Should Storm Chasing Be Regulated?

[Bryan Stokes]

Jeremy,

Besides being unnecessary and logistically impossible, I'd like to bring up another point about regulation. One must be very careful, because once you crack open the door of regulation, it may blow wide open whether you like it or not. I don't think any of us want a government agency making up rules on where we can park, drive, etc outside of the existing traffic laws that are already in place. If you ask for such a thing, you may get more than you bargained for.

Also, think about it from a legal perspective. Unless it was controlled by a Federal agency, each State would have to enact their own laws/regulations. And besides, why would enacting a storm chasing regulation be a priority for a State or the Federal government? I can assure you, they have bigger problems to deal with than the occasionally reckless local-yokel. And besides, as long as a local-yokel obeys the traffic laws, why would anyone be concerned? And if they are breaking the law, like using their lightbar to get people to move out of the way so they can drive 90 mph to a storm, it will eventually catch up with them anyway.

I realize that you're only bringing this up in hopes of keeping people safe, but in my opinion, regulation is NOT the way to go. Local-yokels and flash-in-the-pan chasers will come and go. Unfortunately, it comes with the territory.

Bryan

 

[Jason Boggs]

Yea, it would be nice, but unfortunately we can't control it.

 

[MatthewCarman]

Jeremy...I don't think a new thread was a bad idea in this case...because it has been awhile. I hope though someone (if not me later on) will track down and link the older related threads.

I did a search result for regulating storm chasing and this very long thread (I think over 15 pages) came up. The thread does not start out about regulating but I think people discuss it later on. http://www.stormtrack.org/forum/showthread.php?t=12618&highlight=regulating+storm+chasing

 

[Adam Lucio]

Thats true...but if they set it up so only people with permits are allowed within a certain radius of a tornadic storm - say 2 miles from they most dangerous part of the storm until the storm passes then it doesn't matter what the person is doing if they don't have a permit then they can't get closer. It would cut down on these people who feel the need to get within say 50 yards of a tornado or even to drive into the tornado and thus help keep at least 'some' of the people who are simply out for recognition away from storm chasing (or at least it would make it less appealing)...

How in the hell would that work?

What about people who aren't chasing who get caught up near a storm? Should they too be fined? Also, I highly doubt the resources are available to send enforcement officers to watch how close people are getting to storms...and if those kind of resources are available...they should be fighting much more important crimes.

It will never happen. I agree that I wish there was a way to prevent some people from chasing [see the other thread about inexperienced reports] but who am I to put restrictions on people. Im just being greedy.

Besides...there are already laws that regulate the way were supposed to chase...they're called traffic laws...and we break those constantly.

 

[Jeremy Den Hartog]

How in the hell would that work?

What about people who aren't chasing who get caught up near a storm? Should they too be fined? Also, I highly doubt the resources are available to send enforcement officers to watch how close people are getting to storms...and if those kind of resources are available...they should be fighting much more important crimes.

It will never happen. I agree that I wish there was a way to prevent some people from chasing [see the other thread about inexperienced reports] but who am I to put restrictions on people. Im just being greedy.

Besides...there are already laws that regulate the way were supposed to chase...they're called traffic laws...and we break those constantly.

I know it won't - because there is no money to do such a thing and to many 'what-ifs' (like you said)...it was just an idea but it's becoming pretty obvious there is no way to regulate it unfortunately...

 

[Shane Adams]

They can regulate it, but it won't separate those who can chase from those who can't. Passing some test written by some asshole who doesn't know **** about chasing isn't going to magically "thin the herd" and create an "all-friendly" chasing community.

Regulate chasing? Are you ****ing kidding me? Who will be the judges of who passes and who fails? The guys who are at the top won't communicate on here regarding day-to-day BS...so who does that leave in control? My generation? Like I care what the minions below me are doing. Chasing is a self-taught, self-gratifying activity. The more people try to start teams and groups and other communal bull****, the more it becomes a mess.

Get your ass out there, chase a ****ing storm. There really is nothing else to it. To even suggest that some group of people has the right to judge whether another group is "qualified" to be out there is absolute ****. Think more about how to find a supercell out there without a computer and think less about trying to make us all some happy ass commune.

 

[Scott Weberpal]

it was just an idea but it's becoming pretty obvious there is no way to regulate it unfortunately...

No, it's not unfortunate. Regulating chasing would be unfortunate.

 

[Robert Dewey]

I agree with Scott and Shane.

First, I don't even like the idea of regulating chasing. Second, as has been already hashed over, it would be nearly impossible to accomplish. Heck, LEO has enough problems regulating idiot drivers... let alone trying to determine (and prove) which of those drivers is a chaser.

 

[Brandon Goforth]

The only way it could be done would be some form of loitering law, or obstructing traffic in an emergency situation (or something of the like). They couldn't get you for just driving around when severe storms are present, but you better believe they could find a way to get people who are parked on the side of the road. Who knows if that will ever happen, but don't think the law makers can't find a way to discourage storm chasing in one way or another if they really want to.

 

[Stephen Locke]

Jeremy I liked your response when I raised the regulation issue.

Jeremy wrote;

"While email spam is annoying, and some of the garbage out there can flat out wreck your PC, I'm not at all for them regulating the internet any more then it already is. Sure it could be cleaned up some but last thing I want is some pencil pushing a-hole regulating what I type or what I do online. I realize this is probably not exactly what you were referring to when you raised your question but the problem with regulating it more then whats already being regulated is where do you draw the line?"

I only had to change a couple words to make it an apt response to your thread;

While wreckless chasers are annoying, and some of the people out there can flat out wreck your chase vehicle, I'm not at all for them regulating the the road network any more then it already is. Sure it could be cleaned up some but last thing I want is some pencil pushing a-hole regulating what I chase or what I do on the great plains. I realize this is probably not exactly what you were referring to when you raised your question but the problem with regulating it more then whats already being regulated is where do you draw the line?

 

[Jeremy Den Hartog]

Jeremy wrote;

"While email spam is annoying, and some of the garbage out there can flat out wreck your PC, I'm not at all for them regulating the internet any more then it already is. Sure it could be cleaned up some but last thing I want is some pencil pushing a-hole regulating what I type or what I do online. I realize this is probably not exactly what you were referring to when you raised your question but the problem with regulating it more then whats already being regulated is where do you draw the line?"

I only had to change a couple words to make it an apt response to your thread;

While wreckless chasers are annoying, and some of the people out there can flat out wreck your chase vehicle, I'm not at all for them regulating the the road network any more then it already is. Sure it could be cleaned up some but last thing I want is some pencil pushing a-hole regulating what I chase or what I do on the great plains. I realize this is probably not exactly what you were referring to when you raised your question but the problem with regulating it more then whats already being regulated is where do you draw the line?

LOL! I guess I should eat my own words on this one

 

[Jason Foster]

This is the process of evaluation and learning. This is how ST works best. No flame wars, just constructive points of view and knowledge being shared. In this case it just happen to go against your idea/question more than for it. It's sometime the fact that people can ask these questions that sometimes leads to better things....chasing in our case on this forum.

 

[Jeremy Den Hartog]

This is the process of evaluation and learning. This is how ST works best. No flame wars, just constructive points of view and knowledge being shared. In this case it just happen to go against your idea/question more than for it. It's sometime the fact that people can ask these questions that sometimes leads to better things....chasing in our case on this forum.

Yep, I definitely agree with that

 

[Darren Stephens]

They can regulate it, but it won't separate those who can chase from those who can't. Passing some test written by some asshole who doesn't know **** about chasing isn't going to magically "thin the herd" and create an "all-friendly" chasing community.

Regulate chasing? Are you ****ing kidding me? Who will be the judges of who passes and who fails? The guys who are at the top won't communicate on here regarding day-to-day BS...so who does that leave in control? My generation? Like I care what the minions below me are doing. Chasing is a self-taught, self-gratifying activity. The more people try to start teams and groups and other communal bull****, the more it becomes a mess.

Get your ass out there, chase a ****ing storm. There really is nothing else to it. To even suggest that some group of people has the right to judge whether another group is "qualified" to be out there is absolute ****. Think more about how to find a supercell out there without a computer and think less about trying to make us all some happy ass commune.

I couldn't have said it better Shane!!! Enough said.

 

[Greg Campbell]

Thats true...but if they set it up so only people with permits are allowed within a certain radius of a tornadic storm - say 2 miles from they most dangerous part of the storm until the storm passes then it doesn't matter what the person is doing if they don't have a permit then they can't get closer....

For the life of me, I don't understand the appeal of this Nanny Nation philosophy. Every time we pass a law protecting us from our own stupidity, we become (surprise!) a little stupider. Do we really want to accelerate the coming of the Great Police State? Look to Great Britain for a warning as to how bad it might/will(?) become.

As I already stated though, a big problem is who would enforce this...obviously law enforcement would already have their hands full if a tornado was rolling through...

No worries! We'll just hire more cops!

it was just an idea but it's becoming pretty obvious there is no way to regulate it unfortunately...

Dude, you're gonna get yourself tarred and feathered right quick! You actually WANT regulation? WHY? What aspect of 'unregulated' chasing is perceived to be so horrible that it justifies the already grossly overused laws, cops, fines, jail treatment? Please be specific.