Actually, I quite agree - the data collection vehicles need to exercise the same precautions. But the point I was trying to make is that if there are road blockages caused by chasers, then scientific data collection could seriously be hampered.
This is a way off topic comment, but I always wonder, just how many more supercells do they need to scan? I often wonder why I chase, as after a while, one realizes.....the structure is really largely the same(at least in a general sense of a nice supercell). I mean really. I can't begin to imagine the shear number of differing supercells that have now been scanned by the dows. Is there something they still need to see with the radars? Just something that crosses my mind from time to time.
Sort of on that same subject, and this topic, I saw the DOW groupies on the 22nd as well. I was going north as the DOW was parked OFF THE ROAD on the west side of the highway. The only gripe was what looked like some film crew getting video from the southbound lanes, so the DOW would be in the shot with the storm. Not a big deal, but when there are other chasers barely off the highway on the shoulder, on both sides, and you are trying not to hit them...well it'd be nice to move to the center, and not have to worry about the film crew in the southbound lanes. But, after a while, I wouldn't mind a little pre-tornado human debris. One less chaser clogging up the roads. That's sort of a joke.
I didn't have too many issues the 22nd as once I was on the highway south of Hill City, I used it to get north, then east, to get a bit away from the crowd and get some structure shots. There were a lot o chasers out, that's for sure.
The 23rd seemed worse, especially early on north of May OK. I can understand why that was though, everyone and their dog trying to figure out where to be with the storm cutting off the road. I think it mostly works both ways. People flying 100mph could slow down a bit, and IDIOTS doing 20 in a 60 could get off the freaking road, or drive faster. It would also be wonderful if the blinker would be used when you decide to flip the car around, by whipping it to the left to pull onto something, right across the passing lane some "crazy" person behind you might be trying to pass you with. Can't imagine the odds lasting much longer. Some driver is going to get T-boned something fierce doing that crap.
The worst drivers I saw the 23rd were a couple from the media. I clearly remember thinking, "oh so this is why they get so much crap". You'd think a loved one of theirs was bleeding to death in the car and they were trying to get them to a hospital....and they were very lost in doing so. The 23rd was the worst day I've seen as far as chaser convergence problems. It was really only annoying north of May though. I just left things at that point, then tried a bit harder to stay away from them later...didn't work too well.
In the end, it's probably 95% a numbers deal, with anyone there having the problems, also being a contribution to the problem to some degree. It's that other 5% that seem to make things 500% worse. Oh yeah, and like has been mentioned. Use a freaking gravel road to stop on! My lord what a simple, effective concept, that is used by so few(probably 25% of the group). I will drive back to a highway from a mile or so of on a gravel road, and there will be a big cluster of vehicles using the shoulder on the highway. Changing that would drastically help matters. Cops can certainly be writing tickets for that stuff, when things aren't so wild yet. They should. Stop writing articles and start writing tickets! Perhaps using the law can help.
