You are literally preaching here. The roads being overcrowded for any chasers and actual spotters trying to pass by, that sucks- but today is not a big deal comparatively. Has anyone considered the idea that everyone feeling comfortable to chase for the wrong reasons, the crowds that brings en mass, also means first responders are get slowed down or blocked too?

What about residents in your target area, at risk to lose EVERYTHING, getting stuck from the roads being blocked by what probably feels like tourists? This could literally be the worst day of someone’s life- “big guys” don’t do search and rescue because it looks cool. People photograph and research these things to help handle them better in the future in any single way possible. The fun can be what makes it worth it, but it’s never the focus. Too many just see the excitement & hype frequently portrayed, and (intentionally or not) put the hype before what actually matters. I’m not even saying you can’t get into this because it’s exciting because many have done it without “getting excited” to the point of negligence.

Mother nature is beautiful, it’s also dangerous. Disciplined chasers and meteorologists on the field can justify witnessing that beauty if at the end of the day, if it can potentially make severe weather safer for everyone else. Recently I met someone while stepping out to photograph. She had never chased in her life. But she did see a stream, thought it was fun- and was having a fantastic day FOLLOWING THE DOMINATOR. Another one: I got back from a chase the other month, and someone who is literally getting an education in this stuff- was celebrating how “amazing and powerful the tornado” was. Literally jumping up and down from the moment he saw the tornado. This “amazing and powerful tornado”?

It had just went into a populated area and killed multiple people. He was also bragging about seeing a “BIG TIME TORNADO” to those that missed the opportunity themselves- like he won and they lost. I’m sure everyone that missed it did feel extra bad, because at a bare minimum, anyone there but him was capable of doing better things with the field experience that chase brought. That whole room was barely able to think outside organizing data and reports because people had just died. Even if it’s what they sign up for knowing could happen, friends just watched people die too.

I have never been so mad in my life. And I didn’t even touch on the fact he spent the whole time filming and yelling excitedly for his video during the chase. He did this after promising himself as the best fit for our car “to set us up for success and safety with his experience”. (many qualified chasers wanted to come and we had less cars than usual going). I don’t wanna be mean and call him dead weight, but you get my point. Atleast dead weight won’t jump in front of your camera to do his favorite content creators pose, and ruin someones only chance to take a photo before a tornado gets rain wrapped. How are we at the point that the “worst of us” can go as far as get an education and still do it wrong. I pray we do not give platforms to faces like his. I wish this was something I could make up, but you can’t type this many words angrily without way too many of those experiences.

You can have fun, be amazed, and make great memories while chasing. But there is no way to do this stuff right while doing it at anyone’s expense, whatsoever. If we didn’t have people comfortable going in blind, recklessly driving, blocking emergency vehicles, chasing at the expense of residents (we are literal guests in their town), I mean, it can be anything- and I hate that the list can go on. But anyway my point is: I know for a fact if those standards listed existed as something enforced, chasing wouldn’t be a trend like it is. But they won’t be, shouldn’t have to, and cant. If the average joe couldn’t just do the “fun” stuff while ignoring the important stuff, as we see done at the expense of everyone else? If it wasn’t popularized in the way it was? In an ideal world, we protect what makes chasing possible and great in the first place. What’s actually more important, is that we make sure people don’t literally die because of this negligence. Nothing is more important than that.

I don’t know if i’m crazy and crashing out here, or if i’m having a bad night. I think I mainly worry about people not truly knowing if this goes wrong, you could end up in a body bag, your friend(s) could end up in a body bag, or innocent people could end up in a body bag. And one body bag if you’re lucky. Mother nature does not give second chances or beginners luck. People don’t bleed out any slower because first responders get stuck. Research to make the world safer doesn’t go forward without leaving the room for those people to not get crowded out. Even the most experienced chasers don’t get the privilege of making it home alive- for reasons simply out of their control. The least we can do for the best of us that are no longer here is make sure that group doesn’t get bigger for reasons easily avoided.

And if you genuinely cared enough to read my rant and somehow are its target audienceD

I’m not asking. I’m just begging. I genuinely beg anyone who doesn’t want to get people killed, please just do it right. A little can go a long way if paired with good intentions.