It was a beautiful February afternoon in Philadelphia Saturday. With temperatures hovering in the high 60s and the sun in the sky, tourists, shoppers and residents flooded downtown to enjoy the day.
Then, around 5 p.m., a violent and heavy downpour started falling, accompanied by blustery winds. I stepped outside of PhillyVoice's Center City office. It was bad.
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So, what do all the people who were casually strolling through the city do when they’re thrown into a sudden apocalyptic-esque storm? You run for your freaking lives, that's what.
Sitting comfortably from my third-story desk, akin to the old men in the Muppets (or the dark lord Sauron), I documented the different ways people reacted to the crazy weather with videos on Twitter in the name of social research. A little creepy? Yes. Highly entertaining? Also yes.
First, we have the way you're supposed to react if you don't have an umbrella or a rain jacket: sprint.
Then there's the dude who's too cool for staying dry. This guy was just standing at the corner, waiting for the crosswalk light to give him the go-ahead. You can see another man, appropriately, run by him.
Finally, we have these two women who are, like, sort of jogging for cover, but not nearly fast enough considering one appears to be holding something she just bought and both are wearing sleeveless shirts. Another guy walks by them and starts to pick up the pace after crossing the street.
Anyway, you wouldn't have had to click on this if you followed me on Twitter. (Shameless self promotion: you can do that here!) But there is one overarching lesson here: check the forecast.