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I was going to ask this in wilderness but I’m pretty sure we’ll need some math to find out the real answer.

They say you can’t out run a grizzly bear because they run about 35 mph. While the average human runs 6-18 mph.

I’m assuming we are simple steaks running in a straight line race.

But seeing that the weight of the grizzly is between 700-1700lb, and the average weight of a human is 136-178, couldn’t we attempt to out maneuver them with zigzags and/or a on-the-dime 180 turn?

Or is the 20mph speed difference to much and our only hope is to lay down and hope it isn’t our day?

Could we identify the optimal pathing which uses their bear disadvantages against them?

Note - References aren’t anything special. I just wanted to give the math people some numbers to consider.

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  • $\begingroup$ I've removed a comment that began "I think the answer is." To speculate about possible answers, please post an answer. $\endgroup$
    – rob ♦
    Commented Jun 21, 2022 at 22:56
  • $\begingroup$ One approach to answering this question would be to find video (or other analysis) showing the hunting strategies bears use against fast, maneuverable prey. For example, deer have long, low-mass legs with sharp hooves, so a deer can exert a rapidly-changing turning force in a way that bear probably can't. $\endgroup$
    – rob ♦
    Commented Jun 21, 2022 at 23:03
  • $\begingroup$ I want to see the Institutional Review Board's take on this study. $\endgroup$
    – user121330
    Commented Jun 22, 2022 at 1:01

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Usain Bolt's mass is 94kg, which is significantly larger than most human males. Does that mean you can outrun Usain Bolt (read: win the 200m since that involves running a bend) if you are good at zigzagging? No, of course. That's because biologically, running speed is most dependent on how much force you exert on the ground, not your weight. That's why it's impossible to run in zero gravity, and why the bear weighing more does not matter, because it's more than compensated for by the corresponding increase in muscular strength.

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  • $\begingroup$ I’m assuming we’re running 10pm have, and I turn 45degrees. Wouldn’t the amount of force still wanting to go straight be significantly higher for the bear than myself? Ie sharp turns are a potential way to out maneuver a bear? $\endgroup$
    – Luke
    Commented Jun 22, 2022 at 13:55
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Could we identify the optimal pathing?

To what end? If you can't outrun you are never getting away.

The bear also has a number of advantages to make up for the square cube law between it's mass and muscle cross section:

  • It's way more fit than you are.
  • It has four legs to run with which effectively halves the load compared to a human
  • Four legs probably provides more maneuverability at speed than two. Definitely more stability in terrain like a forest. The bear isn't going to trip.

And your ability to turn on a dime doesn't mean anything if your goal is to run away since you don't want to be standing still. You could theoretically take advantage of this maneuverability trying to bull-fight, but zig-zagging is pointless because running away is something you do not want to do in bull-fighting. And good luck with bull-fighting with no training against something that has other ways to attack than just charging and isn't attracted to waving objects.

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    $\begingroup$ Note that humans have better thermoregulation than other large mammals, thanks to sweating versus panting, which relates directly to better endurance. If you can out-zigzag the bear for five or ten minutes, its speed advantage may disappear. $\endgroup$
    – rob ♦
    Commented Jun 21, 2022 at 23:09
  • $\begingroup$ @rob Might as well just bull-fight at that point. Plus you know...zig-zagging in a forest doesn't seem like it would work too well. Massive, thick hide four-legged bear is going to be able to run through ground cover more easily than two-legged paperweight, thin-skinned human $\endgroup$
    – DKNguyen
    Commented Jun 21, 2022 at 23:10
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You can identify optimal pathing. Survival experts have done so.

However, to your specific solution of zig zagging, a fundamental issue that arises is that you have to run further than the bear. Bears have something like a 2 meter reach from side to side. So every time you zig zag, you have to travel 2 meters further than they do.

If you watch prey animals, they tend to run rather straight forward until a moment where they think turning really gives them an advantage. Then they give that turn their all. Zig zagging is slow, but zigging may be the key.

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