All of this is a cycle. In a few years they will focus on something else like the sexual life of the frog or how Al Gore could cause the end of the world.
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HAHA that was great.
Im chiming in late here but just wanted to add my 2 cents for whatever theyre worth.
I witnessed 2 reckless acts Thursday, one was a similar stop sign experience, back county roads, little to no traffic, my road had no stop signs and the other one did, it was dark and someone driving a black pickup truck [couldnt tell if it was a chaser or not] totaly flew through the stop sign at an insane speed. Luckily for me i always look far down the road of an approaching intersection [if i can] so i slowed down enough to let him pass.
The second was another pickup truck who turned infront of me so fast he hydroplaned and fish tailed. The only reason i slowed down to let him go was because he had a blue warning light on his roof and I wasnt sure if it was emergency personel or not...[ive never seen just a blue light before]
I wont lie im guilty of speeding [sometimes 20 over] and ill pass traffic on a 2 lane road...NEVER up a hill. Sometimes Ill follow a little more closely then normal but thats only to make the pass easier, faster and safer and i ALWAYS signal. Im 25 and have never hit a car in my life [ok i bumped one once parallel parking but thats it]
Some people take it up a notch, I was doing 75 in a 55 and I still got passed a few times, we all want to get to the storms, but there is a line.
I dont need an alarm clock, on big event days like this past Thursday I take the time off work as early as possible and I arrived in my target area 4 hours before anything even got started.
Ive taken a few ride-alongs with me at times and I always give them the speech about how chasing isnt like it is on TV and that they better be prepared for a long boring car ride staring at corn and sunny skies, and that unless theyre really interested in seeing weather and storms...the 5 percent of the chase thats "action packed" isnt worth it.
As much as id like to see a real documentary like that...i too would probably get bored sitting there infront of a tv watching it....I can live with it if im actually out doing it...but i barely have enough time to watch TV as it is.
Everyone wants to make money doing what they love, so i cant say i blame anyone who sells footage to a TV show or news media etc etc. Because I know I would take any opportunity that came my way....but even if I dont...the passion will forever remain and Ill never give it up.
Perhaps a good law would be for chasers to show a certificate that says theyve at leaste gone through a skywarn training class or something. Chasing without certification could be wreckless endangerment i dunno...just thinking loosely.
AND THAT WAS A FAIRLY SLOW MOVING STORM!!! One day, something very bad is going to happen. Even if you're out of position, it's not worth being THAT reckless. One little mistake, a blown tire, someone hydroplanes, and that would've been deadly no doubt. I'd rather lose the storm than risk my life (and others) getting there, unfortunately not everyone feels this way.
