@john65pennington chasers provide valuable information that can not otherwise be obtained in many cases, especially those that collect data or images of tornadoes, and most of us report severe weather to the NWS. Where do you think the NWS gets their information from? It isn’t all radar and computers. They don’t train people every year to go out and report visual confirmations of weather sightings for their health. Every time you have a severe weather warning for your area, that came from someone who was observing details of the actual weather, not just a computer screen. These storms are complex and not fully understood. Anyone that takes storm watching seriously resents chasers, amateur or otherwise, that behaves recklessly and deliberately puts themselves or others in harm’s way. Anyone with a brain in their head knows to consider the conditions, slick roads, lightning, large hail, debris, the multitude of things that pose a serious threat to their safety. Most serious chasers within the community are beyond fed up with people who fail to educate themselves before setting out on what could be a life threatening endeavor without the proper precautions. There is a code of ethics among storm watchers, and at the absolute forefront of that code is safety. That includes obeying traffic laws, remaining aware of road conditions and visibility, and staying out of the path of the storm. Do you have any idea how easy it is to stay out of the path of a tornado? It isn’t all drama like you see in the movies. Of course they are devastating and destructive, but they do have tendencies and patterns that make it possible to determine which direction they are headed in. Ideally every severe storm would strike in the middle of a large, flat, empty field without a human being for miles and miles in sight, but unfortunately that is often not the case. I have never met a chaser that does it just for the “thrill,” the motivation is for a better understanding of the unpredictability of nature. This is a fascination and a desire for understanding and information, not just shits and giggles. That “is the point.” I have never been a thrill seeker, I’m scared of my own shadow, and I sure as hell don’t have a “low IQ,” so perhaps you should reconsider your stance.
“There is a widespread misconception that storm chasing is a dangerous ‘extreme sport’ and participants are at best fearless daredevils and at worst reckless and crazy. The truth is, however, that storm chasing is generally very safe when done responsibly. Most storm chasers are level-headed about the hobby, have no desire to put themselves in harm’s way, and get tired of being typecast as high-risk adrenaline junkies.”