• After witnessing the continued decrease of involvement in the SpotterNetwork staff in serving SN members with troubleshooting issues recently, I have unilaterally decided to terminate the relationship between SpotterNetwork's support and Stormtrack. I have witnessed multiple users unable to receive support weeks after initiating help threads on the forum. I find this lack of response from SpotterNetwork officials disappointing and a failure to hold up their end of the agreement that was made years ago, before I took over management of this site. In my opinion, having Stormtrack users sit and wait for so long to receive help on SpotterNetwork issues on the Stormtrack forums reflects poorly not only on SpotterNetwork, but on Stormtrack and (by association) me as well. Since the issue has not been satisfactorily addressed, I no longer wish for the Stormtrack forum to be associated with SpotterNetwork.

    I apologize to those who continue to have issues with the service and continue to see their issues left unaddressed. Please understand that the connection between ST and SN was put in place long before I had any say over it. But now that I am the "captain of this ship," it is within my right (nay, duty) to make adjustments as I see necessary. Ending this relationship is such an adjustment.

    For those who continue to need help, I recommend navigating a web browswer to SpotterNetwork's About page, and seeking the individuals listed on that page for all further inquiries about SpotterNetwork.

    From this moment forward, the SpotterNetwork sub-forum has been hidden/deleted and there will be no assurance that any SpotterNetwork issues brought up in any of Stormtrack's other sub-forums will be addressed. Do not rely on Stormtrack for help with SpotterNetwork issues.

    Sincerely, Jeff D.

Another negative news article

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jason Bolt
  • Start date Start date

Jason Bolt

http://www.ksallink.com/?cmd=displaystory&story_id=22491&format=html

Emergency Workers Call Storm Tourists A Nuisance
Tourists are flocking to sign up for vacation packages filled with storm chasing

Associated Press Mon 07:59 AM 06/18/2012

Tourists are flocking to sign up for vacation packages filled with storm chasing. For them it's a trip of a lifetime, but some emergency workers find the tour groups a nuisance during what can be life and death situations.

Rush County Emergency Management Director Jim Fisher recalled what happened in early May, the night a tornado wrapped in a wall of rain was about to flow through LaCrosse. When he needed to move some storm spotters down a county road, it was blocked by a tour van and a group of sightseers with tripods set up in the middle of the road.

One of the tour members told a Rush County storm spotter he had paid $1,000 to storm chase and he had every right to be there.
 
Jason Bolt said:
Rush County Emergency Management Director Jim Fisher recalled what happened in early May, the night a tornado wrapped in a wall of rain was about to flow through LaCrosse. When he needed to move some storm spotters down a county road, it was blocked by a tour van and a group of sightseers with tripods set up in the middle of the road.

One of the tour members told a Rush County storm spotter he had paid $1,000 to storm chase and he had every right to be there.
Click to expand...

I'd like to see how that would fly with a LEO. Sheesh, the tourist couldn't have just moved his ass to a nearby vantage?
 
Todd Renshaw said:
A five sentence story. And they say investigative journalism is dead. :(
Click to expand...

Sad; but true.

" . . . Let's bash the chasers; that REALLY got 'em all riled up over the past few years and makes for good copy now. . ."
I dunno who said it; but the evidence is sure there.

Truth is; we get there even before the LEO's do most of the time.
 
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All I want to know is what bonehead made this comment to a storm spotter who is out trying to warn people ( I assume ) . Tour Director should have refunded his money and just left him there . Talk about being obnoxious.
Jason Bolt said:
http://www.ksallink.com/?cmd=displaystory&story_id=22491&format=html

Emergency Workers Call Storm Tourists A Nuisance
Tourists are flocking to sign up for vacation packages filled with storm chasing

Associated Press Mon 07:59 AM 06/18/2012

Tourists are flocking to sign up for vacation packages filled with storm chasing. For them it's a trip of a lifetime, but some emergency workers find the tour groups a nuisance during what can be life and death situations.

Rush County Emergency Management Director Jim Fisher recalled what happened in early May, the night a tornado wrapped in a wall of rain was about to flow through LaCrosse. When he needed to move some storm spotters down a county road, it was blocked by a tour van and a group of sightseers with tripods set up in the middle of the road.

One of the tour members told a Rush County storm spotter he had paid $1,000 to storm chase and he had every right to be there.
Click to expand...
 
A "regular" person (paying tourist or not) DOES have as much right to be out there as a storm spotter. After all, both volunteered to be there didn't they?

As for the rash of negative articles, meh. All I need to see is the (KS) in the header and I already know the story. That state has had a bug up its ass for years. You'd think a state that gets as many tubes as Kansas would be warmer towards chasers, and not throw a blanket over the community as a whole, based merely on a handful of isolated incidents. But I gave up on people making sense a looong time ago.
 
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With today's society it's all about knee-jerk reactions to a few, rather than the many.
Shane Adams said:
A "regular" person (paying tourist or not) DOES have as much right to be out there as a storm spotter. After all, both volunteered to be there didn't they? I'm not saying that it's right, just how it is.

As for the rash of negative articles, meh. All I need to see is the (KS) in the header and I already know the story. That state has had a bug up its ass for years. You'd think a state that gets as many tubes as Kansas would be more warm towards chasers, and not throw a blanket over the community as a whole, based merely on a handful of isolated incidents. But I gave up on people making sense a looong time ago.
Click to expand...
 
Hmmm...Must've been a shortage of common sense in the area that day!! As an "Emergency Worker" (Paramedic) myself, the safety of others is my utmost concern...however, I can't really do much about stoopid except have them sign a waiver that says out of their abject studpity, I won't get my shorts sued off me!! The tourist is lucky they didn't get arrested by the LEO! Even more lucky that he didn't get a rain-wrapped twister sideways up the "exhaust pipe"!! Sorry...my cynicism and sarcasm are razor-sharp tonight!! SHEESH!!! :mad:
 
I came across a similar "tripods" in the road situation several years ago in Oklahoma, made worse by the fact they were positioned on the blind side of a hill I was topping. I had to skid / swerve to avoid them. I would have pulled over and raised hell, but there was no where to park without adding to the problem.

I would caution any tour operator who allows this to happen. If someone is killed, in addition to civil legal responsibilities, the tour operator could well face criminal negligence charges, given they ignored the obvious dangers.

W.
 
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