Chaser destroys rental car in hail storm

[Ryan Schwartz]

Whatever he was driving in MN the windshield was toast by the end of the chase.

 

[Warren Faidley]

This will not end well for Mr. Timmer.

I have no personal, non-chasing issues with him and I admire his educational success. I'm sure he's a nice guy. I've had zero personal interactions with him, which is rather amazing given the time we have both been chasing. Ironically, Timmer and I are forever linked in chasing history by breaking the barriers of chasing success at different times.

I certainly don't agree with everything he does, especially his extreme antics that other chasers emulate. One of our big differences is that I had mentors like Chuck Doswell, who provided "assorted levels" of feedback when I did something stupid. I was aware that my actions were being watched by others and I had some responsibility to act in a civilized manner. No one of authority will dare challenge Timmer (e.g., peers), which is a shame... and a potentially fatal flaw.

I've always said "he's one of the luckiest chasers alive." He has defied death or severe injury more times than I can count. The problem with constantly tempting fate is that fate eventually wins. Most of my very close calls (as a journalist and chaser), were situations related to, but not directly involved with an obvious danger. Like the driver who fell asleep in the opposite lane and missed hitting me head-on by inches. Or when hurricane chasing and a roof blew off an apartment complex, landing in the parking lot as I exited. The list goes on. It's one thing to encounter such dangers as part of the job, but another to push your luck for publicity.

When I learned to fly, there was a great sign posted on the wall of the ready room. It said: "The are lots of bold pilots and old pilots, but few old bold pilots."

 

[JamesCaruso]

He posted on Instagram recently about visiting the TWISTEX memorial. All these fanboys and girls posted comments that made me sick. Things like (paraphrasing) "so sorry Reed" (as in, sorry for the loss of your fellow chasers); "thanks for all you do to keep us safe"; and assorted other comments making him sound like he's on the same plane as Tim Samaras as a scientist. I felt like writing, "Thanks to you and the people that try to imitate you, a similar tragedy will happen again." But I decided it was best to say nothing.

I still can't believe him screaming on the hail video, "Got shards of glass in my face!" like a badge of pride.

 

[Greg Campbell]

Playing Dukes of Hazzard in Minnesota. Another rental appears to bite the dust.

 

[Jonathan Scrogham]

Welp

https://twitter.com/x/status/1841850515115676150

 

[Jeff Duda]

Perhaps he will finally attain some degree of responsibility and understand that if he wants to destroy vehicles, he will have to destroy his own.

That, or stop driving into large hail for no other reason than for the Twitch/YT views. I have no idea what he's going for, so I can't comment further.

 

[Blake Naftel]

Storm chasing, much like porn, which by the way the "extreme" model was coded and based upon by a OU coder, FACT, is in my humble opinion also a sick addiction and did nothing good for "storm chasing culture" as it moved forward. I will add further here that the model for such internet videos was based on the human pull for instant gratification. "See hail destroy car!" "See monster tornado up close!", etc. All money shots. This is not a new concept either, but certainly proved successful on "social" media post 2005.

We on this forum all appreciate the dynamic atmosphere and live different lives... but still, regardless of platform, the fact that poor behavior continues to endure and inspire others to do the same is downright shameful. I sincerely hope some positive change comes from a reanalysis of lifestyle and public presentation via videos by Reed and others. We all have different styles and personalities, that is what makes us all human, but much like forecasting the atmosphere, know your boundaries and be respectful of them.

*Note, I edited my prior comment to be a bit more practical in a discussion sense rather than a taunting ramble which I can easily be swept into.

 

[Todd Lemery]

I just saw a post by a storm chaser in Texas catching RT and possibly two more storm chasers running a red light, with traffic, trying to keep up with the storm. Disappointing…

 

[Warren Faidley]

And so it continues... The razor-sharp pendulum of Murphy's Law swings slow and wide in the world of storm chasing, but it eventually reaches the target like it did at that intersection east of Lubbock, TX years ago.

I applaud the brave, heroic individual(s) for posting clips and naming names related to the bad behavior, which mostly goes unchecked because the media and other chasers who know it's happening are cowards to address the problem, or they justify the behavior for some false pursuit. This has existed for years. Kind of like Michael Jackson's friends who did not have the courage to intervene and we know what happened there.

The only way this ends is by posting such clips and attaching names to the individuals so it becomes public record. That way, when someone kills an innocent person, it will be much easier to prove in court there is a pattern of negligent behavior.

Having said all this, we are all guilty of some traffic infractions while chasing -- so we need to be careful when casting stones. The problem is when it becomes an uncorrected chasing style.

 

[Jeff Duda]

Having said all this, we are all guilty of some traffic infractions while chasing -- so we need to be careful when casting stones. The problem is when it becomes an uncorrected chasing style.

Yes, but in our (read, "my own") defense, not all traffic infractions are equal. There's a difference between running a stop sign in the middle of open farmland on a gravel road grid when no one is around and running a red light in a town or city when there are likely other vehicles or pedestrians present. But both are technically traffic violations.

Similarly, there's a difference between doing 85 in a 55 on a lone two-lane road that is flat and straight and there isn't tremendously bad weather around (read, nothing worse than some light rain or debris/dust-free crosswinds) and doing 85 in a 55 on a busy interstate or 4-lane highway with people stopped on the shoulder to watch. But they are both traffic violations.

 

[Warren Faidley]

Yes, but in our (read, "my own") defense, not all traffic infractions are equal. There's a difference between running a stop sign in the middle of open farmland on a gravel road grid when no one is around and running a red light in a town or city when there are likely other vehicles or pedestrians present. But both are technically traffic violations.

Similarly, there's a difference between doing 85 in a 55 on a lone two-lane road that is flat and straight and there isn't tremendously bad weather around (read, nothing worse than some light rain or debris/dust-free crosswinds) and doing 85 in a 55 on a busy interstate or 4-lane highway with people stopped on the shoulder to watch. But they are both traffic violations.

Absolutely. I'm talking about going a few miles over the speed limit or maybe forgetting to use a turn signal every now and then. Some chasers have serious, long histories of some rather serious offenses. I know of people who have captured live feeds of these individuals and dissected the violations, including completely blowing through stop signs because they were going too fast in heavy rain / hail to see the signs. Most people lose their invincibility mentality in their late teens, but some chasers seem to carry on like nothing will ever happen to them or innocent travelers.

 

[Jimmy Dewitt]

I was on a volunteer fire department for 30 years and saw many people come and go. One young man was very gung ho at first and at times would exceed 100 mph responding just to "make the truck". Through several life events he eventually saw the lite and became more responsible. Today he is the chief! Change is possible but it must come from within.

 

[Blake Naftel]

I was on a volunteer fire department for 30 years and saw many people come and go. One young man was very gung ho at first and at times would exceed 100 mph responding just to "make the truck". Through several life events he eventually saw the lite and became more responsible. Today he is the chief! Change is possible but it must come from within.

Point well stated, Jimmy. "Change" from "within" a universally true sentiment that applies to everyone. Some individuals however, regardless of age, wisdom, advanced academic degrees, maturity or lack there of simply do not switch to that path, regardless of genuine concern by family, friends or liaisons for those types of personalities.

Decades ago, 2006, while working at a small television station in West Lafayette, Indiana, WLFI, the news director and I had a meeting about my "behavior in the field" and "at the station", some of which involved weather and storm chasing in station branded vehicles. I was young, age 25-26, impetuous and at times tempestuous in between my professional moments on camera or behind it, but what she said to me always stuck. "Blake, I learned along ago that I cannot change someone's behavior, I can only offer suggestions, the rest remains up to those individuals to grow, expand and change however they see fit."

That individual had been with the station for a few decades dating back to the mid 1980's, certainly witnessed her share of personalities, traffic altercations getting to "the scene" for "the story" and the fragile ego states of reporters, anchors and management within. Traffic infractions were part of the mix as well. Eventually LIN broadcasting made a policy refusing to pay for any traffic tickets, and for good reason! I bring this story up as it directly applies to the "red light running" altercations that we all, myself included, have made in the heat of assorted weather moments, nor am I defending what just happened, again, in Texas of which I'm reading here for the first time.

A storm trek on 19 May 1998 in "Michiana" (Southwest Michigan and Northern Indiana) comes to mind in terms of blind ignorance to storms vs. logic. This goes back to my high school era, age 17, so not much real time travel experience under my belt. My chase partner Aaron Graham and I were in his 1978 Chevy Bonneville van we oft referred to as the "meatwagon", a nod to the actual "meatwagon" of owned by Roger Edwards, of which was a 1986 Pontiac Parisienne wagon. We were so fixated on reaching a supercell thunderstorm WAY to the south across the Indiana border that Aaron ran a stop sign at a intersection on a rural country highway that typically sees frequent traffic. Neither of us noticed this until I reviewed the VHS videotape a day later. My estimate based on memory of that video was he was driving over 55 m.p.h. at the time. Luck fortunately was on our side and no traffic was crossing on the E to W side as we headed from N to S. The chase ended up being a "bust" yet concluded with a nice sunset which made for some beautiful 35mm prints and tripoded SVHS videotape . I think about that moment every time I read a story such as the recent example in Texas, or so many others in the recent past and just cringe.

I nor anyone else can tell someone how to live or operate their lives, nor should. You can only lead by example, for better or worse. I still return to that adage by the former news director in West Lafayette, Indiana to keep humble. In the recent instance Texas law enforcement stepped in and bopped "Team Science", or whatever they call themselves now, for their behavior. Will it stop them from amped up future antics? Not by a long shot.

Blake


BLAKE WILLIAM NAFTEL
Artist, Comedy Writer, Meteorologist (BS Geosciences, WMU, April 2006).

616.643.7762
blakenaftel.com
threereelfilms.com

 

[Blake Naftel]

Absolutely. I'm talking about going a few miles over the speed limit or maybe forgetting to use a turn signal every now and then. Some chasers have serious, long histories of some rather serious offenses. I know of people who have captured live feeds of these individuals and dissected the violations, including completely blowing through stop signs because they were going too fast in heavy rain / hail to see the signs. Most people lose their invincibility mentality in their late teens, but some chasers seem to carry on like nothing will ever happen to them or innocent travelers.

It's the sky drama that still apparently "sells" regardless of corporate sponsorship by private weather entities or obeying traffic laws. The antics of "Team Science" has also kept this thread alive and well, which goes back to the adage, bad publicity is good publicity, that is until you're dead or permanently alter the lives of others in the process, directly or indirectly. Both have been accomplished ten fold since 1999.

Blake


BLAKE WILLIAM NAFTEL
Artist, Comedy Writer, Meteorologist (BS Geosciences, WMU, April 2006).

616.643.7762
blakenaftel.com
threereelfilms.com