Chaser for a day

[Scott Nelson]

Chasers "occasionally" get bad press for their chase driving and roadside parking/viewing. My thinking is a person who has been on a storm cell and is REALLY chasing wouldn't suddenly lose their mind at the last second and stand or park in traffic when a vortex touches down. Isn't it possible people who just happen to be driving by or are in the area are the cause of "some" of this press too? Was wondering if an officially recognized chaser/spotter sticker or license plate tag is available that helps I.D. chasers who pledge to do it right. Not sure if it would solve the probelm quickly but overtime, the I.D. might receive some recognition and nobody would want to get caught offending it.
Scott

 

[Joey Ketcham]

This topic has been discussed repeatedly it, we are beating a dead horse. A system will never be put into place that would certify or licenses someone to chase storms. Search the forum and you'll find numerous threads about this. The licensing, enforcing, etc would make it nearly impossible for this to happen. I've seen many chasers act irresponsibly, so even with a licenses, sticker, ID or whatever... what about them?

 

[Scott Nelson]

New to this Forum and although I did a lot of Forum reading while waiting to be allowed in, I didn't pick up on this topic specifically. What I did read is that no question is stupid. If it's beaten a dead horse to you, I apologize. It could still be new to someone else.

My point is that a lot of chasers seem to now know each other while out on the road and are considerate of traffic and traffic laws. Along comes someone else who calls themself a chaser but may have simply stumbled along at the right time and will never follow another storm again. My thinking is that they are the ones more often then not who are given the "real chasers" a bad name. Not sure something can be done but it seemed worth talking about.

 

[Jason Boggs]

Scott, this is a very worthwhile topic to talk about. Chaser responsibility is obviously very important, but like Joey said, it has been talked about many times. I don't think a license or other such item could deter chaser from acting stupid. It's ultimately up to them to make up their mind to do right or wrong.

The "real chasers" that act responsible have to just keep chugging along and not worry about what others are doing.

I do have to add this comment though. If you chase long enough, you will eventually do something stupid. It will happen, trust me. It doesn't make you a bad chaser or a bad person. 2 years ago, I was very close to a tornado in Childress, TX at night. I went through town going 90 and I ran 2 red lights. Was I being stupid? Well yes, but I was also trying to save myself and my chase partner from being part of the debris.

Safety is #1 when I chase, but sometimes I have to make a decision, which may be stupid at the time, but will save my tail in the long run.

 

[Shane Adams]

Anyone who's a chaser knows that sometimes you have to bend a few laws...none of which endanger anything except the "principle" on which they were adopted

I'm so sick of the finger-pointing "he/she did a bad thing out there" whiney ass threads. Quit chasing and become the damn chase police, or shut the f*ck up. Chasing isn't for kids, it's for adults. It ain't G or PG, it's R.

 

[J Kinkaid]

Anyone who's a chaser knows that sometimes you have to bend a few laws...none of which endanger anything except the "principle" on which they were adopted

I'm so sick of the finger-pointing "he/she did a bad thing out there" whiney ass threads. Quit chasing and become the damn chase police, or shut the f*ck up. Chasing isn't for kids, it's for adults. It ain't G or PG, it's R.

I thought that it was NC-17 and XXX

 

[John Wetter]

To answer Scott's question, yes, I think a good deal of the really bone-headed things are actually done by locals out for a ride and to see a tornado. Most chasers are pretty well behaved. Sometimes you get bad ones, but over-all most of the issues I've seen are with locals who think they have a 'right' to be there.

 

[Jason Boggs]

To answer Scott's question, yes, I think a good deal of the really bone-headed things are actually done by locals out for a ride and to see a tornado. Most chasers are pretty well behaved. Sometimes you get bad ones, but over-all most of the issues I've seen are with locals who think they have a 'right' to be there.

Actually the locals have just as much of a right to be there as you and me. It's when the locals inexperience and stupidity becomes a problem for the rest of us.

 

[Scott Nelson]

Thanks guys. I kind of expected that this topic would cause some strong opinions. That's why I asked. As budding chaser myself and an author/artist who's writing a children's book about tornado chasing ( please see my Hello thread) I'm simply trying to get a better grasp about this specific issue as I add realistic details into the manuscript. I'll dig deaper into the Forum and look for past discussions about this topic too. I think it's interesting though that I'm defending the actions of "quote un quote real chasers" and yet a few people who list themselves as real chasers have complained about my supportive comments.

Thanks and please keep the comments coming if you desire. They're very helpful.

 

[BRADLEY WINGER]

The problem is that if you start licensing storm chasing, where does it stop?? Lets start licensing snowboarding, skiing, mountain hiking, rock climbing, etc.. Anything that is dangerous, license it? Unfortunately you get people in all areas that act irresponsible and put everyone at risk. I totally understand what you are saying and your reasoning behind it. It just would never fly.

 

[Joey Ketcham]

act irresponsible and put everyone at risk. .

Who exactly is at risk though? As far as I know there are no documented cases in which actions by a storm chaser caused injuries to another person so I fail to believe that storm chasers are as big of a risk to the general public as others make it out to be. The biggest dangers come from just driving (speeding, etc) and we already have a license for that, it's called a drivers license.

Each year we get someone who brings up the topic of needing a license to storm chase, I don't see the point of it. It seems people are too worried about protecting this imaginary "image" of storm chasers rather than just not worrying about it.

Just obey the laws and not worry about what others are doing and you'll be fine. This year will be my 13th year of storm chasing and to date I have never had a problem with either the general public or law enforcement, so I don't really see a need to worry about developing some sort of license for storm chasing.

 

[Shane Adams]

For those who think chaser presence is harmful out there, eliminate it.

Then tell me how harmful that is

Storms move. Spotters don't.

 

[Tim Shriver]

Storms move. Spotters don't.

Our spotters move....not sure why they wouldnt

Tim

 

[BRADLEY WINGER]

You ALL have excellent points. Maybe this whole subject should be dropped once again? This is what I find funny. Next year someone will bring up exactly the same subject. We will all discuss this subject to death with the same resolution. There really is nothing to discuss.

 

[Jason Foster]

Let's be polite to the newcomers.

I don't think this should be dropped, nor is this beating a dead horse. Obviously a new member brought up a question and should be answered with respect.

Yes, the topic has been discussed before, here are a few threads for reading:
http://www.stormtrack.org/forum/showthread.php?t=18583&highlight=ethics
http://www.stormtrack.org/forum/showthread.php?t=16660&highlight=ethics
http://www.stormtrack.org/forum/showthread.php?t=16604&highlight=ethics
http://www.stormtrack.org/forum/showthread.php?t=16521&highlight=ethics