveralls) before and after. Two participants first walked and then ran through the course. They then repeated the experiment and added the use of fans to simulate wind. Also, during all tetsts, they wore latex body suits to prevent perspiration from affecting the clothing weight. Their conclusion was that you get wetter by running.

And then they re-did it in real rain and reached the opposite conclusion. See the second message in this trhead. Message 2This message has been edited by AdminJar, 03-01-2006 09:21 AM

Hi JonF:Sorry...missed that post first time round. I see that in the re-test they did it out in the real rain. Personaly, I agree with the first test cuz it had better controls. As best they could, everything was controlled with the only variable being walking or running. I'll trust those data over going out in an actual rainstorm...too many other things can come into play.

I recall New Scientist getting a letter asking this question in the 90s. The flood of letters this generated drove the editorial team to despair. I can't find the details, but IIRC if the rain is very heavy it's better to run and spend less time in it for a given distance, but if it's not too heavy, walking means you're drier because you don't run your front into as many drops.Again, it's going to depend on the wind speed and direction, but for vertical rain, I think this holds true. Of course I could be jabbering so much marsh gas