New definition of sheriffnado!!!

[Morgan Palmer]

Good point. I meant that if one is parked, pull up alongside and roll down your window and chat. Again, there should be no traffic around when you do this. Sorry I didn't make myself clear, but it's a great point that when you're standing outside and they're sitting inside, that can be a problem.

Seems I saw a Youtube clip somewhere where those roles were reversed!

 

[fplowman]

Well maybe we should make up some official looking "Storm Chaser Liscenses" We could have an 800 number on it and someone can man the phones to issue formal appologies and maybe even scoldings to the stormchaser if the officer deems it neccesary.

We can make it more believable by threatening to pull the liscense with the officer present.. and when he leaves we can all have a good laugh... All in fun of course : )

 

[Joey Ketcham]

Well maybe we should make up some official looking "Storm Chaser Liscenses" We could have an 800 number on it and someone can man the phones to issue formal appologies and maybe even scoldings to the stormchaser if the officer deems it neccesary.

We can make it more believable by threatening to pull the liscense with the officer present.. and when he leaves we can all have a good laugh... All in fun of course : )

LOL. I think you are on to something.

 

[jason kissam]

i replied on this in another members blog, does everyone get a NWS card after the skywarn class? that card has gotten me off the hook as being more credible to the law enforcement community.

 

[Jeff Miller]

ok...lets see...chase ethics on the field (well not quite but close)...lightbars....and now the Storm Chase Licenses....Im sure the "Storm Chase Association" idea will come up next...I have to love the yearly resurrection of ideas with absolutely no chance of production of said ideas. Next conversation I am sure will be the Ridge of Death that is sure to stop the season in its tracks before it even begins...

I swear I am going to someday make a calender forecasting the beginning of each annual thread and see how close I come to the actual production of said thread

Would strongly caution anyone to NOT make fake storm chaser licenses as I believe presenting false documentation to a Law Enforcement Officer is a crime. I know most know that was written in jest and good humor, but well, you never know.

 

[jason kissam]

i take it not all NWS and or SKYWARN classes issue cards? but it states the holders name and that they are a certified storm spotter. im sure all of on here has the proper training to do what we do. as for local law enforcement they got a job to protect the public. but when it leds to being rude, then we should have "proper documentation" to say we are trained to handel an observation of a severe storm no matter where in the US we are.

As for the lightbar thing its more of a safety thing from being a fire fighter but i dont have one now. but i noticed many chasers use a little yellow light for when pulled off on the road side just as a precautionary step. check with your state laws for DMV as per use of a amber light.

 

[John Diel]

As far as overtaking and passing another vehicle on the roadway, the standard is usually reasonable and prudent speed. Basically, if the other vehicle is going 40 mph, don't pass him at 90!

On passing emergency vehicles, I would back off that one IF the emergency vehicle lights are on. Pull in behind the officer and wait for him to signal you. If he doesn't, the common rules of the road say don't pass him. If the officer is out for a Sunday drive and no emergency lights are on, he's fair game as any other vehicle.

I'm not even going to go into teh whole light bar or Storm Association thing. Yes. it comes up every year. This year seems to be a little bit later than usual. We came close back in 2004 to getting something organized, but it didn't happen.

For those that haven't figured it out (Newbies...) there is no license required other than your Driver's License (if operating a vehicle) to chase storms. NOAA does give a certificate of completion for Spotter Classes where required or asked, but otherwise, No, they don't give you anything.

Use your head for something other than a hat rack and a convenient place to look through an eyepiece. Common sense and defensive driving will keep you out of more trouble than anything else out there.

There are a few of us that have indeed completed Law Enforcement Driver Training and other Emergency Vehicle Operation course. I've been through several. They all boil down to using your head and not getting stupid.

Good luck to all and have a safe season this year!

 

[jason kissam]

As far as overtaking and passing another vehicle on the roadway, the standard is usually reasonable and prudent speed. Basically, if the other vehicle is going 40 mph, don't pass him at 90!

On passing emergency vehicles, I would back off that one IF the emergency vehicle lights are on. Pull in behind the officer and wait for him to signal you. If he doesn't, the common rules of the road say don't pass him. If the officer is out for a Sunday drive and no emergency lights are on, he's fair game as any other vehicle.

I'm not even going to go into teh whole light bar or Storm Association thing. Yes. it comes up every year. This year seems to be a little bit later than usual. We came close back in 2004 to getting something organized, but it didn't happen.

For those that haven't figured it out (Newbies...) there is no license required other than your Driver's License (if operating a vehicle) to chase storms. NOAA does give a certificate of completion for Spotter Classes where required or asked, but otherwise, No, they don't give you anything.

Use your head for something other than a hat rack and a convenient place to look through an eyepiece. Common sense and defensive driving will keep you out of more trouble than anything else out there.

There are a few of us that have indeed completed Law Enforcement Driver Training and other Emergency Vehicle Operation course. I've been through several. They all boil down to using your head and not getting stupid.

Good luck to all and have a safe season this year!

right on!!!!

 

[Sean Mullen]

Another thing I'm wondering is if maybe these law enforcement officers are confusing the Skywarn classes as being some sort of system that you go through to obtain a licenses. Misinformed perhaps?

Whenever SGF does their skywarn class, the spotters attending recieves a Certificate of Completion. Granted, it's not a license but maybe these deputies and other officers are getting the impression that you have to go through these skywarn classes to be a chaser?

I don't know. As I said just a few minutes ago in another post, I would be interested in knowing that place the officer wrote down and gave to Tony that supposedly issues these license.

I hope that if Tony has it, he will post it.

Perhaps he's thinking of this:
http://www.cafepress.com/stormart.55555021

Keep the faith
Sean

 

[bill mudd]

ending odd number licence plates chase on odd days
ending even number license plates chase on even days

this cuts chasers down by exactly 1/2 - solved by sheriffanados



WELCOME TO 2010

 

[Wesley Luginbyhl]

ending odd number licence plates chase on odd days
ending even number license plates chase on even days

this cuts chasers down by exactly 1/2 - solved by sheriffanados

What if my license plate ends in a letter, do I get to chase any day I want?

 

[Jay Crane]

A side note to that, be careful at how you approach them - mainly when they're parked and in their vehicle. Some officers become uneasy when they look up and see someone apporaching them because you have to remember, they don't know you and they dont' know what your intentions are.

When I was working on becoming a reserve deputy, I rode with a detective and other times rode with a regular deputy and neither of them were comfortable with having people approach them when they were parked. Nothing wrong with doing it, but it just makes them uneasy.

I've had nothing but positive encounters with law enforcement officers while chasing, the only encounters I've had while chasing were officers who approached me wanting to find out what was expected, that or they're just curious about what we do.

I agree cops that are parked get a little spooked when unknown people come up to them like that. I sometimes unsnap my holster as soon as a car approches me. You just never know it could be a nice storm chaser letting me know somethings comming my way or a crazy that has played WAY too much GTA... YOU JUST NEVER KNOW!

 

[Jay Crane]

I just watched the video and I've chased here and there. I have never seen that many chasers all in one spot! With any job you are going to have some good and bad apples. If that was me ( the cop) on that day. I think I just would of sat back and watched all these chasers go crazy for the storm and stopped someone if they were doing something really stupid. I am not going to try and round up or pull over like 100 cars by myself thats just dumb.

 

[Dan Robinson]

I agree cops that are parked get a little spooked when unknown people come up to them like that.

My brother and I were shooting lightning in Chicago last year, and were having difficulty finding a parking garage that would let us set up our tripods under their shelter. We found one right as a storm was in progress, having been asked to leave the previous one. We thought it was empty and proceeded to run to the top to set up, only to round the corner and see a Chicago PD cruiser in front of us. Thinking that they had surely seen us, we'd better go over and explain what we were doing there before they kicked us out like the others had. When we got to the cruiser, and I mean right there next to the window, we saw the two cops inside were asleep! We were lucky they didn't wake up right then or we might have been shot, carrying these big objects (tripods) and all.

OK, back to the regularly scheduled thread.

 

[SteveCarter]

I carry my SkyWarn framed certificate with me. Usually thrown in the back seat somewhere, and it HAS helped me as well. In fact, in Dumas, AR right after the tornado hit there, the police were going around telling people to get out. Later, when I needed back in, they turned just about everyone away, but let me in after I showed them the SkyWarn certificate.

In another episode, in Kansas last year, a cop pulled up to me while sitting on the side of the road, and told me to get the hell outta there...NOW! This was a lonely gravel road, with NO traffic, about a 1/4 mile from the main road. I was stunned. I asked him, "Which direction do YOU suggest I go, since there is a tornado warning for this area right now". He said, "I don't give a damn WHERE you go, but get outta HERE!" I did a U'ee, and went back to the main road, (which made NO sense), and went about a mile, then pulled over again, in a driveway, when I saw a guy in his yard, looking at the sky. I greeted him, told him what I was doing, and was thrilled I was there. Two minutes later, this SAME cop pulled up behind me with his lights on, and told me I was getting a ticket for.....RECKLESS DRIVING! I was pissed now, and said, "Bull****, I can sit in this driveway all I want." The cop said, "No, you can't". The guy whose driveway I was sitting in, walked up and said, "This is one of my best friends from South Carolina, and he can LIVE here if he wants to, so what's the ******* problem?" The cop glared at both of us, and got back in his car and literally spun gravel leaving! I stayed there about two hours, had dinner with his family, and left. One of my best memories. I'm sure this cop nailed someone immediately after leaving me there tho.

So, couple of ideas here...bring your SkyWarn stuff....it may help. And, pull into somebodies driveway, if they are outside, and just ask them if you can sit there. 99% will say yes, because you LOOK professional with all thise antenneas on your car, and usually they are fascinated with what you're doing.