Guess what folks....the public doesn't give a crap about us, our storms, or the light bars we have on our vehicles. The sooner we start realizing that, the better. The sooner we realize calling ourselves a "Storm Chasing Team" because we get to put on our special t-shirts and make ourselves feel all important and special, the better.
Laws, no matter if we like them or not, are coming based upon the previous bad behavior of some people. Seeing people driving into Tor's in Wichita does not help matters either. Seeing video of people cutting off LE is not helping matters any.
We can only poke the hornet's nest so many times while telling ourselves it's for public safety before they get out and start to sting us. When we have 500+ people on some county two lane road, it only gets worse.
And ya know what? The county can do it.
Do you really think your school's 'legal team' is going to defend you? That's laughable. Think you're going to get some senator to help you out because you got arrested in the name of "Public Safety" while you put the county sheriff's life at risk because you parked in the middle of the road? Good luck!
Sorry folks...we're victims of our own success.
Here's how it's going to play down folks, and to some extent already has:
County EM is going to go to his county gov't meeting, and he's going to tell them "We have a problem with storm chasers!". County gov't is
going to sit there and listen to how the EM is detailing chasers are blocking the roads, speeding, using strobe lights, and preventing him
from what he deems his necessary service. (Chasers are busting in on his castle.) County gov't is going to be intrigued, but want more
information. Is their EM complaining just to complain, or does he have an actual problem? Next, county sheriff (most likely an elected
official, like them) starts to speak. He says storm chasers are a problem. They are speeding, blocking roads, and he is tired of seeing
the 'red shoe' come flying through his county speeding and driving on the wrong side of the road, and tired of seeing wanna-be cops come
flying through with their light bars and logos. Says on the 14th of April, the massive amounts of people on the road prevented him from
doing his job and getting to assist people in his county (Tax payers and voters) who were affected by the tornado. County commission gets
even more intrigued. Then, they look at the news, and they see articles from Kansas City, and from NPR. They start to get worried
for their jobs. They are seeing articles like this, and think "Uh, oh, our county sheriff and EM manager are right! This is a problem!"
There is a concern over how they are going to do it, and what about civil liberties and enforceability. They talk about it, and then hold
another meeting. By this time, another Mod risk came out in their area, and they are enthralled again by hundreds of storm chasers.
Then, they see video of so called chaser sticking head out window and screaming while looking at his speedometer doing 90mph down road in
his county. County sheriff and EM manager come and ask when are they going to do something. Joe Q. Farmer comes up and says storm chasers
cut through his wheat fields and destroyed his crops, and then he has to pull them out of the mud. County Sheriff was there, and he agrees.
Says storm chasers are causing havoc in our community. Joe Q. Farmer knows someone on county commission and gets him to buy in. Warns
County commissioner he will run against him unless they do something about storm chasers (Old boys club! Uh-oh! ) County commissioner
values his job. County commission doesn't care if the chasers are out of state or tour companies, or idiots from his own county trying to
imitate the red shoe. County commissioner proposes bad thought out rule at next meeting. County lawyer weighs in, says it may violate
aspects of constitution, but they can also enforce other laws within state, like no distracted driving, (laptops) obstructed driving (dash
cams), light bars (impersonating police), speeding, and interfering with emergency services. County Sheriff likes this idea. He gets
giddy with joy. A few chasers complain. Skywarn Ham Radio guy weighs in - says county EM is right for first time in his life. Says chasers
are preventing them from doing their job and playing with radios. Passing mention of chasers using ham radio frequencies, then falls
asleep at podium. County EM guy says Skywarn guy is right for first time in his life. County commissioners go "this is a first - they are
getting along and agree! Gulp!" County commissioners still nervous about being ran against, pass some poor law outlawing chasing or
giving permission to the county sheriff to shut down main roads. County sheriff is happy. He gets to arrest people. County EM is
happy, he gets law passed and his castle is his again. County commissioners are happy because Joe Farmer won't run against them or
complain. County skywarn guy is happy and goes back to coffee and cookies and playing with radio. Joe Farmer is happy and goes back to
playing with tractors and farming and paying taxes.
Chasers unhappy.
County doesn't care.
Chasers try to come in and chase next 5% risk.
County Sheriff shuts down roads and writes a dozen tickets and pulls chasers over.
Chasers complain.
County commissioners don't care because Sheriff, EM, and Joe Farmer happy. Status quo, right?
Some chasers with money file lawsuit, says infringing on rights.
County goes "We don't care, you break speeding laws and cause havoc, and we don't like the red shoe."
County lawyer goes to court, complains about the red shoe and car accidents, and shows video of idiots driving into tornado in Kansas.
Says this is problem.
Supreme court in state agrees this could be a problem, and then what?
Chasers mumble, complain on Storm Track about their 'Noble' cause and how they save lives, but law may or may not get overturned.
Chasers rejoice or cry. Still chase anyways.
County sheriff still hands out tickets for speeding and everything else he can think of. County EM guy is happy because there are less chasers out in his county because people are avoiding it.
Chasers still grumpy.
No one outside of the chasing community cares.
Overall, we are a fairly small group when it comes to the big picture. We all like seeing our video on TV, and getting interviewed by The
Weather Channel, but when it comes down to it, we're a small group. We are not viewed in a positive light by many people in the counties
and states and cities we live in. Why? Because we are the harbingers of death and destruction. Because of behavior like those people driving into tornadoes in Wichita. Because of people pulling out in front of the County Sheriff. Because of people blocking roads while trying to view a storm. Because we have a thousand and one light bars and kids who are acting like idiots on the roads.
We are the victims of our own 'success' and unless WE as individuals change it, I see the above scenario playing out time and time again up
and down the plains. No amount of our complaining or saying the Ron Paul line about our 'rights' will really get us far. Once the
Atomic Twister and Space Tornado movie success wanes, hopefully it will cut down on the number of people on the plains.
Thoughts are my own, don't represent my employers, yadda yadda yadda.
