Serious Problems With Drivers During Wray Tornado

Looking through the videos from the Wray Colorado event yesterday, the videos shot right up to the dirt wall edge are not even interesting. I know I am dreaming but it would be nice if the idiots risking life and limbs would realize if you stay back a little like Tim did, your video is so much better and marketable. You can't tell a tornado from one of our Arizona dust storms.
 
I was about half a mile SE from the Wray tornado when it formed, and chased it on a country road into Wray at a distance, since I'm pretty new to this. When we got into Wray we were actually pulled over by law enforcement and asked if we would please remain in town, or just not to go north on Highway 385. They told us they were in the process of blocking the road for public safety.

The cop was very polite, considering what was going on at the time. We asked if Wray had been hit (we couldn't see into town because of a hill blocking our line of sight) and he confirmed that it had been. I told him we'd stay, though I very badly wanted to continue on and we parked for a few minutes. We saw a lot of chasers get turned back south, including the Dominator.

About five minutes after that I started a halfhearted attempt at heading west out of Wray and north, down the country roads, but aborted because it wasn't going to get us back in visual range in time. I also figured they probably knew their own roads much better than I did.

I was torn between accepting the local law enforcement desire to protect people who might blissfully drive into the tornado (and it got pretty hard to see looking due north out of Wray), and feeling that I should be able to choose control of my own personal responsibility, if that makes sense. Ultimately, I do understood where they're coming from and decided to end the day.

I also can't complain much, since this was my first tornado. :)
 
The anti-chaser sentiment in Kansas is definitely noticeable, I have one antenna on my vehicle and got a nice middle finger driving down near Hays yesterday. LEOs were fine with the convergence I came across surprisingly.
 
Timmer is genuinely concerned about possible victims, regardless of what one may think of his driving and/or chasing style. Note he asks about the folks on the side of the road and near structures.

Anyway here is how I try to keep on the right side of law enforcement. Knock on wood so far I have enjoyed cordial encounters with police. Forecast it right in the first place and you don't have to speed. Maybe you can even enjoy a sit down lunch, because dinner will be on the run. Position wisely already downstream of town in case it is blocked. We do not get too close so it is not a problem either way. Repositions are also less dramatic hanging back. Try to show concern for the public. I will share my forecast or nowcast if it comes up. When we do talk to police we are polite and call them Officer or something respectful.

Keep in mind driving is a licensed activity, so we do not enjoy nearly unlimited rights. Driving or other licensed activities are subject to some restrictions on liberty. That said if we are not violating traffic laws or crossing a road block, we should be free to chase.
 
I thought Timmer's driving was the sort of thing that causes us trouble. Law enforcement people are going to be angry when they see someone cross the double yellow and drive on the wrong side of the street. They are paid to enforce the law and this was a blatant disregard for it. Was it safe? I thought not. For all he knew, hiding in the dust was a TIV coming at him from the other direction. But even if it had been safe, it is giving the finger to traffic enforcers.
 
Just curious - how large were the chaser crowds on this storm? I would guess a lot of people got diverted to the storm farther west that produced the Wiggins tornado (also a large EF-2, but apparently much less photogenic), which I would think might have kept the crowds on the Wray storm down somewhat. But I unfortunately was not there, so I am curious.
 
Andrew Constans said:
The anti-chaser sentiment in Kansas is definitely noticeable, I have one antenna on my vehicle and got a nice middle finger driving down near Hays yesterday.
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I did as well south of Hays. The recent articles that chasers find misleading are understandably accepted as truth by the folks who live there.

On Saturday near Wray I witnessed folks legitimately not yielding to oncoming emergency vehicles and others parked with tires 2-3 feet onto the highway. Definitely not just locals either judging from the electronics on top.
 
Bill Giles said:
I was about half a mile SE from the Wray tornado when it formed, and chased it on a country road into Wray at a distance, since I'm pretty new to this. When we got into Wray we were actually pulled over by law enforcement and asked if we would please remain in town, or just not to go north on Highway 385. They told us they were in the process of blocking the road for public safety.

The cop was very polite, considering what was going on at the time. We asked if Wray had been hit (we couldn't see into town because of a hill blocking our line of sight) and he confirmed that it had been. I told him we'd stay, though I very badly wanted to continue on and we parked for a few minutes. We saw a lot of chasers get turned back south, including the Dominator.

About five minutes after that I started a halfhearted attempt at heading west out of Wray and north, down the country roads, but aborted because it wasn't going to get us back in visual range in time. I also figured they probably knew their own roads much better than I did.

I was torn between accepting the local law enforcement desire to protect people who might blissfully drive into the tornado (and it got pretty hard to see looking due north out of Wray), and feeling that I should be able to choose control of my own personal responsibility, if that makes sense. Ultimately, I do understood where they're coming from and decided to end the day.

I also can't complain much, since this was my first tornado. :)
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Interesting story, you showed great self control and restraint in that situation. Curious as to whether you had any discussion at all with the officer about the fact that you were a chaser and felt comfortable enough to continue on the road??
 
JamesCaruso said:
Interesting story, you showed great self control and restraint in that situation. Curious as to whether you had any discussion at all with the officer about the fact that you were a chaser and felt comfortable enough to continue on the road??
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Yes, and no. In fact, here's what happened (pulled off my dashcam). I left the stop sign part in because just barely a minute later we'd forgotten we stopped at it!


EDITED: Fixed grammar.
 
I would suggest to start leaving dash cams on when you are pulled over. Sooner or later, given the growing frustration with LEO's, one of them is going to loose it. Maybe not a State Trooper, but more likely a local sheriff or cop who is on the edge. This is not intended as a negative comment about LEO's. It's a reality. Hopefully, the person(s) who gets nailed deserves it, but it could be any of us.

Some younger chasers might not remember the now famous Brian Barnes incident down south in Crane County Texas. (Yes, they use to have twisters way down there before the great drought). He was arrested (falsely) by a Barney Fife grade deputy and it became national news. (He later won the case). I can feel the tremors once more because the volcano is getting ready to erupt soon -- likely in Kansas.

The other interesting development from Wray is once more.... the blocking of highways. This really gets my attention. Sooner or later an officer with good intentions is going to block an escape route and send everyone back into the path of a killer storm.

Something to think about before the next big outbreak on May 20-21.
 
Both LEOs and chasers need to just let video do the talking. The sword cuts both ways. Video is going to show what all of us already know - that there are a few isolated troublemakers on BOTH sides. Neither LEOs nor chasers deserve to have their entire ranks tarnished and our relations soured due to the actions of the few.

RE Reed's video, I can't really add to what others have said. I'd argue that when a tornado is crossing the road 1/4 mile ahead, stopping in your lane or the oncoming lane isn't going to be much of a concern, especially if you can see the road between you and the tornado.
 
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Any links to some of these forums where the cops and medics are ranting? My experience with LE forums is that most people who post on LE forums are not, never have been, and due to background checks never could be LE.
 
rdale said:
Any links to some of these forums where the cops and medics are ranting? My experience with LE forums is that most people who post on LE forums are not, never have been, and due to background checks never could be LE.
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They were cross posting from Facebook and Twitter during the Wray event, especially after the comments made by the Kansas Highway Patrol officer on Facebook. Other officers contacted me personally via sc.com and Facebook for footage links. There are additional comments (and arguments) made by officers and the public on Facebook during the event but I don't have time to go back and read through hundred's of comments and sub-comments. The officer who posted the original comments is genuine, anyone can search out his Facebook page. I disagree about genuine LEO's on Facebook. If you say you are a police officer, you better not be faking it. We all saw the comments made a couple of weeks ago by a Kansas Highway Patrol Officer and his page was 100% for real as he was the PIO.
 
Bottom line do not post videos if you are breaking ANY law ... this is just going to get worse. I have not posted videos before because it may paint a bad light ,,, edit video and start footage later if needed.

With that said the worse offenders are the LEO's more than not.
 
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