Dan Cook
EF5
But Warren, what if you:
Play the piano next to a tornado?
Play the piano next to a tornado?
This up close stuff is getting out of hand
- Thread starter Matthew Crowther
- Start date
Warren Faidley
Supporter
But Warren, what if you:
Play the piano next to a tornado?
The way I play, the locals might be in more danger from my music....lol
GlennMartin
EF0
Without getting into the "too close" debate again, I have a side issue which will always be somewhat subjective i imagine. A few years ago I was filming a tornado in open country in Illinois from about 1.5 miles away which began being wrapped in rain and hail limiting its visibility when two vehicles approached I decided on the spur of the moment to walk out into the road as i was filming holding my hand up, they slowed of course and the young girl in the first vehicle asked what is going on? I told her a tornado was about to cross the road just ahead which caused her immediately to turn around in fear, in the second car the elderly man driving just sat there realizing the danger and waited till it passed. I like to think I did the right thing and perhaps saved the girl from injury or worse and the elderly man the same. I read years ago that several people drive right into large visible tornadoes completely unaware. That is hard for us "weather aware" people to imagine but most people have tunnel vision just trying to get to where they are going.
Realizing that I greatly dislike being blocked when chasing, as has happened to me by law enforcement and citizens a few times over the years. I know the officials are doing their job and we must respect the law but we all spend countless hours and finances chasing down our passion and it is annoying when someone blocks the road. Now in the above case they could have passed me on the left I just wanted to let them know of the veiled danger ahead and it was purely a split second human response. Thoughts?
Realizing that I greatly dislike being blocked when chasing, as has happened to me by law enforcement and citizens a few times over the years. I know the officials are doing their job and we must respect the law but we all spend countless hours and finances chasing down our passion and it is annoying when someone blocks the road. Now in the above case they could have passed me on the left I just wanted to let them know of the veiled danger ahead and it was purely a split second human response. Thoughts?
Erik Perozo
EF0
Glenn Great Point
I had the privilege during the Albany,MO tornado in 04 to do the same for some locals that where about to drive right into the backside of that tornado. They acted as if they didn't have an idea of what was going on.
Matt I agree with you to a point.
I started stormchasing in MS where I grew up and viewing a tornado or structure from 5-10 miles away just isn't going to happen. If you wanted to see something then you had to get as close as possible to see it, unless you were fortunate to go to the MS Delta where it looks like Kansas. Other than that the only chance you had to get any distance shots were if you happen to drive past an open field that might be 10acres if you were lucky. I guess that style of chasing translated to the Plains where I felt that I had to get to close to see things. Now I have put myself in some serious situations that could have been avoided but doing that taught me a few things. I chase with a close friend of mine who is a NWS employee out of Charleston and he prefers chasing as you. He doesn't like getting closer than 5 miles. We sometimes conflict on that but in situations as that it's always better to respect the further point from danger. I have really enjoyed some of my photography from 10+ miles from the meso. For me it all depends on the type of storm, speed, visibilities and terrain. Any wise chaser knows his/her limits. If they choose to get in situations that they know are going to put them too close then that is their own decision. I truly hope that no chaser regrets the decisions they make in that matter but I am afraid that we are close to hearing of chasers getting killed doing so. As the years progress more and more chasers hit the roads not knowing what they are doing but I can't throw a stone at them because we all were at a point sometime in our chasing careers where we just wanted to hit the road and see something.
Great Topic Matt
I had the privilege during the Albany,MO tornado in 04 to do the same for some locals that where about to drive right into the backside of that tornado. They acted as if they didn't have an idea of what was going on.
Matt I agree with you to a point.
I started stormchasing in MS where I grew up and viewing a tornado or structure from 5-10 miles away just isn't going to happen. If you wanted to see something then you had to get as close as possible to see it, unless you were fortunate to go to the MS Delta where it looks like Kansas. Other than that the only chance you had to get any distance shots were if you happen to drive past an open field that might be 10acres if you were lucky. I guess that style of chasing translated to the Plains where I felt that I had to get to close to see things. Now I have put myself in some serious situations that could have been avoided but doing that taught me a few things. I chase with a close friend of mine who is a NWS employee out of Charleston and he prefers chasing as you. He doesn't like getting closer than 5 miles. We sometimes conflict on that but in situations as that it's always better to respect the further point from danger. I have really enjoyed some of my photography from 10+ miles from the meso. For me it all depends on the type of storm, speed, visibilities and terrain. Any wise chaser knows his/her limits. If they choose to get in situations that they know are going to put them too close then that is their own decision. I truly hope that no chaser regrets the decisions they make in that matter but I am afraid that we are close to hearing of chasers getting killed doing so. As the years progress more and more chasers hit the roads not knowing what they are doing but I can't throw a stone at them because we all were at a point sometime in our chasing careers where we just wanted to hit the road and see something.
Great Topic Matt
Greg Stumpf
EF5
Rent "Riding Giants". Highly recommended if you want to draw its parallels to the evolution of storm chasing.
Dustin Wilcox
EF5
I imagine this disscussion rekindaled after MANY had real close intercepts with the Hwy 34 tornado. Personally I think it's a thrill to get close, every time I get close enough to hear the roar of a tornado that sound replays in my head for days and days after, IMO the roar is one of the most incredible parts of a tornado. That being said, I would never put my life in any kind of jepordy for a tornado, no tornado is worth injury let alone death. I agree you see it more and more, folks getting stupid close; but IMO there was no stupid close with yesterday. The reason you saw so many chasers close yesterday is because it was an ideal setup for a close intercept, slow tornado moving due East right down a wide open hwy. It was ideal, you filmed until the absolute last second, when it got to close you went East half mile, and completed that process for 20 minutes, it was exactly the kind of stuff I dream about!
AndyGabrielson
EF1
agreed dustin, exactly why i stayed as close to the goshen county tornado on the 5th and the tornado near Schell city, MO on the 10th, dont forget you can buy a wide angle lens
Jason Foster
My least disliked line is I'm (insert feet or yards here) from it..... when in fact it is more like a half a mile or a mile or more in some cases....
"I caught a fish this big!" scenario.
The video isn't bad without the sound. I forgot I had the headphone plugged in and watched most of it without the sound.
Close, but didn't seem outrageously close to me, kinda reminded me of the beginning stages of hurricane (where he was, not the tornado) with the small debris and winds (guessing) around 60-70mph.
That's the great thing about video...you can always turn the idiot commentary off (quality of it myself from time to time).
Sarah Glenn
EF1
Possible thread hijacking, but...
I noticed tonight that I had one "Andrew Fabel" as a contact in my e-mail; upon looking, I remembered that in early 2007 I had sent him an e-mail to [email protected] (as did a friend of mine) for some kind of "internship opportunity" to chase for a few solid weeks and "do research." Unfortunately, I didn't keep whatever e-mail solicited us to e-mail him about the internship, and (fortunately), we never heard a word back. Just thought it was an interesting morsel of information, considering what else I have heard about him from last year's thread and now this screaming video of his (or so it seems).
I noticed tonight that I had one "Andrew Fabel" as a contact in my e-mail; upon looking, I remembered that in early 2007 I had sent him an e-mail to [email protected] (as did a friend of mine) for some kind of "internship opportunity" to chase for a few solid weeks and "do research." Unfortunately, I didn't keep whatever e-mail solicited us to e-mail him about the internship, and (fortunately), we never heard a word back. Just thought it was an interesting morsel of information, considering what else I have heard about him from last year's thread and now this screaming video of his (or so it seems).
Mike Krzywonski
I just viewed Inside Edition. The 2 kids were not w/ the chaser (Fable?) whose clip is being discussed. They were w/ Brandon Ivey, whose footage was also shown, but he wasn't nearly as close as Fable was.
Jim Saueressig
EF5
Are we gonna roll with this kid issue again? I take mine with me alot.... I also don't get real close or punch any cores at that time however.
Kids can go along for a chase as long as you have extra limits. The kid aspect is what has kept me on many structures rather than in the thick of things for a tube....
Kids can go along for a chase as long as you have extra limits. The kid aspect is what has kept me on many structures rather than in the thick of things for a tube....
Matt Hughes
I watched the stream the whole time and the boys were never in danger. Brandon did a good job of explaining himself on the CBS Early Show this morning. Here is a link.
Joey Ketcham
If the chaser with their kids is getting right up next to tornadic circulation with debris falling all around them... then yes we are going to roll with the kid issue.
I have no problems with chasers taking their kids, if they're playing it safe. But having your kids and getting that close to a tornado with debris falling around you is just being careless and irresponsible.
But I see that it was Brandon who had is kids, I didn't actually see the Inside Edition story.. I just heard from a couple of people talking about it that he had his kids with him.
Jim Saueressig
EF5
And you will notice that I said:
I think it is a great experience for kids to go along on a chase as long as you are not being unsafe. Generally you are safer following the beast rather than being in town with it coming towards you.
Justin Wiley
EF1
I wish me and my dad would've gone chasing when I was younger. That would've been sweet!
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