County Officials Critical of Storm Chasers

[CZandbergen]

I am not sure why this is such a tempest in a tea pot or a surprise to anyone that chases often. There were many poor examples of chasers out there this weekend. Of course a high risk day advertised in advance is going to do that. That said, there is no excuse for behaving like an idiot and impeding LEO's or EMS from getting their job done. We pulled over and made way for more than one OHP car after they had blocked us from getting to the road we wanted. We didn't like it, but that is what the law is and it is the right thing to do. I believe the real issue is that some of us think that we automatically have some special status just because we are on a storm. We do not. We are private citizens driving on public roads and must therefore obey the law.

A perfect example of this yahoo behavior is what I have learned is the "SWAT" team chasers. They ended up behind us at dark after the Cherokee tornados and were running with front facing strobes (not ambers) blaring to the point it was blinding to be in front of them. They also attempted to tail gate us to move us out of the way even though we were doing the posted speed limit on a rain soaked road in the dark. Note that this wasn't a car from a local town hanging iPhones out the window. This was someone that believes they are a "chaser" and apparently deserve special status because they could afford some blinky lights.

As long as there are those in our community that decide to ignore the law and common decency this is going to be an on going issue. It is unfortunate, but it is what it is. IMHO, shame on those that give the rest of us a bad name.

 

[Andy Jackson]

I am not sure why this is such a tempest in a tea pot or a surprise to anyone that chases often. There were many poor examples of chasers out there this weekend. Of course a high risk day advertised in advance is going to do that. That said, there is no excuse for behaving like an idiot and impeding LEO's or EMS from getting their job done. We pulled over and made way for more than one OHP car after they had blocked us from getting to the road we wanted. We didn't like it, but that is what the law is and it is the right thing to do. I believe the real issue is that some of us think that we automatically have some special status just because we are on a storm. We do not. We are private citizens driving on public roads and must therefore obey the law.

A perfect example of this yahoo behavior is what I have learned is the "SWAT" team chasers. They ended up behind us at dark after the Cherokee tornados and were running with front facing strobes (not ambers) blaring to the point it was blinding to be in front of them. They also attempted to tail gate us to move us out of the way even though we were doing the posted speed limit on a rain soaked road in the dark. Note that this wasn't a car from a local town hanging iPhones out the window. This was someone that believes they are a "chaser" and apparently deserve special status because they could afford some blinky lights.

As long as there are those in our community that decide to ignore the law and common decency this is going to be an on going issue. It is unfortunate, but it is what it is. IMHO, shame on those that give the rest of us a bad name.

It looks like they are an official media team:
SWAT team
Why strobe lights?

 

[CZandbergen]

Andy,

I don't know what "official" means but I do know what giving the community a bad name looks like. You will have to get one of the "official" team members to tell us why they run front facing strobes and drive dangerously. Again, if we want to be treated with respect by LEO's, etc, we can't have officially sanctioned yahoos in our ranks. Unfortunately, it is what it is. Sad really.

 

[Andy Jackson]

Andy,

I don't know what "official" means but I do know what giving the community a bad name looks like. You will have to get one of the "official" team members to tell us why they run front facing strobes and drive dangerously. Again, if we want to be treated with respect by LEO's, etc, we can't have officially sanctioned yahoos in our ranks. Unfortunately, it is what it is. Sad really.

Yeah, so it's hard to point the finger at any one group of people out there. Well at least it's still early in the season hopefully we've all learned something from this.

 

[Brian Douglas]

I'm a county official, and I waiver back and forth with what I think of chasers. I guess first off I'll ask a question, what makes someone a professional chaser, what proof of being professional can that person give me if I run into him on a Kansas country road?? Regardless of how much experience he or she may have chasing, what do you suppose my response will be if he screams at me to shut off my lights because I am ruining the video he is trying to take?

On one hand you've got chasers( and I have to say upfront I haven't seen anything like what happened in Dickinson county) who obey the law, are courteous, and helpful. Then you have the others, and many of them have lots of antennas and look pretty professional as far as gear goes, but as far as I know they are not carrying a PhD in chasing or any kind of a license that entitles them to special treatment, and they are a pain in the ass to boot. If you are worried a tornado is about to go through your hometown, or has gone through your hometown, someone who doesn't live in your county and is simply there for the thrill of seeing destruction isn't ever going to be all that welcome. A couple weeks ago I was in the pro chaser camp, Saturday sent me close to being in the anti-chaser camp.

I will admit though that local people gawking cause just as much trouble if not more, and not just during storms, but during fires, car wrecks, etc. It could be the chaser factor was the straw that broke the camels back more than the main problem(the main problem after all was the tornado). As with most endeavors in life, a few bad apples can give the entire barrel a bad name.

Nobody likes regulation from the government, maybe the answer is some sort of self regulation or certification, with a code of conduct and ID to prove you aren't just a yokel from the next county or even the next state that wants to tear through the countryside hoping to see someones house get wiped out.

 

[Steve Dedman]

Hmmm...anytime a LEO has his lights going, his dashcam is running. Go back over the video and start mailing reckless endangerment summonses to the jackwagons causing the problems. I'm guessing that some of those sleepy Kansas towns have enough time to do that and it would be a nice little revenue stream for them. I'm thinking a few $1000 fines would deter the yokels and curb some of the non-yokel bad behavior. "Professional" or "amateur" doesn't matter that way. If you break the law and LEO catches you on camera, get out your checkbook.

 

[Karen St John]

Hmmm...anytime a LEO has his lights going, his dashcam is running. Go back over the video and start mailing reckless endangerment summonses to the jackwagons causing the problems. I'm guessing that some of those sleepy Kansas towns have enough time to do that and it would be a nice little revenue stream for them. I'm thinking a few $1000 fines would deter the yokels and curb some of the non-yokel bad behavior. "Professional" or "amateur" doesn't matter that way. If you break the law and LEO catches you on camera, get out your checkbook.

.

It wouldn't be difficult to plant a few LEOs in with a convergence crowd. It might help with tracking the storm (especially where the skilled chasers are, there is likely a storm to be tracked) keep order, and keep the road clear. Plus, if the law allows impounding a vehicle which impedes the passage of emergency personnel to their duty stations, a message can be sent...

 

[Joshua Nall]

I'm thinking a few $1000 fines would deter the yokels and curb some of the non-yokel bad behavior. "Professional" or "amateur" doesn't matter that way. If you break the law and LEO catches you on camera, get out your checkbook.

That's really the only thing that is going to bring change. You can talk about this, teach, shame, certify, and regulate, but to really change behaviour in those that evidently don't care and are taking advantage of the situation, there has to be some pain. Problem is it's not that easy. Especially at the time the deeds are done, do to the nature of the situation. And there are so many of them. I did see flashing lights pull over one "chaser" inside city limits just after a tornado had passed nearby. I believe it was Anthony, KS. My first thought was... That's a shame that he is burdened with that when his desire is probably to be out checking on people.

 

[Jake Orosi]

I think Saturday I ran a couple stop signs to get ahead of the convergence. Go ahead, lynch me, I really don't give a rat's ass about what people say about my chasing.

Congratulations; you embody the whole problem.

 

[STexan]

I saw a chaser (nice sport utility with company name and light bar) stopped by a county LEO who was headed south, south of Medicine Lodge Saturday afternoon. I suppose maybe he was speeding but there was no convergence at all except for maybe 3 or 4 chasers spread out miles apart. So something tells me that perhaps lately, some LEO's are looking for chasers and will give them extra scrutiny and not cut them any slack. So the lesson here is do your damnedest not to speed on storm day, not even on a quiet, wide open road. I personally try and travel as "incognito" as possible.

 

[David Drummond]

I wouldn't assume just because you saw a chaser pulled over by LEO it was because they did something bad. I've been pulled over in my high profile vehicles quite a few times, only so they could get and update on the weather situation, see a radar, stuff like that. You'd be surprised how many LEOs and FD folks that are out there in these rural counties that are given very little, and often old, weather information to work with. And if you think about it, if you were one of these cops, and wanted to stop someone to get information, who would you stop? Probably the most professional looking storm chase vehicle you could find quickly.

 

[Andy Jackson]

Regardless of how much experience he or she may have chasing, what do you suppose my response will be if he screams at me to shut off my lights because I am ruining the video he is trying to take?

Has this happened before?
Speaking for myself as well as others, I'm not there for the destruction.

 

[Joey Ketcham]

I wouldn't assume just because you saw a chaser pulled over by LEO it was because they did something bad. I've been pulled over in my high profile vehicles quite a few times, only so they could get and update on the weather situation, see a radar, stuff like that. You'd be surprised how many LEOs and FD folks that are out there in these rural counties that are given very little, and often old, weather information to work with. And if you think about it, if you were one of these cops, and wanted to stop someone to get information, who would you stop? Probably the most professional looking storm chase vehicle you could find quickly.

Yep. While I haven't been pulled over for it, I've been approached by deputies while parked off the side of the road. After learning I was a storm chaser, we proceeded to talk about the weather and occasionally they would ask if I had radar that I could show them and I would. I've been fortunate in that I've never had any negative experiences with law enforcement while chasing. I've had many encounters with them while chasing, but it was always either them checking to make sure I was okay and didn't need help, or to just ask about the weather and what to expect. Like you said, David, in those rural areas they get very little information. Each time, they've always showed appreciation for the information I provided them.

 

[Chad Berryhill]

I’d like to clear a few things up since Lanny can’t at this current time.

First, Lanny does not run his business off of other people’s demise. In fact he has participated in aiding victims in various ways and what he couldn’t do with ECT, Mission of Compassion would pick up from there. I watched Lanny cry with a lady the day after her mobile home was turned into tooth picks. He also gave her all the money he had in is his pocket, so her and her son could get a motel instead of sleeping on a cot.
As for “legitimate chasers have a placeâ€. Are you legit? If you are it shouldn’t bother you. If you are, than it should prompt you to become legit, and to help others.

Now, after a long phone call with the EM of Dickinson County Mr. Smith, the truth came out, hence the quick apology. He admitted that most of his accusations were untrue or heavily exaggerated. It boiled down to him having to slow down on a dirt road, because chasers were lined up on it. It only makes sense to me that chasers were on the dirt road, to stay clear of the paved road.

As for the county administrator Brad Hammond, I’m not sure why he came charging out after Mr. Smith offered an apology. Maybe trying to flex his muscles, who knows? He too had a long conversation with Lanny and offered an apology.
The bigger picture: Lanny knew the original story was biased/one-sided, and he wanted to balance it out. He wanted to be a voice for all of us. The last thing we need is another “black eyeâ€. Did he have to? No. I’m sure some of you don’t agree with his actions; just know it was an effort for the greater good.

Personally I really don’t care how you chase. If you want to drive like a maniac, stand in the road and block traffic, or have enough light bars to light up NYC, then more power to you. As long as you don’t effect what I’m trying to accomplish, then I really don’t care.

If you have any questions, feel free to pm me.

With that said, I wish you all a safe and successful chase season.

 

[STexan]

... Maybe but there was no shoulder, a sharp drop-off, and it was not a very safe place to do a stop and chat if that's the case and it looked as if the LEO was sitting in his driver's seat alone "writing on something". If he wanted information and to view radar there were no fewer than 20 chasers sitting around and gassing up in his town 5 miles north that had just came out of a T Warning.