Downfall of Storm Chasing

[venture]

Side commentary here and wanted to keep it out of the normal forecast discussion thread we have going. So as most know, I started back in 96 chasing - 97 was my first season here in OK. After things started to get too congested for my liking I stopped a couple years ago. Now thanks to whoever you want to blame, things are just getting flat out insane. Yes we already have laws on the books to deal with these guys, but local LEOs have more things to worry about in when a storm is tearing through their town. The biggest thing that I've seen so far this year due to the mass horde of chasers and extremely dangerous driving (especially in the videos below by the Discovery Channel crews, tour companies, and various other chasers) is that they are now impacting people who should be out there. Vortex 2 researchers are getting blocked from storms. Local Media chasers are getting blocked from storms. Actually spotters/chasers who are documenting/reporting to the public/NWS/media are getting blocked. When is enough enough?

Everyone has a right to chase if they wish. However, when public safety starts to get completed impacted - is it time to pull the plug on freelance chasers that provide nothing back assistance the public? Not to mention, since when is it the right of the Discovery Channel, the TIV (the big tank thing), the Weather Channel, Chasing Tour Companies to completely ignore public safety and traffic laws and go out driving in a manner that WILL kill either another chaser or an innocent driver trying to flee the storm or get to their family? I've also read reports where the Discovery/TIV crews are stopping in the middle of the roads - blocking traffic - so they can shoot their video. Same with the tour companies having people place their tri-pods and junk in the road, on the top of hills, where oncoming traffic isn't always going to see them.

I've been growing weary of this for some time, but its going to happen. Someone will be killed from storm chasing this year or next. It will not be from the storm - directly. The number of idiots that are taking over out there will make it happen. I can only wonder how long until the State is forced to act, or local municipalities, and really try to get these idiots under control and arrest them. If they don't, this is going to impact the quality of warnings and reports that we are so use to here in Oklahoma.

I'll also refer to this message put out by Chuck Doswell, one of the most respected people in the field who was chasing long before any of the current yahoos out there now were even a thought in their parents head: Chaser Convergence Revisited

Some videos may not be safe for work due to strong language.












Home - Center for Severe Weather Research (cswr.org)

[PennyQuilts]

I had no idea. Good grief.

[CuatrodeMayo]

That pisses me off royally.

[mugofbeer]

Wow, Venture. That's a real eye opener.

[Midtowner]

Sounds like small town police departments and small county sheriffs stand to make a mint off of these yay-hoos.

[old okie]

Well, Venture, to say "OMG" is a mild understatement! Had no idea it had become so bad. The driving shown was really bad, but that line of vehicles stretching down the highway was shocking.

As one who grew up in the boonies, and knew the local roads well, I can say these folks are going to end up in serious/deadly wrecks if something isn't done. If you don't know the local areas, you can find yourself in immediate danger--like from a creek flash flooding--which the locals would know about and avoid. Then the locals have to go rescue these idiots!

Something needs to be done!

[old okie]

Sounds like small town police departments and small county sheriffs stand to make a mint off of these yay-hoos.

Good idea, Mid! Maybe we could solve the local shortfalls in funding this way!

[Midtowner]

Good idea, Mid! Maybe we could solve the local shortfalls in funding this way!

Wouldn't hurt my feelings.

Lots of reckless driving/speeding/failure to yield/following too closely.. man those tickets can add up.

[TaoMaas]

It's been 10 years since I was out with a storm-chaser, but even back then it was a dangerous situation. Too many fools, driving WAY too fast, on county roads. It seems to me that this is would fall into the same category as following an emergency vehicle. It's dangerous and uncalled for.

[jn1780]

That's what happens when you have the TWC driving along with Vortex 2. Of course it was already bad to start with.

It would sure suck if you died fleeing the storm when you get into a head on crash with an idiot chaser who doesn't follow the rules.

[PennyQuilts]

I wondered if some of those yahoos had buddies up ahead giving them the "allclear" via radio. Although I completely disapprove, I would hope they had SOME notion that they weren't going to hit a soccer mom transporting girl scouts head on.

[venture]

PQ...This is what the owner or whatever of the TIV (the tank) just posted an hour or so ago on a storm chasing site.

Sean Casey wrote: Thought I'd chime in as we were a part of that traffic jam and that someone posted a video of the TIV with a colorful commentary.

I'll keep it short. The TIV passed slower moving vehicles with a broken yellow line as we were approaching a hill. As the TIV is in the lead of our convoy and has a good visual of what is ahead by me standing in the turret at times we are giving a "clear" signal to those behind us over our radio as a safety measure. We have had a meeting so that everyone on the team acts responsible and drives with respect for other drivers.

The only other issue I'd bring up, I don't know if it's been addressed, but while driving people should allow for ample gaps between vehicles.

The attitude of this guy totally rubs me the wrong way. "All clear signals" doesn't give anyone the right to ignore traffic laws. I also can't stand how he is calling other people out for not giving them room.

[PennyQuilts]

PQ...This is what the owner or whatever of the TIV (the tank) just posted an hour or so ago on a storm chasing site.



The attitude of this guy totally rubs me the wrong way. "All clear signals" doesn't give anyone the right to ignore traffic laws. I also can't stand how he is calling other people out for not giving them room.

And it wasn't a broken yellow line. That irks me.

[JIMBO]

And it wasn't a broken yellow line. That irks me.

Penny if you will go back and look at the picture again, you will notice that the solid yellow line begins at about his or her front axle. I believe he was making a legal pass.

[venture]

Penny if you will go back and look at the picture again, you will notice that the solid yellow line begins at about his or her front axle. I believe he was making a legal pass.

Go back and watch all the videos. : )

[old okie]

PQ...This is what the owner or whatever of the TIV (the tank) just posted an hour or so ago on a storm chasing site.



The attitude of this guy totally rubs me the wrong way. "All clear signals" doesn't give anyone the right to ignore traffic laws. I also can't stand how he is calling other people out for not giving them room.

Amen to that! And his erroneous belief that it is "all clear" is just an illusion in the country! All it takes is someone to turn out of a drive or off a side road, and wow--there is a head-on collision.

He's a total a** for calling out others for what "he" is doing! It's clear he thinks HE is the only one who should be out there....oh wait, and all the people who've paid him or his buddies for being out on the chase. Grr. Run them out of the state!!!

PQ is right; it was NOT a "broken yellow line"!

[venture]

Chris Novy, one of the local guys who I think may post here from time to time got these pics:

Photos Unavailable | Facebook

Photos Unavailable | Facebook

[SkyWestOKC]

That's why I didn't go out on this last storm. When it's close to a large city, everyone and their dog becomes a storm chaser....

Better off to find a storm in the middle of nowhere Kansas.

[adaniel]

I saw a clip about this on KOCO last night, and I always heard about some wreckless storm chasers but I had no idea it was that bad. A lot of these storm chasers are doing this for money; they can sell footage of tornados to television stations and media outlets. The morbid truth is that tornado outbreaks are such huge ratings boosters, especially in these parts. Everyone around here drops everything to watch wall to wall storm coverage, me included. I think there's a lot of pressure to get the best footage and the best price. And until that fact changes I don't think it will get any better.

I wish they could, but I don't know how local authorities can logically start pulling people over in the middle of a tornado when they start driving like that. "Hey there's a tornado coming straight for me, but I gotta patrol this stretch of highway and just hope it goes the other way." I think that may be a bit much to ask of our local police.

[TaoMaas]

I wish they could, but I don't know how local authorities can logically start pulling people over in the middle of a tornado when they start driving like that. "Hey there's a tornado coming straight for me, but I gotta patrol this stretch of highway and just hope it goes the other way." I think that may be a bit much to ask of our local police.

I think we may have already seen the answer. Film the offending folks and fine their stations or the owners of that particular vehicle. Want your competition off the road so that you can have an exclusive? Turn 'em in! In short...police yourselves.

[SkyWestOKC]

Police are busy doing what they should be doing in these situations: helping the people that need help. They aren't out writing tickets and I don't blame them. Their job is public safety first, and in the grand scheme of things, when there are potentially hundreds hurt/trapped under debris, versus potentially 5 or 6 people driving on the wrong side of the road. It is obvious what takes priority. Not to mention, a traffic stop takes 15-30 minutes. There are no telling how many people may need help while this officer is writing a single traffic ticket.

We also don't need tattle-tales out there. That will just make things oh so much better. Everyone out there ratting each other out:

"Hey look, his brake light is out, get video of it!"

"OMG, he just turned without a signal, that is dangerous!"

Letting the spotters police themselves will make it worse, and the resources don't exist for the law enforcement to do anything about it.

[mugofbeer]

I saw a clip about this on KOCO last night, and I always heard about some wreckless storm chasers but I had no idea it was that bad. A lot of these storm chasers are doing this for money; they can sell footage of tornados to television stations and media outlets.

Great, tornado paparazzi.......

[Bunty]

Since moving into a house with a closet whose walls are made up of reinforced concrete blocks, I'm even more reluctant to venture out on the roads looking for a tornado during tornado warnings. Such security is too hard to drive away from like a fool. I was sure glad the lights didn't go out during the tornado warning Wednesday. Because that was when I was going into that closet and shut the metal door for sure.

[Bunty]

Here's dramatic video from Stillwater that proves one doesn't have to get in a car to watch what's going on during a tornado warning on 5/19/10:

[venture]

The self policing is already taking place. License plates are being taken down, researched by Storm Track, and will be compiled in a list should the need arise to start reporting things.

When I started chasing in the late 90s down here, you had some crazy people (usually freshman/sophomores at OU or something) let their ego and ***** take control and think they had to go 90+ to catch a tornado. We've evolved now to a level where people think they are entitled to do what they want because they call themselves a storm chaser. Sorry - just because you have a camera, pickup, and a laptop with radar doesn't make you prepared to be out there. We've seen these yahoos grow and grow though. Heck even on KOCO's LiveWire there are some on there that are all "hey man I gunno go chase this storm be back all"...thinking it gives them some level of authority to discuss what is going on or demand some sort of idol status from others.

Enough is enough. This year or next we'll end up having a serious accident if the season remains active in the Southern/Central plains. Eventually local governments will crack down. The first step will probably be the closing of as many roads as possible that are anywhere near a severe storm or tornado warned area. They are probably going to start restricting who can get beyond these blockades. However, ticketing people probably won't happen - not enough man power for that. If we do see anything, it'll probably be high profile type of start targeted at the TIV or Discovery crews.