Chaser Irresponsibility

[Eric Treece]

Like I said, I am no saint, and if anyone wants a complete list of laws I have broken while chasing, I can run it out like Jim Carey in "Liar Liar", but there is a time.......and a place when it is ok and not ok to be a little crazy. Anyone that drives into a city as big as Kearney chasing a rain wrapped tornado like that has completely lost their mind IMO. And in a reckless manner as was described, completely justifies anyone of authority or lawmakers, etc in wanting to regulate our sport if not outlaw it! Come on guys........I hope your footage was worth the scrutiny you are going to come under now.

EDIT: Greg, while I don't agree with what happened, I do applaud you for stepping up and admitting wrong doing. Thank you for that. It is the person that hides in the corner that isn't willing to step up and admit to his mistake that I don't respect.

 

[Jim Saueressig]

Well, the cameras don't lie, so if I did run red lights, that was irresposible of me and I apologize. I know at one point we didn't have a clear idea of where the storm was (we run WxWorx which doesn't give us precise locations of storm features) and that may have added to the urgency of not wanting to stay stopped a a red light with no cross traffic, but you are right in that it reflects poorly on the chaser community and can lead to possible problems. I will definitely reevaluate our chase techniques and try to improve on how we can be a better storm spotter. Please PM me if you have any other questions or comments. We are heading back to AZ and had a wonderful experience this year and met some great people, both chasers and locals. I think each year is a learning experience and we try to grow out of those experiences, good and bad. With more chasers and media coverage comes more responsiblity, and we will try our best to represent the chase community is a positive manner.

Greg you have taken the best step possible, admitting that you were not acting responsibly and that it can reflect badly on others and actually taking the criticism positively and stating you would be taking steps to remedy the situation. I don't think anyone can ask for more. Thanks!

Glad to see this being posted. This is what I have said needs to be done. When the Boneheads are out here making us all look bad, we need to call them out. It makes it even worse still that it is being broadcast to anyone that wants to see it. Makes it look bad on Severe Studios also as they provide the streaming service. Should or when I make a stupid move and someone has it on film, please post it too.

You nearly getting stuck a few times is the worst I have seen so far on your camera. lol


Also just an added note. Others are guilty as well of such actions, this is not to Greg alone. We all have a responsibility to act responsible when representing a group of people.

 

[Greg Ansel]

Learning

Thanks Jim, it won't happen again. Trust me. It's hard for me to hear people like Dennis and others whom I respect as chasers come down on my actions, but I'll take my licks. I wouldn't be surprised if they use this video as a training guide at the next convention on what not to do when chasing. Roger might be in touch.

 

[Joey Ketcham]

Not related to this incident, but falls under the category of chasing responsibly and being respectful.

On another thread, think it’s titled “Chaser Convergence”, but someone posted a picture showing a group of chasings walking and standing around in a wheat field. Not only were they trespassing, but at the same time damaging the farmer’s crop and possibly destroying it.

I typically stay out of these heated debates, but having members of my family who are farmers and knowing the work they go through to plant their crops that picture struck a raw nerve with me. The wheat may have not meant anything to that group of chasers who took it upon themselves to tramp all over it, but to some farmer and his family that wheat means everything, the money they make is a source of income and those chasers had no right being amongst that wheat and walking on it.

Along with being courteous to other drivers on the road and obeying laws, be respectful of other people’s property. I don’t know what that group of chasers reasoning was for being in that wheat field, but nobody has the right to tramp around in some farmers field – especially when that field is a crop field. There is no excuse for that.

Like I said, it has nothing to do specifically with this thread or anyone posting in here - but it goes hand in hand with being responsible.

 

[Dennis Sherrod]

Thanks for the compliment Greg after I stabbed you pretty hard. We all make mistakes and as long as we learn, we are doing good. And as I said, when I make mine, I want someone to call me on it.
BTW, I will still be glad to chase with you again anytime.

 

[Jim Saueressig]

falls under the category of chasing responsibly and being respectful.

Like I said, it has nothing to do specifically with this thread or anyone posting in here - but it goes hand in hand with being responsible.

It does though because anything that reflects poorly on a chaser in general is a concern to all. People as a rule will generalize a group of people based on one person alone.

 

[Elinor McLennon]

I have made mistakes before and I have tried to turn them into learning experiences. We all know what could have gone wrong but fortunately things turned out o.k. We also know that these types of irresponsible acts makes the entire chase community look bad.

But, I think it takes a very stand-up type of person that can be bashed on a public forum to reply with an apology and a willingness to learn from this rather than to respond with anger or hurt feelings. So, good job Greg for the way you have handled this situation.

May we ALL learn from this and let's stay safe....alot of us have family, kids, friends, etc. waiting on us when we get home.

 

[Joey Ketcham]

It does though because anything that reflects poorly on a chaser in general is a concern to all. People as a rule will generalize a group of people based on one person alone.

True, I guess the title of this thread is "Chaser Irresponsibility" so yeah, that does fall under the same category.

That group of chasers are lucky, farmers don't take it lightly when someone is trespassing and causing damage to their crops... they are lucky the farmer didn't see them and end up coming face to face with a shotgun.

But yeah, there's no excuse in this world for any chaser to trespass on someone's property - especially crop. Farmers already have to deal with their crops being destroyed by severe weather, guess now they have to worry about crop damage from storm chasers.

 

[Bob Schafer]

Might I gently suggest that we quit worrying about our image and instead be concerned about trying to follow the Golden Rule? Do the latter, and the former is a non-issue anyway.

 

[Chris Sokol]

Speaking of trespassing...

Sometime in the last few days I saw some photos on here...don't remember where, but some chasers actually entered a house that had been hit by a tornado and, even with nobody there to give permission, photographed the inside of the house...showing what had happened to the home owners possessions in the tornado. I was absolutely appalled by this complete and total lack of respect for a persons private property.

 

[sean wilson]

I would like to add a comment. I'm not going to let Greg stand alone and take all the blame. I was with Greg and yes what we did (driving without care) was wrong. I made a mistake and I apologize. I knew better. Cooler heads must prevail in situations like the one that took place in Kearney Nebraska. The last thing I want to do is put my passengers, the public, or myself in danger. As a veteran storm chaser I set a bad example for Greg and the Remora Team. I have no excuse for my actions.

Sean Wilson

 

[J Kinkaid]

When lights are out it's a 4 way stop. I can't tell you how dangerous it is around here driving around after a cane. Thanks for starting a thread about this cause I was about to start one after watching some of ya'll that never stop and stop sighns .

 

[Shane Adams]

How big a deal is it, really, to run red lights in a town where a tornado is in progress, and there are no vehicles on the road but chasers and LEOs? There are times in life when rules go out the window; a tornado going through the town I'm in is one of those times. I'm not going to stop at a red light in a deserted intersection with a tornado near me, and I'm not apologizing to anyone about it either.

Do we really need these threads every chase now? All the live streaming is doing is showing us what was always there anyway. My suggestion is to stop your chase, and track down the offending chasers, make a public arrest, and put your money where your mouth is. If you see it, and it pisses you off, go do something about it....and that don't mean blasting someone on a forum. A chaser getting pulled out of his vehicle and smacked around will do a helluva lot more than a whiney forum thread.

 

[Chris Lott]

How big a deal is it, really, to run red lights in a town where a tornado is in progress, and there are no vehicles on the road but chasers and LEOs? There are times in life when rules go out the window; a tornado going through the town I'm in is one of those times. I'm not going to stop at a red light in a deserted intersection with a tornado near me, and I'm not apologizing to anyone about it either.

Do we really need these threads every chase now? All the live streaming is doing is showing us what was always there anyway. My suggestion is to stop your chase, and track down the offending chasers, make a public arrest, and put your money where your mouth is. If you see it, and it pisses you off, go do something about it....and that don't mean blasting someone on a forum. A chaser getting pulled out of his vehicle and smacked around will do a helluva lot more than a whiney forum thread.

I have to agree with Shane on this one. In the heat of the moment, I think a lot of chasers are going to disregard the "rules", especially if a tornado is bearing down on them. I actually think that calling people out in threads chase after chase is getting a little ridiculous. It's a simple fix, either take it up in a pm or if they are within eyesight during the chase and you see them do something inappropriate, pull them over yourself and deal with it right then and there. There is a well known and well respected chaser that I have seen countless accounts that to me, he not only puts his own life in danger, but those that chase with him and others around him in danger. I would never call him out though. Hey, if that's his thing, let him do it because it will catch up to him in the long run. If I ever see him on a chase, I will find another angle to hit the storm from, and totally avoid the situation. Problem solved.

 

[David Mikulec]

How big a deal is it, really, to run red lights in a town where a tornado is in progress, and there are no vehicles on the road but chasers and LEOs? There are times in life when rules go out the window; a tornado going through the town I'm in is one of those times. I'm not going to stop at a red light in a deserted intersection with a tornado near me, and I'm not apologizing to anyone about it either.

I really respect the veterans on this board, and the work they've done. However...

The first time a pedestrian runs out in front of you, maybe out and caught in the storm, trying to get home, you'll find out just how ignorant that remark is.

Speaking as someone who was almost killed by a red light runner, in a similar situation as a kid, I'm sorry but nobody is above the law.