Storm Chasing and Media Coverage Ethics

[Ian]

"One of my long standing concerns has been that storm-chasers may eventually draw too much publicity, and chasing will become another mass cult of the leisure class, much as scuba-diving or hang-gliding."

-- David Hoadley, 31 December 1977, Stormtrack (1st issue)

I'm a chasing noob so my opinion is worthless I suppose other than I know way more about weather than a lot of these guys out there.

My buddy Amos got hit by a tornado in Tulia and he knows his stuff--chases with a lot of the old school dudes. He would be the first to say it can happen to the best.

A lot of people are clearly in it because it gives them a name they would otherwise not have. That is the wrong kind of draw for the 'sport' but those types are too dumb to realize that.

I've been out 2 weeks and have barely touched my photos. Yet most of the chasers who f'ed up today had videos out on Twitter within an hour. You'd think on this one people might be more low key... As much as I love being out here this stuff makes me sick.

[Stormchaser11]

I'm a chasing noob so my opinion is worthless I suppose other than I know way more about weather than a lot of these guys out there.

My buddy Amos got hit by a tornado in Tulia and he knows his stuff--chases with a lot of the old school dudes. He would be the first to say it can happen to the best.

A lot of people are clearly in it because it gives them a name they would otherwise not have. That is the wrong kind of draw for the 'sport' but those types are too dumb to realize that.

I've been out 2 weeks and have barely touched my photos. Yet most of the chasers who f'ed up today had videos out on Twitter within an hour. You'd think on this one people might be more low key... As much as I love being out here this stuff makes me sick.

Well I don't think you are a noob, because your not new to this.

[Ian]

Well I don't think you are a noob, because your not new to this.

Well I've only physically chased three years.

I'll deal. I worry some day it will be regulated because of morons though. I feel worst for the legit students and researchers who have to be associated with a bunch of psychos.

[messier77]

Well I've only physically chased three years.

I'll deal. I worry some day it will be regulated because of morons though. I feel worst for the legit students and researchers who have to be associated with a bunch of psychos.

 

I had that fear after the 5/19/2010 Kingfisher, OK tornado.  Sitting in a multi-mile chaser traffic jam with idiot chasers flying down the wrong lane and forcing oncoming traffic off the road with a tornadic storm bearing down was insane.

 

From what I heard, law enforcement was not happy.

 

Still cant believe that they havent regulated it.  Each year is more of a circus than the last.

[SluggerWx]

Which chaser was it that got hit in Iowa (same tor that hit a kids camp, I believe) and went on air afterwards describing how dumb it was to be in that situation?

I think those guys lost Radar for ten minutes that day, but they still owned up to it live on TV saying how dumb they were.

Exact opposite of rodeo clowns from today.

[Stormchaser11]

Well I've only physically chased three years.

I'll deal. I worry some day it will be regulated because of morons though. I feel worst for the legit students and researchers who have to be associated with a bunch of psychos.

You haven't almost got yourself killed unlike Mike Bettes, so you are a fine storm chaser...

[Shawn]

I don't think this talk about the chasers who got hit w/ the debris etc is that big of a deal.  If someone is amateur and or doesn't know enough and wants to venture out, they can learn the hard way.

 

I feel like the bigger issue is seeing how many cars were backed up "trying to escape." of normal pedestrians because media is handling these situations terribly.

 

The cell South of Stella, MO is starting to look a little more troubling than before.

[Bozart]

I had a very similar experience to David.  I've been chasing for 10 years now and it was the most disturbing chase I've ever been on.

You still came away from it with some absolutely breathtaking shots.

[Stebo]

I don't think this talk about the chasers who got hit w/ the debris etc is that big of a deal.  If someone is amateur and or doesn't know enough and wants to venture out, they can learn the hard way.

 

I feel like the bigger issue is seeing how many cars were backed up "trying to escape." of normal pedestrians because media is handling these situations terribly.

 

The cell South of Stella, MO is starting to look a little more troubling than before.

Learning the hard way could potentially get them killed... Chasers don't need to be getting less than a mile away from a wedge just to get a 'money shot'. Amateurs or professionals, it doesn't matter in either case. Way too many people were way too close today.

[Shawn]

Learning the hard way could potentially get them killed... Chasers don't need to be getting less than a mile away from a wedge just to get a 'money shot'. Amateurs or professionals, it doesn't matter in either case. Way too many people were way too close today.

 

Some of the better tornado shots over the years have come from being much further away and capturing a much wider scale image of everything in my opinion.  I agree they were too close/stayed too close for far too long especially as the tor was constantly changing speed and direction.  Not seeing much media fall out yet, because they're eating it up.

[Dunkman]

Learning the hard way could potentially get them killed... Chasers don't need to be getting less than a mile away from a wedge just to get a 'money shot'. Amateurs or professionals, it doesn't matter in either case. Way too many people were way too close today.

That's their choice.  People know going into this that there are a lot of people out there and they are in a metro area.  Blaming it on the road network (Bettis) or some car in front of you (random youtube guy) is just ridiculous.  One other thing I've noticed is that a lot of chasers have the attitude that everyone else but them are the problem, and that is comically misguided.  If someone really has a problem with too many people chasing (I don't) then do something real to help.  Stop chasing.

[BuffaloWeather]

Have you guys seen the video of Bettes and his video on TWC? They basically drive right into it and start flipping. They easily could of parked the car or hit reverse a bit and been completely safe. They look like they wanted to drive right into it. Seriously....What were they even thinking?

[Dsnowx53]

I'm going to move the posts from the other thread in here momentarily, but I just didn't want the storm thread to be cluttered with all chaser talk anymore, so I'm making a new thread for it. 

[Stebo]

That's their choice.  People know going into this that there are a lot of people out there and they are in a metro area.  Blaming it on the road network (Bettis) or some car in front of you (random youtube guy) is just ridiculous.  One other thing I've noticed is that a lot of chasers have the attitude that everyone else but them are the problem, and that is comically misguided.  If someone really has a problem with too many people chasing (I don't) then do something real to help.  Stop chasing.

It is their choice that could get others killed, which is why it matters.

[U_Thant]

I wonder if that op-ed piece he broadcast on chasers a few couple years ago was going through his mind as his chase vehicle got swallowed up.

[Scott747]

The fancy paint job on that vehicle couldn't be more fitting.

[U_Thant]

I want to see what kind of fallout, if any, there is from KFOR telling people to get in their cars and head south. If it can be shown that any of the 5 victims that died in automobiles headed out because of what they heard on KFOR, some major litigation is in their future.

[Ed Lizard]

Have you guys seen the video of Bettes and his video on TWC? They basically drive right into it and start flipping. They easily could of parked the car or hit reverse a bit and been completely safe. They look like they wanted to drive right into it. Seriously....What were they even thinking?

http://www.weather.com/video/raw-inside-tumbling-twc-vehicle-37089

 

 

It almost does look like they are driving in exactly the wrong direction.

[Ed Lizard]

I wonder if that op-ed piece he broadcast on chasers a few couple years ago was going through his mind as his chase vehicle got swallowed up.

[Stormchaser11]

[nwburbschaser]

That's their choice.  People know going into this that there are a lot of people out there and they are in a metro area.  Blaming it on the road network (Bettis) or some car in front of you (random youtube guy) is just ridiculous.  One other thing I've noticed is that a lot of chasers have the attitude that everyone else but them are the problem, and that is comically misguided.  If someone really has a problem with too many people chasing (I don't) then do something real to help.  Stop chasing.

I'm not sure if the issue is entirely with too many people chasing, but it's the idea of getting as close as possible and getting the best video possible compounded by total amateurs doing it.  How many of the people from here that have been chasing the last few weeks really care about getting the closest video?  Ian, Thundersnow, ChicagoStorm, Brett, LB, HM, Reimer, Ellinwood, Cyclone, myself etc.. were all out in the last few weeks and how many irresponsible, close as possible videos or pictures did you see from any of that group? The amount of people scares me at times, but I worry more about people who are in over their head and people who are just reckless.  On 5/18 I was at the Kwik Stop in Greensburg and a girl there was asking someone if she should get gas since she was below a half tank and the group she was chasing with just told her to wait until she was at a quarter tank which made me somewhat nervous because obviously those people were in way over their heads.  Clearly this girl had never chased before and was taking advice from other people who had never chased before.   It wasn't the fact that they were out there, it was the pure ignorance that they were showing which made me nervous.  

[MnWeatherman]

It's a shame a number of members on this forum are degrading Mike Bettes, Brandon Sullivan, and Greg Johnson. Everyone here knows they're all reputable and creditable chasers. Yesterday was an extreme event where chaser convergence maxed out over a populated area with an extremely volatile environment, a "mess" was inevitable. Its clearly shown in Brandon's video he's fleeing the tornado to avoid death. But what you don't see any other chase is 100mph inflow winds, which is what caused the damage that hit his vehicle. I agree its stupid to stick around as long as the Brandon and his crew did. These guy may have learned a lesson, but will never stop. I found Brandon Sullivan's interview with TWC VERY disappointing though, he made it sound as if it was nothing. 

[U_Thant]

It's a shame a number of members on this forum are degrading Mike Bettes, Brandon Sullivan, and Greg Johnson. Everyone here knows they're all reputable and creditable chasers. Yesterday was an extreme event where chaser convergence maxed out over a populated area with an extremely volatile environment, a "mess" was inevitable. Its clearly shown in Brandon's video he's fleeing the tornado to avoid death. But what you don't see any other chase is 100mph inflow winds, which is what caused the damage that hit his vehicle. I agree its stupid to stick around as long as the Brandon and his crew did. These guy may have learned a lesson, but will never stop. I found Brandon Sullivan's interview with TWC VERY disappointing though, he made it sound as if it was nothing. 

 

 

Bettes deserves it, after calling out chasers for getting too close.

[U_Thant]

Here is the clip from KFOR. Forward to 4:40 for the advice for people to get in their cars and drive south.

 

[Stebo]

It's a shame a number of members on this forum are degrading Mike Bettes, Brandon Sullivan, and Greg Johnson. Everyone here knows they're all reputable and creditable chasers. Yesterday was an extreme event where chaser convergence maxed out over a populated area with an extremely volatile environment, a "mess" was inevitable. Its clearly shown in Brandon's video he's fleeing the tornado to avoid death. But what you don't see any other chase is 100mph inflow winds, which is what caused the damage that hit his vehicle. I agree its stupid to stick around as long as the Brandon and his crew did. These guy may have learned a lesson, but will never stop. I found Brandon Sullivan's interview with TWC VERY disappointing though, he made it sound as if it was nothing. 

 

Most reputable chasers knew what kind of tornadoes/severe weather the atmosphere yesterday was capable of and should have known better than to get within a couple miles of an ever growing wedge. The degradation of these chasers is well deserved after they almost got themselves killed and then to further it, they are not considering it a big deal.

[messier77]

Here is the clip from KFOR. Forward to 4:40 for the advice for people to get in their cars and drive south.

 

 

Unbelievable.  So lucky this didn't lead to mass casualties on the highways.  

 

I hope he realizes just how incorrect this advice was (at least for a metro area) and how devastating it could have been.

[SmokeEater]

It's a shame a number of members on this forum are degrading Mike Bettes, Brandon Sullivan, and Greg Johnson. Everyone here knows they're all reputable and creditable chasers. Yesterday was an extreme event where chaser convergence maxed out over a populated area with an extremely volatile environment, a "mess" was inevitable. Its clearly shown in Brandon's video he's fleeing the tornado to avoid death. But what you don't see any other chase is 100mph inflow winds, which is what caused the damage that hit his vehicle. I agree its stupid to stick around as long as the Brandon and his crew did. These guy may have learned a lesson, but will never stop. I found Brandon Sullivan's interview with TWC VERY disappointing though, he made it sound as if it was nothing.

The reason why I'm being so harsh to Brandon, is because I expected MUCH better from him. And his interview on TWC where he pretty much blamed locals for slowing his escape, and blowing it off like what happened was no big deal, didn't help any either. I don't understand why some can't just come clean, and say I screwed up, and almost paid for it, I'll learn from this. One chaser did just that after yesterday's event, and posted it on FB for the world to see, and he didn't even get hit. I respect the hell out of him for that. Bettes and his driver, because he wasn't the one driving, there's no words for the stupidity they displayed. Instead of driving away from it, they just drove right into it, lol. From the looks of it, if they stayed where they were, they would have been fine. And what a lot of people defending them aren't caring to notice, they intercepted from the east. There's no reason why they didn't have a good escape route. I ask myself looking at that footage, did they actually want to get hit by it, for good ratings? That's the only explanation I can come up with, because common sense tells me, you don't just drive into a tornado like they did.

[nwburbschaser]

The guy on KFOR should be reprimanded very severely for that advice.  That could have caused mass casualties either because of the people trying to drive out of the way, or because of the delay it would have caused first responders due to the traffic.  This isn't some nuclear blast that is going to effect hundreds of square miles of a city, it's a tornado that will impact a very limited area and urging people to put themselves in danger and more importantly, clog up the roads and hamper the emergency response is about the worst advice one could give. 

[shaggy]

How can you regulate it though? If people get in their cars and chase how is law enforcement going to enforce any laws or regulations? Most likely the law enforcement people are going to be dealing with the incoming tornado and any aftermath of it hitting. Can't see how its plausible to enforce something like that.

[Boogieman]

Most reputable chasers knew what kind of tornadoes/severe weather the atmosphere yesterday was capable of and should have known better than to get within a couple miles of an ever growing wedge. The degradation of these chasers is well deserved after they almost got themselves killed and then to further it, they are not considering it a big deal.

Exactly what I was thinking. They should have been at least a mile back from where they were, if not more, knowing how intense that couplet was. They should have known something that strong was fully capable of having a bunch of satellite vortexes rotating around it. That couplet was simply unreal even on "everyday Joe" radar sites, let alone the advanced setups that most of then had access to in their vehicles.

 

The number of total yahoos chasing tornadoes has risen exponentially in the past few years. and I'd guess the majority haven't even taken a Skywarn class. They're the ones with their cell phone trying to capture that "CNN-calibre" shot for their half-hour of fame. They are the problem because you really can't stop some hack with a vidcam from jumping in mama's Escalade and heading out into the fray,for that money shot. 

 

There are already enough people chasing for legitimate reasons (like Skywarn) that adding in a couple dozen amateur papparazi vehicles starts to present a major safety issue for everyone, "locals" included.

 

It's bad enough that the cable networks would not only air their footage, but then interviewing these yahoos as if they're "expert" consultants just encourages more yahoos to try it. They may very well get themselves hurt or killed but what is even worse is when they cause others to get hurt or killed because of their actions because they put themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time. To then go on television and point fingers and assign blame on anyone but themselves is just plain sleazy. 

 

Edit: Not directed at any one "yahoo" in particular.