Is It Better to Run or Walk in the Rain?

[JT Smith]

I believe that such a replacement is an exact equivalence.

The amount of rain swept out by the forward facing half of the cylinder would be the same as for a cuboid of the same frontal cross-section.

I was thinking the same thing when I looked at that paper. So why did they do it? Perhaps it makes a small difference in the case of wind but I doubt that it matters much, if at all, in terms of the overall conclusions. Maybe someone not as lazy as me can verify this.

 

[pinball1970]

There is a Harvard paper on this (http://iopscience.iop.org/0143-0807/33/5/1321)and a simpler one in "the conversation." Apologies if mentioned in the video, not accessed that yet.
Instinctively I run because it at least feels like I am getting somewhere and I also carry an umbrella during rainy season.

(In Manchester rainy season starts at summer showers in mid June, continues mostly to the following March, break for a few days there before April showers hit which consumes most of May. They get some sun in the south East of England apparently.)

 

[A.T.]

Instinctively I run because it at least feels like I am getting somewhere and I also carry an umbrella during rainy season.

And going faster with an umbrella exposes your legs more.

But even without an umbrella, a common case is having a somewhat waterproof jacket, maybe even with a hood, and eventually somewhat waterproof shoes, but almost never waterproof trousers.

 

[pinball1970]

, but almost never waterproof trousers.

I have some and they roll up tight and light. They will be in my rucksack sack tomorrow!