Storm Chasers and Hazard/Breakdown Lights

[matty40s]

This season in particular, I have noticed more and more storm chasing vehicles fitted with rooftop orange hazard lights which the turn on whilst chasing. 

Why?

There is no official status, one I have been watching on and off today is not near any warned storms, is driving along in normal traffic with the lights flashing for over an hour now.

The are probably putting people off concentrating on the actual roads.!

Police do not give them admits to tornado threatened streets, they do not necessarily help people who have gone off the road in floods or high winds, so why the lights?

[Paul Sherman]

Because they have massive ******** 

 

The more lightbars the more impotent they are maybe ?

[Nick L]

Certainly seems like they're compensating for something. Or maybe they just like bright, flashy things?

[nsrobins]

Because they have massive ******** 

 

The more lightbars the more impotent they are maybe ?

There is certainly a correlation between ego and the number of antenna (in theory of course).

I can understand maybe two long antenna (one mifi signal booster and one shortwave radio), but some of the vehicles I saw had over half a dozen of various lengths and floppiness.

I also wonder at the validity of hazard light gantries. One team (Minuteman disaster response) had blue emergency service lights which may or may not be official.

If their primary purpose is to follow a tornado damage path and assist if necessary then I could understand it. Although the vast majority of chasers would stop and assist, I fear not all do and of course very few tornados actually impact populated areas anyway.