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

[Todd Lemery]

My new chase vehicle

 

[Jake Orosi]

"Attention seeking" has been a common and rather pejorative caricature over the years used in the criticism of a chaser who utilizes common chase vehicle accessories. But is it really a fair assessment? I say sometimes yes, more often, no.

NFL/college football fans display pride in their teams and love for the game with pennants, t-shirts, bumper stickers, jerseys, etc. In Pittsburgh you'll find black cars with Steelers stickers, license plate holders, pennants on the antenna, and Terrible Towels on the seat backs. Some black cars even have yellow stripes. When I wear a Steelers shirt, almost anywhere I go I run into a fan who enthusiastically strikes up a conversation about them.

Well yeah, but are we talking about a bumper sticker on the back of your car that says "I (heart) Severe WX"? Because I highly doubt anybody would have a problem with those.

I think it's more a matter of what "flashing light bars" means in a general sense. What kinds of vehicles have them? Police, fire, ambulance, other government or emergency vehicles; construction equipment. Things that as a typical driver you're supposed to be yielding to, making way for, or making a positive effort to stay clear of. Many people feel it is presumptive for someone who is not engaged in one of these jobs to adorn his vehicle with something that ostensibly is giving directions or commands to other drivers in a sense. The sentiment is, if you are engaged in a hobby activity, then you need to be taking steps to make sure that you stay out of traffic's way, not trying to tell traffic that it needs to keep itself out of yours. That is my impression at least.

It amazes me that so much energy is devoted to discussing and arguing about decals and light bars when there are far more egregious things being done in the storm chasing world to make us look like "idiots" and shysters.

This is one of the reasons so many veteran chasers have departed.
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Because people occasionally start threads about light bars and stickers? Surely not.

 

[Ty Traphagen]

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.

Try using a heat gun to get the lettering off. A lot of auto enthusiasts use this method to get decals off of their cars.

 

[Matt Tottle]

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.

Russell or Trego???

Try using a heat gun to get the lettering off. A lot of auto enthusiasts use this method to get decals off of their cars.

Yeah a heat gun and a razor blade (just to lift the corners of the letters, be careful) works good for cut vinyl. If it is a 'badge' attached with foam adhesive (like 3M VHB), use dental floss in a sawing motion to cut the foam, then use Goof Off or an orange oil based gum remover (I like De-Solv-It) to dissolve the leftovers.

Just be aware unless this is a white or similar light colored car, there will be a 'ghost image' of whatever you removed, because the badge protects the paint underneath from fading, so it will be darker than the rest of the paint.

 

[Evan Coverdill]

I'd say having a light is fine as long as it isn't overkill. Don't get some Federal Signal or Whelen lightbar that's as big and bright as one on a police car, or other emergency vehicle. You could ruin other storm chaser's photos or videos, and its not all that necessary. I have a mini lightbar that isn't too bright. I have a laptop mount in my vehicle for my chase partner to use while im driving. As for decals, I have a skywarn sticker to the left of my license plate, and a custom front plate.

 

[Warren Faidley]

I've seen some deadly accidents resulting from low visibility issues. So, I have no problem with plastering a vehicle with lights, reflectors, etc., for safety purposes.

I think we can agree the big **problem** starts when such lights and warning systems are abused. For example, using colored (red, blue, etc.) emergency lights when you are not driving a registered emergency vehicle and not involved in an active emergency.

 

[John Olexa]

When I was active with skywarn I had a little dome yellow light I kept in the car. When I stopped off the road to watch a storm I'd just pop in on the roof ( magnetic base) plug it in the cigarette lighter until I was done then take it off.

 

[Todd Lemery]

Different states have different laws regarding the different colored lights. For instance, blue lights may be fine for a garbage truck in one state, but will be reserved for law enforcement vehicles in another. It may be unlawful to run with a certain colored light as soon as you cross the state line. There is no national standard

 

[Robert Forry]

Different states have different laws regarding the different colored lights. For instance, blue lights may be fine for a garbage truck in one state, but will be reserved for law enforcement vehicles in another. It may be unlawful to run with a certain colored light as soon as you cross the state line. There is no national standard

Right on Todd, especially here in the Great Lake state. The thought of "hey, a lightbar would look cool and add some safety to what I do" turned into "hell no, I don't need the ticket, or the hassle in other states." Plus, I don't want to be the chaser who is blinding the 50 others who are chasing the same severe warned storm.. To @Adam's point previously, your hazard lights achieve the same thing. Anything else someone wants to do to their own vehicle to identify themselves as a chaser or spotter, the more power to them. I have a "Storm Assist" and three year old "ChaserTV" sticker on the Jeep, and that's about it, other than my dual band HAM antenna, to identify myself.

 

[Marc R. O'Leary]

This year I had even taken my little 3x5 SKYWARN magnet off the car when I was detailing it, and never bothered to put in back on. Only real identifiable qualities to my car during this past season was my little booster antenna, the spare on the roof and the interior. And even those would only be identifiable to another chaser.

While out at night in the boonies though, I would throw on the big SKYWARN magnet, just to deter curious locals and ease the law enforcement concern when they passed by. Otherwise, it stays in the glovebox.

 

[Scott Howard]

Totally understand your guys thoughts on this. Being in the fire service 33 years I see those that have identification on themselves and vehicle letting everybody know who they are. I'm hoping to get a vehicle I'm not worried about getting dented next year and be more active spotting. But knowing, and have been in low visibility conditions i still believe in being visible to other traffic. I don't believe in light bars but considering Hide Away lights in the rear tailights if I end up sitting along the road.

 

[JamesCaruso]

Echoing what others have said, I think Dan's analogy to fans of sports teams and other pursuits is perfect and helps put in proper perspective the similar display of one's love of storm chasing and affinity with our group. But it's a matter of degree; I would also tend to be critical of people that go overboard with excessive display of the other types of passions Dan mentions. In fact even just one bumper sticker can look ridiculous; in my view it ruins the look of a nice car and I always wonder how anyone could do that. But an emblem-style NOAA or Skywarn decal is a nice understated display and I can see the value relative to the perception of law enforcement. Nothing against those trying to also advertise their chasing-related businesses. As others have said, the only real issue that actually affects others is lighting, especially if it violates any vehicular laws.

 

[Karen St John]

I just have a WDET sticker (I love public radio). Why give the storms any warning that you're on their trail?

 

[Kevin Rimcoski]

I put a license plate bracket that says "I'd rather be storm chasing". That's plenty for me

Skip, just seeing your post about the lettering. If you need any tips let me know. Maybe if we run into each other next year and you still have any decals on you don't want, i can take them off for you. Really simple and won't mess up the paint. I've debadged all of my cars minus my tC i just got. Heat, like a hot day, heat gun, even a hair dryer and some string like fishing line, dental floss (a bit more of a pita as it keeps breaking) or even just peeling it away with your fingernails will do the trick. If there's any adhesive residue left over, I've used goo-gone and lighter fluid to "buff" it out. Then rinse the area with some car soap and water, and wax. If for some reason there's any paint marred you can get some car polish, or worst case a scratch remover then polish and works it out...but polish should be plenty

 

[Marc R. O'Leary]

Kevin knows what he's talking about. In a former life I detailed cars...hot water is the best for removing decals, plus a little touch up after.

 

[James Wilson]

I have a close to murdered out Tundra ... chasing or going anywhere else my truck looks the same on the outside. The only way you can tell I am chasing is inside and that is the way I like it.

To anyone that looks I am just an average vehicle on the road speeding towards a lowering.