New Armored Chase Vehicles to Invade Tornado Alley!

[Jason_Dasho]

This is what I was alluding to in my original post. While the thread may have started out with a neutral, "hey, look what these guys are doing," I could see it devolving into, "hey, let's scoff at the new guys because they're not like us." There are some 100% purist chasers out there that drive out to a tornado, take a picture of it, and drive home, like Hoadley started doing in the 50's and 60's. There are some that chase entirely to see their Twitter followers, Likes, and video views increase. I think it's fair to say that most of us, myself included, are somewhere in between, and we do get some satisfaction from the attention chasing brings. That attention is a big part, or even a dominant part for anyone who adorns their car proudly, demands respect, or thinks they earned experience points that make them more entitled than others. Those are the folks that I think are being most hypocritical when judging others that are attempting to do the same.

Armored intercept vehicles make excellent attention getting devices and publicity generators and they can be effective at surviving tornado impacts. I don't think that really has much impact on the rest of us unless they're stealing your share of the attention or your place as a chaser authority figure.

Well said!!

Sent from my SCH-S738C using Tapatalk

 

[StephenHenry]

This thread, more than any other here, makes me giggle about how lucky we all are when thinking about weather in geological and technological timescales. That we can discuss lee cyclogenesis, 4g reception, and armored intercept vehicles in the same internet forum is a testament to our good fortunes. I love how many different approaches and abilities there are for seeing rotating air columns

</SDS-addled philosophy>

 

[Rob H]

I will say that after attending chasercon (first and most likely last time I'll go) as a relatively new chaser and hanging around here, one major disappointment for me has been how prevalent bragging and competition are amongst this community, and not in a friendly way, but in an immature and dangerous way. It really made me not want to meet many other chasers after experiencing the culture. I'm sure just a few years back my opinion would be vastly different. I'm out there like many of you in an unmarked vehicle just wanting to see the beauty and power of nature and share it with a few friends, not obsessed with getting the most insane video ever, etc. There is a really over-aggressive streak in quite a few chasers and there seems to be many who want to control the hobby. I just want to see some storms with friends.

Posts like this make me sad. Other hobbies don't have near the amount of drama or ego that I've seen in storm chasing. Sure they have it - but I don't think any come close.

Keep hanging around and meeting new people and eventually you'll find some lifelong friends that you somehow only bump into several times a year in the middle of nowhere.

There's a reason I don't post on Facebook any more and why I culled every chaser except for a small few that I have extended private conversations with. If the "community" at large bugs you like it does many others, pull back and do your own thing.

 

[Paul Knightley]

I've often wondered why people feel the need to festoon their cars with decals and lightbars, etc. I guess it might give a feeling of self-importance, but does anyone else really car if you're storm chasing? I like to keep a low profile.

Anyway, back to the topic - whilst these guys are, of course, free to do what they like, anything which has the risk of bringing the hobby into disrepute should certainly get our attention. Of course, I'm not saying in any way, shape, or form, that these guys are - and besides, I think some chasers have already done that to some degree.

 

[Todd Rector]

I don't think I've ever seen another chaser in a WRX, and it surprises me to this day. I'd take the speed and agility over the heavy armor every time. (I do seem to remember seeing a Porsche 924 chasing more than once. /random)

I have a Porsche 928 (basically a 924 with an 8 cylinder engine) and believe me, I would NEVER chase in it! Fast, YES! Reliable, NO! Also, it sits about 6 inches off the ground... and driving it on gravel? NO WAY... The thought of making it from Des Moines Iowa to the Texas panhandle in 5ish hours is quite tempting, but once the LEO helicopters caught up with me, I would need to sell it to pay my bail

 

[Todd Rector]

Also, I kinda hated to mention this because I generally avoid controversy, but these guys are building their "Dorothy" and live in/near Bondurant Iowa, about 4 miles from my house. Until recent publicity, I have never heard of any of these people, and member searches here on Stormtrack yield nothing. No judgment, I just find it odd. It would be nice if one or more of them were available here to comment.

It has been said in earlier posts, but my concern is mostly regarding their personal safety. High-speed photography (even from a distance) seems like a reasonable idea, but I fear their perceived level of safety because they are driving a tank might be misplaced. Without the benefit of a strong meteorological support system to let them know how intense a potential target is, (like DOW), they are guessing based solely on radar feeds and visual observation.

Even the best and most experienced among us can be caught in a bad situation (el Reno) and I don't want to see the Dorothy guys get hurt. Sure, your vehicle plants itself to the ground, but what happens to it when it is hit by a farm tractor or tree flying horizontally at 150mph?

I dunno. We all take risks when we chase. I just hope these guys chase carefully.

TR

 

[James Hammett]

I don't think I've ever seen another chaser in a WRX, and it surprises me to this day. I'd take the speed and agility over the heavy armor every time. (I do seem to remember seeing a Porsche 924 chasing more than once. /random)

I've chased in a WRX since 2009. Any car will have sufficient speed and agility vs a tornado tank, but I do appreciate the AWD when pulling off-road and the ability to run knobby A/T's when I can't get off the dirt roads before the rain hits.

 

[Warren Faidley]

Well..... Fox News just did a story about these guys and unfortunately they broke down and used the "chasing for life saving data ploy" that has become the popular deception. I just don't get it why people cannot be honest and just say "we're doing it to have fun, get publicity, make money, gain favor with law enforcement and shoot some exciting video for YouTube and productions. I want to make it clear... I don't care what they do, but geez, lets be honest.

W.

 

[Jeff Duda]

Well..... Fox News just did a story about these guys and unfortunately they broke down and used the "chasing for life saving data ploy" that has become the popular deception. I just don't get it why people cannot be honest and just say "we're doing it to have fun, get publicity, make money, gain favor with law enforcement and shoot some exciting video for YouTube and productions. I want to make it clear... I don't care what they do, but geez, lets be honest.

For all we know, Fox News may have forced them to say that just to be interviewed. But yeah, I wish people would just be honest.

 

[Warren Faidley]

For all we know, Fox News may have forced them to say that just to be interviewed. But yeah, I wish people would just be honest.

Yes, that is true and in fairness I'd like to hear their side.

W.

 

[Max Olson]

Their hatch that opens to record slow motion video looks huge, looks like it could be dangerous when close a tornado with flying debris and a wet RFD or HP supercell could really screw that camera.

 

[Timothy Finn]

I never understood the whole tornado tank thing, especially for simply the sake of getting video and whatnot. What can you see from within the funnel? Now, if you were doing it for measurement's sake, and you have scientific grade instrumentation mounted to the exterior of the vehicle, I could sort of follow along with that.

I have no problems being honest.....I like forecasting, then taking a field trip out to see if my forecast verifies. If I get to phone in some reports, hey, we'll call that a bonus, and a win-win. But I'll be the first to say that being there to make "the call" isn't my primary motivation for going.

My motivation lies in learning about the processes, the patterns, and what ingredients go best to make things happen. Tuition fees include gasoline, a motel here and there, mom and pop diner bills, and the odd, occasional windshield. (I seem to be good at breaking them.)

I hope these guys achieve their goals, however, I echo some other folks here. If you're looking to get close, and get out, stick to something agile, and powerful, and with a better than average reliability factor. ALL of the tornado tanks I have seen from various people seem to have only one of these areas covered.

Tim

 

[Karen St John]

I'm not a scientist, but I believe VORTEX and others concluded that an armored vehicle was not necessary to drop probes or for any kind of research. In fact, if I was conducting such research, I'd want something a little lighter and quicker with good 4-wheel drive, a shatter-proof windshield and a very experienced driver and navigator. Nor would I want the false sense of security that an armored vehicle will protect me during a violent tornado. That myth has already been debunked.

W.

Fair enough. I'm not into the whole armored tank thing any way, for reasons including those. But...imagine how they
could shoot probes with this! Or replace the guns with cameras http://home.comcast.net/~szee1a/Littlefield10/DSC_0221.jpg

/humor

 

[Adam Lucio]

See thats where the problem lies. "we're trying to save lives and gather data."

Blaaa blaaa BLAAAAAHHHH, just say you wanna stand out in the crowd and eventually be like Sean Casey and put that tin can inside a tornado. I'd have more respect for you. Personally I don't care what they do, its a free country and if they were able to successfully raise the money to build it then hey thats awesome...though if they used the whole "life saving" angle as a way to dup people into forking over money, thats kind of shady, but again, whatever. As long as I dont get stuck behind that thing going 20mph on a road while Im trying to get a storm, Im good.

I would, however, like to start seeing more creativity in these things. Every one of them looks just like the TIV. Its already boring, and overdone.

 

[Justin Wilcox]

See thats where the problem lies. "we're trying to save lives and gather data."

I would, however, like to start seeing more creativity in these things. Every one of them looks just like the TIV. Its already boring, and overdone.

Well I was trying to keep this a secret. But I think now is the time. I will be using this to get get as close as possible, then lasso a live tornado.

You wanted different? Come at me bro.

I call it the "Super Horse Intercepting Tornadoes"