Originally posted by Karen Rhoden
Therefore, I am thinking that all these lightbars and being paranoid about getting crashed into might not be an issue if people would only stop when a safe place to do so presents itself and they are able to completely turn off the road - thus removing themselves from the traffic flow and thus eliminating the need for warning lights and whistles. I can't think of many situations I have been in where there was literally no dirt road to pull off on.
KR
Wasn't picking on you Karen, just that had been mentioned previously in the thread and it seemed you might have missed it.
What about.... have you ever driven in blinding rain, hail or dust? How about hail fog after a massive hail dump? Never once pulled out and forgot to turn off those hazards (seen lots of people do that, chasers or no)
I think many of us that chase a lot can take driving in bad weather conditions for granted, because after all, it's somewhat routine for us compared to the rest of the driving population. I know out here even in Lubbock, all it has to do is rain a little bit, and most of the drivers around seem to forget 90% of what they knew about driving. Same goes for any frozen stuff too. And you would think out here people would be used to driving in dust storms....not so!
It's all THOSE people out there driving that I am "paranoid" about smacking in to me, while I am moving or while I am sitting still. I am not nearly as worried about the guy with all the "useless" weather instruments on his vehicle or lights, because to me I figure he has some chasing experience driving in bad weather. I am MUCH more concerned about the general public's driving in those conditions.
If a person is always able to pull off to where you feel safe, if they never have to drive in a weather situation that gives you concern of other drivers abilities, then sounds like they have found a good formula for chasing that works for them. GREAT! Surely no one will call those people in names or bash on them because that is they way they chose and it works for them. Don't see why it has to be that way for those that chose the other path though. No one is trying to make anyone else put lights on their cars, but there does seem to be those that want others to take them off.
Which really I see it the lightbar issue really comes down to part of a larger issue. For many years now, those that have lots of "stuff" on their chase vehicles inevitably come under fire by a small group of those that don't have that stuff. However, you rarely hear those that have it bashing on people because they don't. I've hypothosized over the years as to why this is, and have formed my own opinions about it, which I won't share as to draw more fire, but I really don't understand why those that don't have "stuff" on their chase vehicles sometimes feel the need to launch fire on those that do? Does it really matter? Does it really affect anyone elses ability to go out and stare at water vapor? No, not really.
I have been guilty in the past of whacking on some people for some things they have done in chasing, but here lately, slowly actually over the last 6 months or so have been evolving my thinking and have finally decided that, you know what? I really don't care what anyone else is doing while they are out there chasing, or how they are doing it, as long as they aren't DIRECTLY affecting me on chase day somehow. If your causing me a direct problem out there in the field, your going to hear about it, otherwise, I could care less about what anyone else does. Sure there are a couple of wanna be whackers with fully decked out chase vehicles that have never been chasing a day in their life running around, and maybe those guys need to have a little fun poked at them, but if your actually getting out there and making an attempt, more power to you.
Whatever makes you enjoy chasing more, go for it and if someone else is having an issue with something you decided to stick on your chase vehicle, whether it be an amber light bar or hot pink fuzzy dice from your antenna, then it's their issue and not yours, enjoy yourself! Chase like it's the last storm, take images like their's no tomorrow, and be proud of yourself for the effort at the end of the day. In 10-15-20 yrs I will guarantee you 80% of the people you interact with in chasing now will have moved on to something else. It's the rare handful of people that have stuck it out for the very long term.
And with that, I think I have contributed all I had useful to the lightbar discussion, so I will respectifully bow out at this time from it.
