The Many Different Forms of Storm Chasers Today

[David Drummond]

BORG CHASER:

RESISTANCE IS FUTILE!

Ok, I have one...

CHICKEN CHASER: Makes scathing posts on ST then quickly deletes them thinking they are cute, although the mods and admins can STILL see all deleted posts, and everyone subscribed to that thread got emailed the contents of that post.

 

[Derek Weston]

CHASER CHASER: Would be chaser that "chases" by chasing the chaser. (CHASER CHASERS are often rookies and or townies as well)

 

[Shane Adams]

CLOAKED or INVISIBLE CHASER: Polar opposite of the BORG CHASER; little or no equipment, blends in easily, and attracts no attention in public situations. Also know as the KOJAK CHASER.

 

[Dan Nichols]

I'm definitely a LOCAL CHASER who continues his long ROOKIE standing. To me, the storm is more important than the chase. As long as you enjoyed The Big Show, who cares how you got to the auditorium? But of course, storms often don't show where you want them to be, so you kinda have to know where they usually prefer to be...... So, armed with very minimal equipment and data, as not to distract too much from the Event, and minimizing the hwy. ratrace, I only go for those Shows within comfortable distance -- at least for the forseeable future.

Three cheers for our friend Tarmo!! Why should you chase at all if the Show comes to your backyard concert hall? You've got it made! Wish we all could have it that way.......

 

[Mike Peregrine]

CHICKEN CHASER: Makes scathing posts on ST then quickly deletes them thinking they are cute, although the mods and admins can STILL see all deleted posts, and everyone subscribed to that thread got emailed the contents of that post.

Hey - could you email it back to me so I can repost? ... Had intended to copy and edit but ended up just deleting. Thanks -

 

[Mike Peregrine]

I'll go ahead an repost what I can remember of the list yesterday. I definitely should have edited it, since it sounds so negative. Just don't have the energy or desire to defend myself anymore -

CLING-ON CHASER: Cling-ons latch onto the nearest antenna-covered vehicle (or DOW) during a chase. Preferably has an open 40 of open Pabst Blue Ribbon in the seat next to him.

CLUB CHASER: chases to be part of a group of his pals. Must look down on others not part of the club.

COOL CHASER: chases because it makes him seem like a cool person. Must take every opportunity to belittle Stormtrack to stay cool.

I-CHASER: chases with the goal of being the first post in the Reports thread. Needs to get noticed.

I'll go ahead and add this one:

HYPOCRICHASER - chasers who call others out for being in private groups and looking down their noses on others, while simultaneously doing all of the above.

 

[Gene Moore]

Electro-chaser and more...

I just had to add a few more....I've known all of these.

Cheap-chaser: Nowhere to be found (hiding in the bathroom) when it's their turn to pay for the fill up.

Electro-chaser: They or their vehicle have been hit by lightning at least three times. Best to stay clear of these folks!!

Cameo-chaser: Obsessed with fame, tries to stand between everyone's tripod and the tornado to get in the shots.

Announcer-chaser: Missed their calling to be in radio. Destroys everyone's audio by repeatedly yelling "tornado on the ground!!" Talks to his video camera, repeating "yes folks we have a tornado on the ground"...."there is no doubt this tornado is on the ground..........."

Religious-chaser: Known to say it was God's Will that you missed the tornado.

Too Wired Chaser: Close cousin to the Borg chaser. Obsessed with electronics, has at least 40 antennas on the roof and no less than 30 radios in the vehicle. This chaser is known to have missed numerous touchdowns because they're under the dash trying to fix smoking wires.

Panic-chaser: Begs you to take them along, then goes into panic, violently tugging at the door handle as the tornado comes down.

Earthquake-chaser: All their video shakes and moves violently side to side while taping the vortex....which briefly crosses through the frame while they zoom in and out frantically.

Death chaser: A subset of the earthquake chaser, but screams into the camera mic "we're going to die" "Oh Gaud it's too close....." while wildly thrashing the camera. This is done just before rushing the video to a nearby TV station.

Hick Chaser: Leaves your ashtrays full of chewing tobacco spit.

 

[Jody Radzik]

I'm not sure if this one's been identified by anyone yet:

Chasaholic: Keeps chasing even as they're about to foreclose on the house after spending the mortgage on cameras, fuel and road snacks.

 

[Craig Maire II]

Gene Moore wrote:

"Announcer-chaser: Missed their calling to be in radio. Destroys everyone's audio by repeatedly yelling "tornado on the ground!!" Talks to his video camera, repeating "yes folks we have a tornado on the ground"...."there is no doubt this tornado is on the ground...........""


I have thought about going into the radio business a time or 2 lol...

 

[John Olexa]

RESISTANCE IS FUTILE!

Ok, I have one...

CHICKEN CHASER: Makes scathing posts on ST then quickly deletes them thinking they are cute, although the mods and admins can STILL see all deleted posts, and everyone subscribed to that thread got emailed the contents of that post.

HAHAHAHA !! I know what you mean. I'm a mod on a few of the animal rights forums around.

 

[Darrin Rasberry]

Gene Moore wrote:

"Announcer-chaser: Missed their calling to be in radio. Destroys everyone's audio by repeatedly yelling "tornado on the ground!!" Talks to his video camera, repeating "yes folks we have a tornado on the ground"...."there is no doubt this tornado is on the ground...........""


I have thought about going into the radio business a time or 2 lol...

One of the ideas I had for my first tornado video capture is making a copy of the video and including breaks where I draw in with photoshop lines (a la football teleprompter) where all the stuff is going on, all while doing a ridiculous John Madden interpretation and stating the immediately obvious.

"Here's the wall cloud." (circles wall cloud)

"Here's the circulation. Like a big, old sweaty gym whirlpool!" (draws in direction of circulation)

"... then here's a tornado from the wall cloud. Boom! That tree is gonna be seeing out of its earhole. And here's where it's heading!" (draws arrows around obvious but nonetheless circled tornado)

edit: also WOMAN CHASER: Obvious qualifications, but always outruns your butt to the spot and always has enough cans of mace to probably dissipate the tornado she's chasing.

 

[Keith Mullen]

Hrrrrm... I'll play the part of victim and throw myself to the wolves:

What would you call someone who has been obsessed with severe weather 30+ years but lives in a non-severe location, yet still chases whenever practicable (with unbelievably low success), and has finally been put in the right situation and is emigrating to tornado alley?

All with minimal equipment as well?

Immigrant-Rookie chaser?

 

[Ryan McGinnis]

Hey, I just realized we can't forget CRAZY FARMER chaser.

"IT'S A HALF A MILE WIDE! WHICH WAY? FROM THE NORTH, SOUTH? IT'S SUCKIN' THAT STUFF UP! THAT LOOKS LIKE IT'S COMIN' THIS WAY! LOOKS TO ME LIKE IT'S COMIN' THIS WAY!"

 

[Patrick Kerrin]

Some very good ones suggested but I think really like Roger Edwards' aptly descriptive "Storm Observer"!

 

[Jon Person]

LOCH NESS CHASER - Someone who claims that every speck of lint or spot of light on their video is some kind of brand new and unexplainable phenomenon never before witnessed by mankind.

IRONO-CHASER - Someone who works incredibly hard on their forecast, so hard in fact that they oversleep the next day and miss the event.

CHERNOBYL CHASER - Someone who can't figure out whether to go south or noth because all the data looks equal, then has a complete psychological meltdown because they can't decide yet don't want to make the wrong decision!

Announcer-chaser: Missed their calling to be in radio. Destroys everyone's audio by repeatedly yelling "tornado on the ground!!".

LOL have you considered returning the favor as a joke by repeatedly yelling "Cloud in the sky! There's a big cloud! And it's white and HUGE and going UP and UP and UP!"