Endeavour Jones, a local Oxford resident, has useful tips for Oxford walkers, based on local wind patterns. Jones (known only as 'Jones') recommends limiting walking to when there is at least a light breeze. "I realised how crucial this was one morning when ambling along the Thames footpath, which isn't that wide and is frequented by all manner of cyclists, pedestrians and runners, to say nothing of dogs and other animals," Jones informed us. "A man was sitting on a bench by the river, drinking coffee. It was quite a cold early spring morning and as he exhaled, a condensing white stream of air drifted across the path right in front of me. Fortunately, a cross-wind was blowing, so I was able to avoid plunging into the cloud of possibly lethal breath. I quickly realised that knowing from which quarter the wind was blowing was a useful tool to avoid infection. Luckily, years as a sailor has ingrained in me an instinctive feel for wind directions. As it so happens a sequence of cold north-easters had been in place for several days. My advice is to walk when the wind is wafting at a minimum 3 knots. Then as you ply your route you can estimate where a passer-by's breath is likely to be at any moment. It's much easier when the person is in front of you of course. Then if the wind is from behind, it's your breath he or she has to worry about, until you pass each other. Then the tables are turned. The key is to estimate from which point you should hold your breath. If you are downwind or cross-wind, naturally you hold longer. Of course this means regular glances over the shoulder at oncoming people behind. Cyclists can approach quickly so I leave no more than 5 seconds between backward glances, especially if the wind is from the stern quarter. I have weighed up only going out when the wind-speed is much higher but have to balance the health and immune-boosting aspects of regular walking against the threat of inhaling the dreaded lurgy." There are other issues: winds can gust and are sometimes variable, especially around structures. Jones is working on perfecting his technique to deal with these complicating factors. "A smidgeon of thermal dynamics knowledge wouldn't go astray," avers Jones. He has also developed a method of walking threateningly towards any person who is approaching him without moving to one side of the path. This usually has the effect of causing the other to adjust course, although not always. At times, in desperation at such lack of consciousness, Jones is forced to utter a well-known local epithet. Another tactic is to break into a loud, hacking cough, unprotected by the elbow.
