# Standing in the rain

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/standing-in-the-rain/63315>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 25, 2001, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/standing-in-the-rain/63315 "2001-04-25T17:25:42Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Qis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Qis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qis)\
**Post date:** [April 25, 2001, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/standing-in-the-rain/63315/1 "2001-04-25T17:25:42Z")

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This is in reference to the running or standing in the rain. What happens if, rahter than distance, it is time that is the fixed variable.  
Say, for example you are locked out of your house for half an hour before your significant other get home adn lets you in. now, would it be better to run around trying desperately to keep dry for 5 minutes, or should you stay put ( i am, of course, assuming that there is no available shelter! ).

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**Author:** ![heembo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f6c823/32.png) [@heembo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/heembo)\
**Post date:** [April 25, 2001, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/standing-in-the-rain/63315/2 "2001-04-25T17:39:00Z")

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I would run around for 5 minutes. As long as you are going to be stuck in the rain for that long, you might as well look like the moron you are.

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**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\
**Post date:** [April 25, 2001, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/standing-in-the-rain/63315/3 "2001-04-25T17:48:14Z")

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WAG

Stay put, arms at your side, minimal surface area created by you any way you can.

Rain, if coming fairly straight down, will strike your head and shoulders most frequently, until saturation sets in and the rain runs down the rest of your body.

I’d imagine that running around would have you colliding with drops that you run into, in addition to the drops striking your head. Plus, I’m sure you’ll flail your limbs a bit, and just get them wetter.

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**Author:** ![Shiva](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@Shiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shiva)\
**Post date:** [April 25, 2001, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/standing-in-the-rain/63315/4 "2001-04-25T19:26:50Z")

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[http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3\_395.html](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_395.html)

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**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\
**Post date:** [April 25, 2001, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/standing-in-the-rain/63315/5 "2001-04-25T21:43:26Z")

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If there is a steady wind, your best bet is to walk with the wind, rather than stay put. This assumes you don’t have to run back through the rain at the end (assume the rain stops, just as your SO gets home).