Should Storm Chasing Be Regulated?

[Susan Strom]

Perish the thought of regulating chasing. Aye caramba.

Why? Stormchasing already includes the following (rightfully) regulated areas.

*Driving (traffic laws)
*Positioning (trespassing laws)
*Radios, scanners and CBs (FCC laws)
*Computer use (already subject to laws)
*Proximity to storm damage (laws enforced at scene)
*Weather hazards like flooding (specific motorist laws against flood running)
*Photography and video (copyright laws, illicit material laws)
*Auto care and insurance (regulated)
*Message boards (already moderated)

What is left untouched?

*Weather knowledge
*Navigation and maps

Cannot regulate. Furthermore, they will regulate themselves. How?

If I don't have enough weather knowledge, I'm:

*Chasing stratus, thinking it will do something
*Punching hail cores at night and spending next day in the shop
*Getting too close, opening door for myriad possibilities of personal mishap
*Staying back too far, and getting that coveted gray, hazy tornado video

If I don't have enough navigational knowledge and can't read a map, I'm:

*Lost

Now, just because most all of stormchasing is already regulated doesn't mean that the Lightning Lady cannot put a few rules in place

Anyone who rides with me is not allowed to:
*Eat Corn Nuts in the car
*Play hairband music
*Make fun of Arizona
*Pop the chewing gum
*Collect cactus, leaves or bugs and bring them in the car
*Say that tornado chasers are better than lightning chasers (not allowed lol)
*Tell blonde jokes
*Make fun of Republicans

Then we can all be happy, and go seek the footage we desire. And no, we do not need a blooming certificate to chase a storm. Let's not chip away at our freedoms to chase and be left alone. That is really what we're talking about and what "regulating" the chase itself would do. Be careful what you wish for, guys. There is always a thumb out there somewhere, waiting for you to stand under it.

 

[Mikel Shively]

If I recall correctly, we have already been down this road.

I do not believe that chasing could ever be banned or regulated. Specific activities in a vehicle, on a roadway could be, and have been in some states. Namely, 1) use of cell phones while driving, 2) use of computers while driving, 3) texting while driving and 4) ligh***** in some states. (EDIT: added #4. Had to * some letters. It is a dirty word around here and will cause 40 pages worth of bickering )

most other traffic laws have already been on the books for quite some time, so I will not list those.

I don't believe that it is constitutional to make a law outlawing stormchasing directly, I believe it would be null and void to do so, because it would be 100% impossible to enforce and successfully gain a conviction. A defendant could always say that they were press...freelancers and photojournalists... it would be VERY difficult to gain a conviction.

In addition, I would say that if they would try to legislate things like no cars being on the road during a tornado warning, that also would be impossible. I just don't see anything being ABLE to change from a legislative standpoint. Some legislatures may try, I just do not think it would be able to fly.

 

[Jacob Ferden]

If I recall correctly, we have already been down this road.

At least a dozen times. Why is it that people have to open up threads on stuff that has been beaten to death over and over again?

Again, as far as I am concerned: regulate chasing? Go ahead, try to prove to me that you could regulate chasing in a manner which could be dealt with in a court of law.

 

[Dustin Wilcox]

Again, as far as I am concerned: regulate chasing? Go ahead, try to prove to me that you could regulate chasing in a manner which could be dealt with in a court of law.

I’m not so sure “regulating” chasing will be as hard as some make it out to be, even without new legislation there are already enough laws in place that would enable them to make it hell for chasers if they wanted to. I have a different opinion than many others on the subject, of course I don’t want to see it regulated and would most likely try to combat an agenda with extensive regulation; that being said, if I approach it from an unbiased and open-minded perspective as a law maker with the well being of all citizens in mind should, I’m not sure how you can say it shouldn’t specifically be “regulated.” Storm chasing has come to the point where chasers are no longer just endangering themselves, they’re endangering thousands of others, not limited to property owners, commuters, rescue workers, the list goes on. A storm environment creates enough distractions/hazards, add in the thousands of chasers, dodging in and out of traffic, looking at GPS, looking at Radar, photographing the Storm, chatting on the radio, streaming the storm, talking on the phone, ext. and things get ugly in a hurry. If you can find credibility for seat belt and helmet type laws, I’m pretty darn sure you can find justification for regulations in chasing. Start cracking down on some of the laws in place and add a few more and it would serve as a "natural regulation" start taking away the laptop running non-stop, crack down on speeders, and several other of the modern day chasing habits that exaggerate the hazards, and I'm guessing the number of chasers significantly subsides “natural regulation”.

 

[Jeremy Den Hartog]

Yep, I realize that this has been discussed already - probably several times and apologize for bringing it up again (although it apparently had been a while since it was last brought up).

Just to be clear with everyone, I am no longer in favor of regulating storm chasing (which at the beginning of this thread I said I would be depending how they did it). It seems that not only doing so would be next to impossible but also would cause to many issues as far as what is and is not allowed and who enforces these things.

Please understand that my point was not to try to impose more pain-in-the-butt regulations for my fellow storm chasers. It was instead to try to keep away the "I have no idea what I'm doing but I'm going to be the next Reed Timmer or Sean Casey" type storm chasers. In other words the point was to try to find a way to help insure that almost all of the people chasing a storm know what they are doing and are not doing what they are doing for recognition purposes (such as driving dangerously close or into tornadoes). This is not only because doing these types of things and being inexperienced is foolish and could get you killed, it could also potentially ruin storm chasing for the rest of us. As I already stated, imagine if you will a vehicle full of 'wannabe' storm chasers. This vehicle decides its going to drive into that tornado like Reed and Sean do. Next thing you know, they are dead and the media starts asking questions like 'whats the purpose of storm chasing?' or 'is storm chasing to dangerous?'. Questions like these would probably lead to some big problems for us with law enforcement if the media would put the pressure on - not to mention having to defend chasing storms to loved ones who don't understand. As I already stated, this is a bit of a stretch and its something that could happen to any of us (experienced or not) but it is more likely to happen to those who are out there that have no idea what they are doing.

Also the point was to impose some sort of regulations 'before-the-fact' in case the above did happen which would hopefully show people we are trying to be pro-active when it comes to safety and responsibility which of course would help us in the long run.

Anyhow, I hope everyone understands my point so I can avoid the 'tar and feathers' for mentioning I would be for regulation (which again I am now not due to the points made in this thread and the inability to regulate it within reason).

 

[David Wolfson]

Weeeell, there is one area that could be codified and would somewhat address the concerns. In Arizona and a few other states there are "Stupid Motorist" laws. If a driver ignores warnings and deliberately gets himself into a flood or wreck, he can be fined and held liable for the rescue cost.

The main purpose of the laws are to make people more mindful of the danger, not to finance the police and EMS. They're only enforced a few times a year in the most egregious cases, and get a lot of play in the news.

 

[Jeremy Den Hartog]

Weeeell, there is one area that could be codified and would somewhat address the concerns. In Arizona and a few other states there are "Stupid Motorist" laws. If a driver ignores warnings and deliberately gets himself into a flood or wreck, he can be fined and held liable for the rescue cost.

The main purpose of the laws are to make people more mindful of the danger, not to finance the police and EMS. They're only enforced a few times a year in the most egregious cases, and get a lot of play in the news.

They have something similar here in Minnesooootah where if a motorist drives on a highway or interstate that is closed down due to a blizzard and gets stuck it will cost that person big money in fines...

 

[Steve Miller]

Forget all the legal; gas at $5-6 a gallon would be regulation enough for me. I'd sure enjoy continuing to chase, only without the hoards.

 

[Dennis Dennison]

Ya know-Judging from the total ineptitude and generalized carelessness of the group I was in for Weather Spotting classes--the NWS is doing nothing good here--these people wouldn't have any idea of what to do out in the field facing a tornado.
Yet I felt they really figured on chasing the storms.
Maybe law enforcement could target people driving around in cars following REAL chasers--they would know the real chasers by the instruments on the roofs, and perhaps maybe we could get the NWS to come up with a special decal?

 

[Shane Adams]

Forget all the legal; gas at $5-6 a gallon would be regulation enough for me. I'd sure enjoy continuing to chase, only without the hoards.

As would I, expect without food, shelter, or beer LMAO

 

[Jeremy Den Hartog]

and perhaps maybe we could get the NWS to come up with a special decal?

Exactly what I was thinking at first but then what do you do with the people who are following the chasers or don't have the decal?

 

[Steve Miller]

As would I, expect without food, shelter, or beer LMAO

Shane, you can ride with me. haha

 

[Brandon Goforth]

Forget all the legal; gas at $5-6 a gallon would be regulation enough for me. I'd sure enjoy continuing to chase, only without the hoards.

This is actually a really good point. Gas prices are sure to rebound with the economy, and while we'll probably still have reasonable prices next spring, they'll most likely start killing us again in another year or two. Most people will either stop chasing most days, or start carpooling, and either way will reduce traffic out there.

 

[Jeremy Den Hartog]

This is actually a really good point. Gas prices are sure to rebound with the economy, and while we'll probably still have reasonable prices next spring, they'll most likely start killing us again in another year or two. Most people will either stop chasing most days, or start carpooling, and either way will reduce traffic out there.

Lol, probably the first I've actually thought to myself it would be nice to have higher gas prices (at least in a way it would).

So here is a question, what if the Stormtrack community would come together and form some kind of training resource for people interested in storm chasing - basically some online guides/ebooks and maybe a video or 2? Then a test or exam of some kind which would make that person 'certified' at the end of the training. Legally this certification would mean nothing but if we could make it so those that have it are considered 'superior' (not sure if thats the word I'm really looking for but it will do) to those who do not it might work. Not only would this separate the 'reasonable' and 'informed' storm chasers from the uninformed and inexperienced lunatics out there, it may help force some people to actually learn about storm chasing. In other words, make it so you have some 'recognition' for being certified (maybe with a vehicle decal or something similar) - after all, thats what alot of these people seem to be after. Just an idea...

 

[Randy Wing]

I help organize the SKYWARN spotters out of the Wichita, KS NWS... A decal or sticker would be really hard to regulate - you can already get a ton of stickers online without taking any class at all.

I'd be happy if the "SKYWARN" spotters coming through our area would check into the local SKYWARN nets when they are in our county area. We don't get very many doing that. If you come through our area, use this web page to find a SKYWARN net in our area and CHECKIN, please! Chasing or spotting isn't very helpful unless you get the information to the NWS for dissemination. http://www.ict-skywarn.org/