Thanks to the research of Franco Bocci, Professor of Engineering at the University of Brescia, we are now closer to solving this question, which has puzzled physicists and mathematicians (as well as the average pedestrian) for quite some time.
His paper, which is not the first on this subject to be published in the European Journal of Physics, attempts to solve the surprisingly complicated problem of how to stay driest in the rain. Do you walk or run?
Bocci concluded that the solution is dependent on many factors, including the wind direction and speed, and the subject’s size. For example, if travelling in a tailwind the optimal speed to move is equal to the speed of the wind.
Despite the complexities of his research, Bocci told the BBC that “in general, the best thing is to run, as fast as you can”.