'We're in a (bleep) tornado!' store

[Jeff Miller]

Our response can be found

here.

 

[David Drummond]

Why does it matter? Because it jeporadizes the future dynamic of storm chasing and changes public opinion on storm chasers. Just look at the way CNN has been presenting it, every time they play it the anchor disccuses it with the meteorologist and makes it sound as if chasers were irresponsible thrill-seekers.
[/b]

Well, to those outside the chase community who know nothing about storm chasing, what goes in to it, what it's about etc etc..... isn't that exactly what we appear to be? Irresponsible thrill seekers? I mean, step back and take yourself completely out of a storm chaser mindframe and try to look at us from the outside? I mean when you get right down to it, whether some of us admit it or not, it IS a little irresponsible and I don't know about the rest of you, but for me it certainly IS a thrill to witness a tornado!! Not any more irresponsible that a myriad of other activities that humans partake in though.

One of natures most dangerous and elusive spectacles! Nothing wrong with being thrilled when you see one. I have a hard time believing that even the most academic among us don't get some thrill from it. I mean really, can you just see someone just standing there emotionless and raising an eyebrow like Spock and saying and thinking nothing more than "Interesting!"??

"Look at those people, the actually go LOOKING for tornadoes...ON PURPOSE! That's just crazy! Why would anyone want to even be close to something like that, it's just.... irresponsible and dangerous!"

"Wow! Look at those tornado chasers! Man that must be a rush! Must take a heck of a thrill seeker to do something like that!"

Sounds wrong to hear that on the inside, but I guarantee you that is what people say on the outside. How many times has a chaser been in a relatively safe position shooting a tornado when a terrified local comes up to you, scared to death and thinking they are in danger?

Keep in mind that a HUGE amount of the general public's conception who we are and what we do is based on stuff they saw in the movies. Another small percent from what they saw on TLC and Discovery. The rest of the population....well.....that would be us!

 

[Matthew Havin]

After watching that stupid video, I think I'm gonna side with Shane on that one....

With any luck, I think we could see Randy competing for a Darwin Award sooner or later.

 

[Doug_Kiesling]

Hmm, I wonder what could be driving him to do dangerous things to get wild video.

Seems like we can't complain if he cause chasers embarassment, at least the people who are encouraging the guy by awarding him.
[/b]

Well, if your infering the video contest of 2005 made people want to do stupid stuff, that contest was not for the wildest stupid human tricks video contest.

I wanted to encourage people to learn how to edit and put together a production that makes people say, wow, rewind that, not wow, can you fast forward to the good stuff because this is hella lame. Although I was not at the 2005 gig in Denver since I had to work in Florida on another project, this year I heard from a lot of people that said they loved the idea because it really made people put some work into the quality of what they were showing and not boring the hell out of people for 4 hours on video night.

People are going to chase if they can come up with the gas money or bum a ride. Nothing is going to stop anyone from chasing as long as their are no laws on the books. We as chasers just have to patrol our own and say "Dude, That's Not Cool".

 

[John Hudson]

Whoa! The dude's lucky he and his passenger made it out of there alive. Wild stuff, and VERY irresponsible. He's got some balls, I'll give him that much.
[/b]

Tony,

Try not to confuse having "balls" with simply being STUPID. There is a huge difference, cut and dried. This moron's going to make things worse for everyone who chases responsibly.

The media is largely responsible for the encouragement of jackasses like this guy. They'll marvel at the incredible guts he has to be doing this, that is until the day they put him in a casket. Then they'll say he wasn't so smart after all, just another winner of the Darwin Award.

John

 

[Damon Poole]

As I said in a different topic post, there are good and bad extremes in both spotters and chasers, and this stupidity proves it! These guys should know better! I echo Jeffrey's response. No trained spotter, or chaser worth their salt would even think about putting life or limb in danger to pull that kind of stunt, or put up with anyone who did. Anyone who would is out of their bleeping mind!

Do you Yahoo chase? - That guy sure did! - Ya-hoooooo-oo! - No name calling here, just telling it like it is!

Damon Poole
Trained SKYWARN Spotter
Guy, Arkansas

Our response can be found

here.
[/b]

 

[David Drummond]

Just to play the devil's advocate here for a minute, let's tone down the name calling please? Especially since the guy isn't a member here to defend himself.

 

[Scott Olson]

Well, to those outside the chase community who know nothing about storm chasing, what goes in to it, what it's about etc etc..... isn't that exactly what we appear to be? Irresponsible thrill seekers? I mean, step back and take yourself completely out of a storm chaser mindframe and try to look at us from the outside? I mean when you get right down to it, whether some of us admit it or not, it IS a little irresponsible and I don't know about the rest of you, but for me it certainly IS a thrill to witness a tornado!! Not any more irresponsible that a myriad of other activities that humans partake in though.

One of natures most dangerous and elusive spectacles! Nothing wrong with being thrilled when you see one. I have a hard time believing that even the most academic among us don't get some thrill from it. I mean really, can you just see someone just standing there emotionless and raising an eyebrow like Spock and saying and thinking nothing more than "Interesting!"??

"Look at those people, the actually go LOOKING for tornadoes...ON PURPOSE! That's just crazy! Why would anyone want to even be close to something like that, it's just.... irresponsible and dangerous!"

"Wow! Look at those tornado chasers! Man that must be a rush! Must take a heck of a thrill seeker to do something like that!"

Sounds wrong to hear that on the inside, but I guarantee you that is what people say on the outside. How many times has a chaser been in a relatively safe position shooting a tornado when a terrified local comes up to you, scared to death and thinking they are in danger?

Keep in mind that a HUGE amount of the general public's conception who we are and what we do is based on stuff they saw in the movies. Another small percent from what they saw on TLC and Discovery. The rest of the population....well.....that would be us!
[/b]

There is a big difference between being excited when you see a tornado and driving into one and screaming 'who's your daddy!''. I seriously doubt the public thinks that we are intentionally trying to drive into a tornado and that's the kind of thing that gets righetous politicians thinking they need to protect 'us' from 'us'.

 

[rdale]

"The media is largely responsible for the encouragement of jackasses like this guy."

So you're saying if CNN stops buying this type of footage - yahoo's like him will sit home and twiddle their thumbs? I don't believe that at all...

 

[John Hudson]

So you're saying if CNN stops buying this type of footage - yahoo's like him will sit home and twiddle their thumbs? I don't believe that at all...
[/b]

Actually, I don't believe that, and I don't recall saying anything remotely like that, either. Nuff said.

John
VE4 JTH

 

[Jay McCoy]

It may not stop them but at least 30 million people wont see the video of these idiots. It makes us all look like thrill seeking morons with no care who or what the tornado hits.

There is a big difference between being excited about catching a tornado and being excited about it destroying things and being caught in it. This fool has no morlas when it comes to humanity and obvioulsy has no intelligence on the reality of how easily it could throw his @$$ across the field (too bad it didnt).

I could care less if this guy "chases" or gets killed by his actions as long as it does not interfere with my ablility to chase later. In fact I have to side with Shane on this one. There are some people who just deserver what they ask for. I just hope I can catch it on video. That way I could show people what acting stupid gets ya. Its like the motorcycle wrecks I work where they arent wearing a helmet. I just want to go up to them and say "damn that must have hurt" and walk away but I cant. I have to help their dumb ass if they arent dead already. You get what you ask for when your stupid and wreckless.

This moron wont last long before something bad happens. I just hope he doesnt take anybody with him.

 

[Anthony Silver]

Tony,

Try not to confuse having "balls" with simply being STUPID. There is a huge difference, cut and dried. This moron's going to make things worse for everyone who chases responsibly.

The media is largely responsible for the encouragement of jackasses like this guy. They'll marvel at the incredible guts he has to be doing this, that is until the day they put him in a casket. Then they'll say he wasn't so smart after all, just another winner of the Darwin Award.

John
[/b]

OK, maybe a wrong choice of wording in my last post. I agree that it was pure stupidity when the dude drove into the tornado and I wasn't trying to suggest that it was OK by any means.

 

[Scott Bell]

actually in the video he says something like "we're in a bad place right now" so I think maybe he realized too late that he'd messed up. Once he was there, there was not much he could do but enjoy the ride. Luckily for them it wasn't bad. Does that mean he should have been there? nope. Reading his posts on another forum, he does seem to have a bit of an ego and perhaps that will get him into more trouble than he can handle one of these days. Luck only gets you so far, and relying on it is foolish.

 

[Mikel Shively]

It only takes a handful of a state legislators somewhere to make a very large headache for chasers. Im sure a few were watching CNN today...just something to think about.

 

[Tom Stefanac]

All I know is that I want to see this guy do what he did but with something that has a well defined condensation ring on the ground and some trees in the air.

It would also be nice if the next time a chaser does a live interview on CNN they could make sure they make a firm point of explaining that just like any group of individuals there are those that site on both extremes.