Identifying other STORMTRACKERs in the field

[John Cameron]

After witnessing what I did on April 3rd where nearly every chaser on the planet converged on the Red River Valley...I wondered if the regulars here at ST ever discussed a means to ID other members from a distance without knowing the type of vehicle etc.

The first thing that comes to mind is a decal...not a decal to advertise for ST (we dont like outsiders ) but something that would allow us to recognize other members. It probably wouldn't have to be much bigger than a coaster (not a roller coaster) in a vivid color like safety orange, neon yellow or hi-lighter pink. As far as text? Well, how about ST or "Certified Storm Tracker"?

There could even be a criteria for attaining a decal...perhaps by making a mesoscale forecast that would prove you can target a chase. Then 4 to 6 bucks for your decal and you're part of the club and all the profits go to Tim V. and Co. to keep this message board running.

Thoughts ?

 

[David Drummond]

http://www.cafepress.com/stormtrack.5985262

 

[John Cameron]

I suppose that would work as well

 

[Shane Adams]

I don't think there's much time while in the heat of the chase to worry about other chasers, and hooking up with others before events initiate can cause loss of focus and screw your timing up if you're in route to a target. If I happen to be somewhere anyway and then other chasers are there, I'll chum it up with the best of them. But purposely seeking other chasers out to socialize is a practice I've long-since gotten over. I'd imagine many others with my experience or more feel the same way. Not a snob thing, just a "been there done that, it's about seeing storms" thing.

I see chasers I actually know quite often, but never talk to. There's just no time in 99.9% of the situations.

 

[Dustin Wilcox]

See ya at the bar AFTER the chase....

 

[Jason Foster]

Get to know folks first

I tend to learn about people first though other trusted chasers. There's a ton of chasers I always like to run into that aren't even signed on to Stormtrack. I don't really see a value of knowing who is, and who isn't on ST, especially when I'm out in the field. I do like meeting other chasers, local, etc. for all the stories, but usually I'm focused on the storm (like Shane).

If there is someone on here that I'd like to meet, I'll PM or email them directly, share phone numbers and when in the field, call 'em up. Sure weeds out the many of folks I'd like to avoid in the field.

Putting a sticker or something on a car becomes more of a "Where's Waldo" affect to me. I mean if folks want to, by all means do so. But I'm not going to myself. Got enough stickers on the back of the van.

 

[John Cameron]

I guess I was thinking of it more as a "yahoo" filter.

I'm the kind of person that likes to show that I belong to a special group....thats all nothing else

 

[Laura Duchesne]

Shane put it best... If I am in the middle of a chase and if there are others out there, I tend to "block" them out and put my attention 100% on the storm. Chasing isn't really about being social... it's about forecasting, driving all day to get to your target and watching the storm if it happens. If there's time to kill and things aren't crazy, I might say hello if the other chaser isn't immersed in something. It would be nice to meet some of the folks on here in person, but if everyone is busy, "chatting up a storm" most likely won't happen. Pardon the pun

You could use stickers on your vehicle... but personally I find no use for them and they really don't say how you REALLY chase. It's just decor.

 

[Jason Foster]

I pose the question.

Well, I guess it depends on whether you talking about in the middle of chase (in which I totally agree, 100% on the storm). But as we all know, the rest of the time when were bored, or when we happen to see another car in the hotel parking lot, maybe that's when the sticker would be useful.

Just posing that question?

 

[Andrew Herron]

How about just getting a Skywarn sticker? They're bright orange and easy to see.

I came to all this and am a part as someone who deals directly with spotters who are just as vital as anyone else out there. We rely on them no more or less than if someone from here happened to be in our county.

I understand the urge to help along the feeling of camaraderie but we do that with discussing forecasts and talking about the events.

It's also a great way to meet other spotters who might not be a part of the board.

Just my couple of cents.