The storm chaser vehicle "look": stickers and other items

[Shane Adams]

The way you guys feel about the fact I choose to engage in this topic, hence "wasting" my energy.....that's exactly how I feel about over-the-top chase vehicles being driven by people who have zero tornado pics on their website.

 

[Marc R. O'Leary]

What about people who don't have a website and dont give a s#t about sharing their trophy pics? What about the people that are just out for fun and occasional wall hangers?

 

[Shane Adams]

What about people who don't have a website and dont give a s#t about sharing their trophy pics? What about the people that are just out for fun and occasional wall hangers?

There you go. That's EXACTLY my opinion about the modified chase vehicle deal. I don't give a sh*t about off road capabilities, or torque, or vehicle wraps. I'm just out there to get my trophy.

 

[Mark Ellinwood]

Since I'm not looking to advertise or anything like that, the only thing to identify me as a chaser are my small antenna and somewhat-obscure vanity plate. I very much enjoy the under-the-radar kind of situation.

My favorite vehicle add-on is the dried mud on the back after a successful chase.

 

[Adam Reagan]

I'm not big on the idea of using my car that I spent my hard earned money on as a billboard for someone else's product or brand.

I'll attach the antennas for my scanner and ham radio on a chase day but that's about it.

 

[Andrew Pritchard]

I speak for no one but myself, but my issue with the stickers, decals, modified vehicles, etc etc is the fact the majority of those types have 50 pics of their vehicle on their websites and no storms pics. I get that it's a sub-culture and an activity that can be related to other activities like chasing. But it's in my DNA to scoff at anyone who's all up front about their vehicle and I can't think of a single tornado they've seen, not a single event that would be their "feather in the cap." For me, the actual chasing and results come first regarding a chaser.

Do all the other stuff as much as you want, but if you're looking for acceptance and respect as a fellow chaser....you gotta be a chaser first.

I was a great example of this. When I got my drivers license and first beater at age 16 and was able to chase storms on my own for the first time, I had my car windows covered in stickers and decals showing off that I was a storm chaser. But the more tornadoes I actually saw, the less and less I wanted to look like someone who was chasing storms. Once that first car died, I moved on to a sticker/decal-less option, but kept the antenna farm on the back of the vehicle. And then a few years later I was parking next to tornadoes in a bright yellow mazda with no stickers or antennae, looking like I was there by accident.

I used to be super into my vehicle setup too, but anymore if you wanted to see my chase setup it'd be a cellphone picture of my camera bags thrown in the backseat. Now on this topic though, I think there's any even bigger spread. A lot of chasers are into technology and use it in many different ways, so I don't think having a fancy interior setup and being into sharing and showing it off with others necessarily ties into prior success.

This isn't of course meant as a broad brush - everyone has their own ways. But I do agree that it is a fairly common thread. At the beginning, acceptance seems to be everything, and with no results to speak for you, looking the part is the easiest way.

 

[Skip Talbot]

When you're in love you want to shout it from the roof tops. I like seeing that enthusiasm in the new and aspiring chasers.

I'm not big on the idea of using my car that I spent my hard earned money on as a billboard for someone else's product or brand.

I agree. I can't even stand the dealership lettering that's on my back hatch. I've been thinking about cutting them off but I'll probably mar the paint. It probably doesn't matter though since the monstrosity camera enclosure on the roof sticks out more than any stickers or lettering, but I don't mind the eye sore that it is and the unwanted attention if it serves some sort of practical function.

 

[Jesse Risley]

I don't particularly care what someone else chooses to do with his or her own vehicle. That having been said, my next vehicle will be as low profile as possible. I didn't go high profile with my current vehicle (no stickers, decals, lights, etc.), but I do have external antennas for the ham radio and cell phone, so it still sort of stands out.

All of that aside, I am convinced that there are certain police officers who profile storm chasers and selectively target them for greater scrutiny when it comes to certain classifications of traffic/moving citations. Some LEOs do not like storm chasers, or they have an issue with the hobby in general, and I believe some of the chaser accounts when these chasers have reported that they feel they were on the receiving end of a citation whenever the police officers realized they were a storm chaser, simply because they were out chasing in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Were some of these chasers legitimately deserving of a citation? Probably so; nevertheless, I think the profiling issue is a reality, and when you stand out as a storm chaser, you lend yourself to the increased likelihood that you might receive a citation that may have otherwise gone unnoticed if you were simply keeping a lower profile.

 

[Sean Ramsey]

I can't even stand the dealership lettering that's on my back hatch. I've been thinking about cutting them off but I'll probably mar the paint. It probably doesn't matter though since the monstrosity camera enclosure on the roof sticks out more than any stickers or lettering, but I don't mind the eye sore that it is and the unwanted attention if it serves some sort of practical function.

Not to go off topic but I can't stand this either and wondered what legal legs someone would have to stand on if they sent an invoice to the dealership for advertising fees. If I buy clothes from a store I don't have the store's name stitched into my clothes, so why shouldn't this apply to something you drive?

 

[Wes Carter]

I like the idea of "live and let live". I say that but I catch myself poking fun at the cars with tons of decals, lights, porcupine quills, and batting cages. I also have a "Find The Tornado" sticker on my rear window that I got from Andy G plus I run a 2m radio so I'm not completely incognito. Screw it, I have fun.

 

[Marc R. O'Leary]

Screw it, I have fun.

This. All that really matters. :thumbsup:

 

[Adam Lucio]

Im live and let live to a point. I can't help but get irritated at people who use fancy gizmos and stickers to come off as a chaser when they couldnt chase their way down their own drivey without GPS guidance. People start to answers those cries for attention and put faith in those individuals. IMO thats false advertising, or fraud. Be what you want, as long as you are real about it.

If youre a novice there are two types of responses. If they're upfront and say "Yea this is my 1st/2nd year out there im learning a lot and cant wait to learn more" or "I am out there conducting important life saving research for the betterment of mankind" it really says a lot about that persons character and what their true agendas are. I find myself gravitating towards, and having more respect for the former as opposed to the later.

 

[Rodney Nonamaker]

All of that aside, I am convinced that there are certain police officers who profile storm chasers and selectively target them for greater scrutiny when it comes to certain classifications of traffic/moving citations. Some LEOs do not like storm chasers, or they have an issue with the hobby in general, and I believe some of the chaser accounts when these chasers have reported that they feel they were on the receiving end of a citation whenever the police officers realized they were a storm chaser, simply because they were out chasing in the wrong place at the wrong time.

I was told last year the Sherriff of the county next to mine informed his troopers to follow chasers and pull them over any chance they get...as far as it being true...unconfirmed. As for my current vehicle, I'm not going through the trouble of putting all the stuff on it again. Only thing differentiating me from normal traffic is my Storm Assist bumper sticker.

 

[joel ewing]

OK, that settles it. We're going to the strip club and discuss this like real men.

 

[Justin Wilcox]

I think anything more than one or two small decals or emblems is overkill or obnoxious.

Radio antennas and roof mounted instruments are certainly useful for communicating with others who are out on the same storm (perhaps with a different vantage point) or for your own amusement (e.g., to see if you sampled severe winds). Hail guards can be useful, but they do tend to make people's vehicles look even more goofy in my opinion. Regardless...

...will you see me using these things? Highly unlikely.
Will I poke fun at those who go overboard and drive around like a Hollywood billboard and talk sh1t about them behind their backs? Hell yes!
Do they have every right to use these things? As long as it's within the law, absolutely.

My vehicle looks very plain - I don't use any exterior decoration or equipment. Everything I use is inside the vehicle. I have thought about purchasing a plain black-and-white "STORM CHASER" bumper sticker, though, just for sh1ts and giggles, and to be obnoxious in my own way.

I agree with everything here. Although I have seriously been thinking about something I can attach and remove quickly, just to save the windshield. Even though im fully insured, its still a pain to have to get one replaced. But I wouldnt put huge expanded steel grates over anything. Im trying to figure out a quick, easy to attach and remove awning of sorts. But definitely nothing that sticks out.