Over-Competative Chasers...

[Ryan McGinnis]

Starting a public thread on this seem a funny way to approach the issue. Wouldn't it have made much more sense to have privately addressed the specific person that set you off? If it was Lanny, it shouldn't have been too hard to figure out it was him, given that his vans have his company's name plastered all over them. It's a bit like going to a plumber forum and posting that you had a problem with a plumber you met and that you feel like they acted like a jerk and would like to know if any of the plumbers reading your post are also jerks and if so if they can explain why they are jerks so that you can better understand your specific situation.

If, indeed, you were asking the leader of a paid chase tour group in the middle of a chase for information about a storm, then you're the one committing the faux pas. A paid tour guide is just that -- paid to guide a tour. If you aren't a part of the tour because you didn't pay, you don't get to interact with them while they're guiding their tour. Just like the tour guides in Europe can't stop tagalongs from tagging along as they walk through areas (though I've seen them call people out and shame them into leaving), chase tour companies can't stop people from following them. But actually going up to them and asking questions about a storm when they've got a dozen paid customers to care for is a bit beyond cheeky. Getting mad about it and going to an online forum that the guide frequents and calling them out (though not by name) is just weird. Al Gore invented email for situations like this. He invented web forums for the dissemination of cute cat pictures with funny captions.

BTW, though this is a bit off your topic -- if there was a chase tour on a tornado, your personal spotter report probably isn't as imperative as you're assuming it is. Odds are it's already been reported by other chasers four times via Spotter Network and once or twice via the local 800 number, and these days more often than not one or more of the chasers probably has a live video stream on the interesting part of the storm. When chasers roll into your county, you should be happy, not frustrated. You've got an influx of highly trained spotters with the chops to go and find the meat of the storm -- and they quite often report what they see firectly to the NWS. If your goal is public safety, that's awesome.

 

[Joey Ketcham]

There are a lot of chasers out there who will answer questions on the spot and help out, but those who don't and if I were you I wouldn't take it personal. The fact is, storm chasing is our vacation away from home and while most of us don't mind teaching others and answering questions during downtime, some chasers don't want to be bothered when they're actively chasing or focusing on a storm that they drove 500+ miles to come see. It takes away from the moment.

When there is downtime I don't mind talking to other chasers and spotters, but if there is a storm in progress and I'm on that storm that is my moment, that is what I drove hundreds of miles to come and see and I want to enjoy that moment. I personally consider it rude and inconsiderate to approach another chaser while a storm is in progress because I know that chasing doesn't come cheap and that storm is what they came to see.

I mean it would be like driving 500 miles to see your favorite band perform, but then during the whole concert the guy next to you wants to sit there and talk to you the whole time. It kind of ruins that moment for you.

I would say if you see something in the field you aren't sure of, take mental note of it and ask later during downtime. Or take a picture of it and post it on ST and ask about it.

 

[Chad Berryhill]

Ok, so I think I know who you are now and I believe it was myself and maybe Chad Berryhill who kinda gave you the "cold shoulder" near Allanreed on Thursday. That said I would like to clear up your statement....we did reply to you it was just not what you wanted to hear.
Fact of the matter was that I had many, many, many guests on tour as well as full media following us. I simply did not have time to stand and explain to you what in my opinion you should have already known seeing that you are a "spotter". I was in the process of explaining and educating my guests as to what was going on. All you had to do was stand back and listen. Instead you got mad and departed.
I believe your first question was "where is the funnel at exactly"? Followed by "I just don't see a wall cloud" And for the record, everybody was grinning becuase we were working on tornado number 6 and all the guests were happy!

Terra
If you are indeed the same person who asked us all the questions then shame on you. I will go ahead and say what most others are already thinking but might be to afraid to say.... Learn the basics before you go out so you don't have to play 20 questions with those around you. After all, some of us do have more important things that we would like to do with our time instead of trying to educate some dumbass who probably should not be out there to begin with.

And I mean that in the nicest way possible.

I do remember that Lanny.

Terra,
If Lanny and I are the guilty party here, it was not intentional. With a tour, plus media, it was a busy day. There is a lot that goes on behind the scenes to keep our guest safe.

I got the chance to meet Mr. Jason Boggs for the first time, and let me tell you it was a quick hello, nice to meet you, gotta go.

If your brushed off by a chaser, don't think to much of it. There is no telling what they have going on, that you may not know about. Don't be afraid to ask questions though, and no question is stupid.

 

[brandongreen]

I will say the other day on the 22nd out in western Texas near Matador a number of chasers came up to my window and I had to shoo them away. I was live on the air with my tv station the whole time, and I am sure they didn't know that and thought I was being rude. If it was any one of you I am sorry, but they had me live on a tornado warned storm and that took priority. Being rude was not my intention.

as soon as you put your finger to your lips, i knew exactly what was going on.

 

[Paul Hadfield]

Just because I shop at the same grocery store as everyone else in my town doesn't mean that I share a bond that somehow grants me access to within their personal space or obligates them to share with me their shopping strategy. The same is true of chasing and if some people you approach are willing to help you out that's great but if they don't, simply respect it and move on.

 

[Jason Boggs]

I got the chance to meet Mr. Jason Boggs for the first time, and let me tell you it was a quick hello, nice to meet you, gotta go.

It was a quick hello, nice to meet you moment because we were in the heat of everything going on. Didn't have time to chat and we both knew it. It was great meeting him, but wish it could have been on some down time so we could have talked more.

 

[Paul Knightley]

Just for what it's worth, this is my take:

For the first few years out there I very very rarely approached another chaser as I was new to it all, and didn't think I knew enough to strike up a conversation about the storm, even though I would have liked to! Of course, if someone came and spoke to me, I thought it was great.

These days, with more experience under my belt I will happily chat to anyone out in the field, although I agree with others that, when in the heat of the chase, it's not my primary concern. However, I would still chat to someone if they came up to me - I just wouldn't approach someone else (treat as you would be treated).

One area which I always think *could* be tricky is when casually chatting to other chasers at a gas station, etc, before initiation occurs, or when en route. It's natural to chat about chase targets but I always feel that if I ask someone where their target is, they might get the wrong impression and think I'm trying to roach! This is not the case, of course - and the way I like to play it if the conversation starts up is to offer my target first, just in case!

And after the event whilst eating in the evening, I'm more than happy to chat - of course, when I see some of the more well-known faces in the restaurant I tend not to just go barging in and saying 'Hi', as I'm sure they would rather eat their dinner!

If you hear an English accent between May 17 and June 1, pop over and say hi! It might be me!

 

[terra seright]

Lanny, it wasn't your tour group. I actually had one of your passengers ask me who I was with. I have you placed, i believe. This wasn't you. I don't think I actually spoke to you, I passed by you and smiled while we were all out there on 70 waiting for something to pop, right before I went to take photos of the "Dominator". And congrats on your many tornadoes on your tour!

This wasn't a tour group at all.

Anyway, Im seeing that my main issue here is that my skin was simply not thick enough. OK, got it, I'm a girl, that happens sometimes to us girls. I will get over it.

However, all of this talk about how I need to "get smarter" and quit thinking that everyone owes me something is ridiculous. I am good with my knowledge. Most of you know it takes a spare set of eyes to see things sometimes. Many of you don't chase alone, and many have admitted right here in this thread that someone in the car with you is helpful. I had my over-excited teenage son (who saw a funnel in every cloud that popped up) for an assistant that day. How many of you have chased with someone who did that??

I don't believe that everyone owes me an education. I believe that everyone should be decent to others. That is it. I don't believe that anyone should stand out there and give anyone else a spotter class. Sheesh.

This thread is about arrogance. It's honestly not intended as a "poor me" kind of thing. The disrespect wasn't that big of a deal. It was aggravating, but I have a teenage son and I live with a Man--I can take aggravation.

Having said that, boy oh boy did many of you get awfully defensive!

I don't bother people most of the time, I usually go my own way. Hell, there were times out there that I took off before others and ended up having them pass me going the same direction. I caught three tornadoes that day, so I must not be doing too badly. I'm not saying that I don't have plenty to learn, but I can handle things on my own and don't need anyone to give me a training session in the field. I know how to ask questions here on the threads, I've done it before.

Thanks to everyone for commenting here.

 

[terra seright]

It was a quick hello, nice to meet you moment because we were in the heat of everything going on. Didn't have time to chat and we both knew it. It was great meeting him, but wish it could have been on some down time so we could have talked more.

Which is part of my point. Jason, I have seen you out there, and if we were in the same spot, I've said hello, and even asked you about the storms--if you weren't busy. I'm just not that type. I've also seen that you were busy and waved as I passed by....You've stopped and spoken to Chris and me as well, when things were dying down.

That's not what happened here. I didn't see what all the fuss was about. I stopped and asked, thinking I should be seeing something. After asking the ball fo arrogance, I talked to to another guy, who pointed and said something about a funnel, and I still didn't see it. So I got in the truck and went back to I-40, and when I looked in the rear view, the TVN guys and the other big group were right behind me. So I wasn't going blind or crazy...

 

[Stephen Levine]

Meeting other storm chasers on the road and having a talk with them is frequently a healing for me. For my first 30 plus years, I was completely isolated in my my love of storms and I was teased ruthlessly for this love as a kid.
In addition, when locals have joined me or my tours when I/we were observing a storm, it added color and interest and was a great social event. "If that drops one, I will S... my pants!" was one comment we got.
I have also reassured people who were locals and were scared and once reassured a semi truck driver who was concerned about his planned route.
For me, chaser convergences and conversation has been like a celebration - so long as others there were willing to join in the party. Otherwise the celebration has been alone or with my passengers only.

 

[Matthew K. Hartman]

For what it's worth, Terra... I've been told before to shut up, after answering questions from other chasers or spotters. I can make a simple description of what the technical definition of a tornado is, into a 15 minute diatribe.

I need to start approaching these situations using the Dwight Schrute method (K.I.S.S. - keep it simple, stupid).

In that regard, ask away. Any new chaser that has ever come to me, I've always been MORE than happy to help.

I can't guarantee a concise answer, still, but I'll try. LOL!

Regards!

 

[Eric Treece]

It all depends on when you ask the question. If I'm in the middle of videotaping or taking pictures, I might not want to talk at that moment.

I agree with this totally! Some of the best tornado video I have ever shot is full of people coming up to me and asking me questions not only while I was shooting video, but while I was trying to report what was going on to the NWS Boulder. I have no problem ever talking to anyone or mentoring or any of that, but when the camera is rolling and I am doing my thing......that is my moment to enjoy. I don't want to be rude, but please respect that we all chase differently and for different reasons. Some people like the attention and sound bytes in their video, while others don't and have a different agenda. So if you ever come up to my vehicle and I have a "Do Not Disturb" sign in the window, it isn't cause I am an a$$, it is because I am extremely picky about what I want on my video and what I don't and ALOT of time and effort went into getting to that moment in time to make that happen.

 

[Mikey Gribble]

I always try to be nice, but I can understand how some chasers that are busy out there may come across less than friendly some times. I actually have a joke going with a guy I chase with about that. When we see somebody coming over to talk to us I'll tell him to roll the windows up and when they start getting close I'll start waiving at them and saying "go away". lol actually I don't really do that, but we joke about it all the time. I am easily amused.
When we were out waiting for a dryline storm that never showed up the other day we had some local come down the dirt road we were on to talk. Ryan was driving and Eric was in the back seat on the drivers side. I was riding shotgun working on the computer. They were laughing and arguing about who would talk to him so Ryan kept trying to roll down Eric's window so he would have to talk lol. It was pretty funny.
Don't get me wrong, I don't mind talking to other chasers or spotters out there, but it's not my favorite thing in the world to do. If it's somebody from stormtrack or another person who is getting started in chasing I don't mind at all. I really don't mind helping beginners out. I actually have a few people that are new to chasing that email me with questions all the time. That kind of stuff doesn't really bother me. I'll reply to the emails when I have time and I pretty much take the same approach when I'm in the field. If I have time to talk I will, but a lot of times I am really busy when we are out chasing and when that's the case I'll keep working while I talk which probably makes me look a little disinterested. I'm not trying to come across that way, but I have things I have to get done while we're out there.
If you ever see us out there (black xterra) Ryan is usually driving my car and he LOVES to talk to people he doesn't know so feel free to go up to him lol. Seriously though I don't people coming over when I'm not busy, but the locals that won't go away can get a little annoying.

 

[Bill Hark]

I try to be friendly and chat with other chasers, locals and LE especially if I am not actively photographing a storm. Sometimes may still come across as being a bit short. When I am actually chasing, I have a lot going through my mind and a distraction could cause a major problem.

As an example, Jason Persoff and I were watching a storm in the Salt Fork River Valley on May 30, 2006. He had gone to check out a fire and I was sitting up on the ridge shooting lighting video. A really talkative new chaser came by and totally distracted me. I then shifted positions and later realized that I couldn't find my cell phone. Concerned that I had dropped it while chasing, Jason and I doubled back to my previous position to look for it in the growing darkness. Both of us almost got stuck on rain-soaked muddy roads. I later found the cellphone way under one of the seats. Yes, these sorts of things happen when one is alone, but I think the chance increases when one is being unnecessarily distracted.

Bill Hark

 

[MatthewCarman]

I feel it is ok to ask questions if the person is not busy and seems friendly. It sounds like most people on here have no problem answering questions. Most storm chasers to me come off as very nice people. Don't be discouraged to ask questions if you want to Terra.