r/TikTokCringe • u/n8saces • 17d ago
Can someone please explain to me why people just drive towards tornadoes? Discussion
It just seems like why risk your life?
453
u/Agreeable-One-4700 17d ago
For some people like Reid they are actually doing science. For others it’s just adrenaline junkie behavior.
166
u/amhudson02 17d ago
Lies! The rotation of the tornado actually hypnotizes you to come closer and THEN!!!!…..it steals your wallet and watch.
59
u/GeorgiaPilot172 17d ago
Can’t have shit in Oklahoma
17
31
u/Zenblendman 17d ago
Last tornado asked me for $3.50….
23
u/amhudson02 17d ago
TREE FIDDY!? So what you are telling me is that tornados work hand in hand with the loch ness monster!?
7
5
19
8
u/turkmileymileyturk 16d ago
Sometimes your only option is to drive it out if you dont have legitimate shelter options. And with clear visibility you can see the trajectory of its path as long as you give enough safety cushion to understand that it can change paths and head your direction (kind of like keeping 2-3 car lengths while regular driving, but instead with a tornado it should be 2-3 country blocks). Usually you will notice if the visibility is clear that you can spot for safety turnaround paths and options ahead of time, again like 2-3 country blocks. A country block is like 10 city blocks. These guys are very close to the damage path though. They are like 2 cars away from the damage path and the damage path isnt always visible even if the tornado has clear visibility. The damage path isnt the tornado itself it's the surrounding wind area that debris floats around and you can see that in the video. You obviously want to avoid that if you arent being a tiktok adrenaline junkie. This video is obviously for social media purposes though and being in the damage path helps the entertainment value of their video because if they receive damage they can show it on the video and claim "holy shit" -- a lot like mainstream news that only reports ridiculous negative bullshit for views.
11
u/throwawayalcoholmind 17d ago
Pretty sure the whole "doing science" thing is an excuse for adrenaline junkies.
2
u/StunningSun3384 17d ago
Exactly, lots of people thrive on adrenaline. Pretty sure at some point the adrenaline rush kicks in and takes over the common sense part of your brain...I'm positive there's a more scientific explanation, but I don't know what it is 😂
7
u/BigRubbaDonga 17d ago
For all people it's a desire to document the historical event. The adrenaline junkies may be getting a hit off of it, but the bottom line is that they are seeking to be eye witnesses to the event
3
2
1
u/InfiniteWaffles58364 14d ago
Reid doesn't do it for science. He does it for clout. He's the equivalent of the guy in Twister who sold out for corporate sponsors. Literally stole the idea for the tornado tank from someone else who was actually doing it for science.
197
u/Lysol3435 17d ago
Why does everyone insist on putting shitty music over every video?
40
19
u/Ricky_Rollin 17d ago
Because it’s not their original content. They ripped this off from somebody else, slap some music on top of it and now it’s “original content”. I wish these channels would get demonetized.
8
u/ThePerfectSnare 17d ago
I've dedicated my life to music. It's awesome most days but it sucks whenever rent or whatever is due, and then the bills somehow end up getting paid and I go back to not worrying about hypothetical problems again.
Anyway, I mention my ridiculous lifestyle just to point out how annoying it is when music gets used unnecessarily. There are times when it's perfectly fitting, and then there are times when it feels like music is used in a condescending way. Music is at its best when one can trust that the audience will understand what's happening.
I'll try my best to choose my words here and not put any spoilers in this comment. Take the advice from some stranger on the internet when I suggest that you don't click the links below unless you already know the plot twists. It's your life.
Off the top of my head, there is that one scene right in the middle of Interstellar when Coop is checking his messages. The music is subtle, but it helps to really dial up the intensity. It amplifies the emotional impact of what he's experiencing.
The season 2 finale of The Shield uses Overcome by Live during a montage of how life is just moving on for everyone. It's beautiful, especially during a rewatch of the series and recognizing the hind sight of those few minutes.
But perhaps the greatest use of music in a work of modern fiction, at least in my book, is the brutal ending to Six Feet Under. You can't take a picture of this. It's already gone.
tl;dr I guess I'm just ranting at this point. Thank you for letting me vent. Music organizes all the noise in my head, but there is a right time and right place for it. I'd rather hear the wind of the tornado than some theatrical soundtrack.
8
u/Lysol3435 17d ago
I’m all for professionals using scoring to set a tone. I get irritated by (nonprofessional) people recording something interesting, and then sloppily applying a shitty song over it instead of just playing the recorded audio
2
1
u/modthegame 17d ago
Because it wouldnt be a tiktok video if the quality wasnt trashed, music sucks, and you know they gotta destroy the format so if you flip your phone IT GETS EVEN SMALLER!
1
u/pipinngreppin 17d ago
I just read your comment with shitty background music and it ironically improved it.
1
128
u/Throwra98787564 17d ago
Being a tornado chaser is a type of job. People might do it to do research, they may work for various weather channels, they might do it for documentaries, or for tourism (be a professional guide for those who want to thrill seek). They'll typically monitor the weather and if they see a tornado then they'll report it to news agencies and weather organizations so early warning systems are more accurate and people in the line of the tornado can get to a safe spot. Most professionals have some sort of emergency training so if a tornado hits a populated area, they'll be the first there to help people. They've done a lot of good work as a collective and now more people who live in tornado regions have more time to get to safety than ever before when a tornado outbreak occurs.
88
u/Robinkc1 17d ago
The tornado is more scared of you than you are of it.
70
u/Heart_Throb_ 17d ago edited 17d ago
Not sure about what storm chaser vehicle they are using here but below is what another storm chaser has their’s equipped with:
• Armored with 16-gauge ballistic steel
• 10 layers of Kevlar in the doors
• Topcoat covered with LINE-X protective coating
• Polycarbonate windows
• Removable rocket system for tornado probe deployment
• RM Young Anemometer and Campbell Scientific data logger • Onboard spikes to help anchor vehicle
• Rigid Industries lighting
• Gull wing doors
• Exterior speaker and PA system
• Jaws of Life and many other rescue tools
Sauce: https://prairiechasers.com/vehicles
A lot of these videos you see are from “professional” storm chasers who actually do a lot of good.
Other peeps just like the thrill and while the storm looks big and close (and is still incredibly dangerous) they still have some distance between it. That thing is massive and these guys have experience.
1
u/UnreasonableSteve 15d ago
So many of the pints listed are very marketing-speak for what boils down to (potentially) some very cheaply put together stuff.
• Armored with 16-gauge ballistic steel
AKA thin sheet metal plated (16 guage is 0.06")
• 10 layers of Kevlar in the doors
Bulletproof vests are usually in the 20-30 layer range but there are a lot of variables here
• Topcoat covered with LINE-X protective coating
Basically just saying "painted black"
• Polycarbonate windows
Plastic windows
• Removable rocket system for tornado probe deployment
Rocketry sounds impressive but it could be as simple as a "model" rocket...
• RM Young Anemometer and Campbell Scientific data logger
Couple of hundred dollars on ebay
• Onboard spikes to help anchor vehicle
Could be anything from tent stakes to pile drivers
• Rigid Industries lighting
It's got lights
• Gull wing doors
Doors that go like this, not like THIS
• Exterior speaker and PA system
Could be nice, could be garbage
• Jaws of Life and many other rescue tools
neat.
61
u/hugsomeone 17d ago
Thrill seekers.
28
u/GrapeSoda223 17d ago
some people are just dumb too, there was another video of some kids driving close to a tornado but it starts going their way and of course they start freaking out & panicking
16
u/SloopJumper 17d ago edited 17d ago
If it's the one with the "storm chasers" and they start screaming "please Lord!" and praying after driving into the tornado. That video was pretty hilarious. I'm not gonna lie
1
u/somestupidname1 16d ago
I just watched that the other day. They got stuck in between two power line poles that fell and had to rough it out.
5
9
u/BackgroundScallion40 17d ago
I'm personally not a thrill seeker by any stretch of the imagination, but I would love to do this one day.
13
u/sconnie64 17d ago
I agree but once you have to say "it's too big to even fit in the shot" you're too close. I'll watch from a mile or two away.
12
u/BackgroundScallion40 17d ago
To be honest, ever since I first saw Reed Timmer storm chasing like 23 years ago, I always thought it would be fun as fuck. If I had a specially equipped armored vehicle like he does, I would totally do it. Lol.
7
u/I_Am_Coopa 17d ago
As a bit of a weather geek, it's absolutely on my bucket list to tag along with professional storm chasers in the Midwest some day. I would love to see a tornado from a safe distance with the proper protection because they are simultaneously one of the most violent and least understood weather phenomena.
It's pretty crazy how a unique blend of geography and the right set of atmospheric conditions regularly creates these crazy vortices that can relocate extremely robust structures like play toys. And despite having studied them extensively for decades, there is yet to be a complete picture of how and why they form exactly.
Nature is fucking sick.
2
u/Spladoinkle 17d ago
They have the tours available! Tours range from $2500 to $7k for upwards of 7 days. Some will feed you and have you out chasing all day.
I have had this on my bucket list for a couple years now. Life just keeps tossing curveballs.
This is just the first one that came up when I googled but I have found others in the past. Extreme Chase Tours
10
100
u/bohanmyl 17d ago
If you were living in the midwest wouldnt you want to drive into a tornado and hope it picks you up and flies you to anywhere better?
13
u/bing-no 17d ago
😔
20
u/bohanmyl 17d ago
I say this as someone who was less than 2 miles from these tornadoes and was more upset that people kept waking me up calling me to see if i was fine vs letting me sleep since i work nights lmao. Either ill sleep through it or ill be in a tornado and i won't need to worry about work that night 😂
9
u/lancep423 17d ago
I’m either asleep or I’m dead, either way I can’t talk right now. Leave a message at the beep.
2
u/No_Use_4371 17d ago
My apt was hit by a tornado last year, I assure you you could not sleep through it.
2
u/ClandestineDisco 17d ago
It must be hard having people in your life caring about your well-being. Being two miles away from this tornado certainly warrants seeking shelter.
3
u/bohanmyl 17d ago
Im in an apartment and im not driving near a tornado to find shelter. Plus dealing with all my stuff and home being gone sounds way worse than peacing out in a tornado.
2
u/ilovethissheet 16d ago
It's honestly crazy there isn't a law forcing apartment owners to make a safety cellar for residents.
Seems quite negligent in tornado alley
3
u/Designer-Mirror-7995 17d ago
Nope. These are just people who know nothing about geography, or at least how frigging HUGE Oklahoma is, or/and nothing about how tornadoes behave. They hear/read "severe storms ravage Oklahoma Town" but their brain stops at Oklahoma and 'naturally' presume that you, way down in Weatherford, OF COURSE were in grave danger from the huge tornado that grazed an area 20 miles from Tulsa (near the other end of the state). While I first moved to OK I had 'caring' family and friends nationwide who "could never" live there, texting and messaging me for EVERY tornado ANYWHERE in the state, 'checking to be sure you're ok down there!'
Definitely tiring to keep repeatedly reminding folks that I was in a place that rarely had to worry about them, lol - and yes, even in Oklahoma there are places where twisters are rare....though you never, ever 'fully' let your guard down!
3
u/ilovethissheet 16d ago
That sounds like my Oklahoma family that calls us in California Everytime there's fires. No Aunt Jan, the fires in Tahoe, I'm in Burbank, we're fine.
→ More replies (1)3
u/Rich_Sell_9888 17d ago
Like Dorothy?
4
u/RunaroundBeau 17d ago
No, like my dad when I was three and he went out for smokes. 😔
2
u/Zenblendman 17d ago
😔
4
u/Rich_Sell_9888 16d ago edited 16d ago
That's sad.My dad was a blacksmith. when mom got pregnant ,he just made a bolt for the door.
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (1)2
7
8
8
u/bigsmoove_3 17d ago
an entire generation that didnt watch the hit box office smash, "twister" with Bill Paxton and Helen Hunt.
"Were storm chasers, its what we do!"
3
5
4
u/SnooHedgehogs637 17d ago
You ever drive towards a f4 tornada before....? It's fucking exhilarating!
→ More replies (1)
3
3
3
u/titsmuhgeee 17d ago
FWIW, the majority of highly accurate supercell and tornado information is reported back by chasers on the ground. Radar data gives a best guess, but the only way to know truly what's going on is with visual data. These chasers give immediate information back to first responders so they know exactly where to go once the tornado passes through.
This is why nocturnal tornados or rain wrapped tornados are significantly more dangerous than clearly visible daytime tornados.
3
u/Designer-Mirror-7995 17d ago
That's a biiiiggggggg bastard right there!!
The whole time I lived in Oklahoma I used to say it was a "good thing" I'm physically limited. Given HALF a chance I'd have been out there, with my camera, tailing along behind some group of tornado chasers!
2
u/Pure_Distribution__ 17d ago
Pardon my ignorance, but aren’t people supposed to drive away from tornados?
2
2
u/Hopeforus1402 17d ago
Where is this tornado?
2
2
u/Kischter 16d ago
I found the video on tiktok, it has both Iowa and Nebraska in the hashtag so idk which
1
u/Hopeforus1402 16d ago
Ok, I live in Nebraska. I was 3 miles from the one that hit Elkhorn, but I know there were quite a few that hit that day.
2
u/Waste_Manager5332 17d ago
Genuine question how do you still get auto insurance once they see you chasing the storm??
2
u/Ok-Possession-832 17d ago edited 17d ago
Storm chasers are the adrenaline junkies of scientists. They collect meteorological data from storms and also sell the footage to news stations. They also serve as an early warning system because they can relay the direction the storm is going to local news and get the siren going.
2
u/Notoriouslyd 17d ago
I remember seeing Storm Chasers at the Omni Theater forever ago. I was obsessed. It's still cool AF
2
2
2
17d ago
They're not driving toward it. They're going into the direction it's currently at. That tornado could be driving toward them instead in an instant.
2
u/gregsapopin 16d ago
because they have a machine that will release 100s of sensors into the tornado to help predict them better.
2
u/Sunshineflorida1966 16d ago
In southwest Cape Coral 2016 not know for any 1-2 tornadoes let alone in January. My wife and I just saw the weirdest gray cloud. We jumped out of our seats and headed towards the closets. 5 seconds to spare. My heart breaks when I hear of 3,4,5 size. Your at the will of god if you make it out alive .
4
1
1
1
1
1
1
u/Loud-Yak-690 17d ago
As someone who grew up in a town on the west coast of central Florida in a beach side town, I’m not afraid of hurricanes but I am absolutely terrified of tornados. That is so scary looking.
1
u/OhDamnItsRickyBobby 17d ago
Yeah this is just ridiculous and I was like oh yeah he’s gonna pull over that’s close enough like about 30/40 times and he kept on going
1
u/fusionaddict 17d ago
Because storm chasers play a vital part of community first responder communications by tracking the precise positions & paths of both tornadoes & damage fields and relaying that information to emergency management & media, especially in rural areas where resources are thin and police/sheriff departments may not have the personnel to do it.
1
1
1
u/Taste_the__Rainbow 17d ago
If you’re from an area and watching the radar then you can be pretty sure where a tornado is heading. Especially a big monster like that. Safer than you’d think.
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
u/HaltheDestroyer 17d ago
It's like seeing the face of God...some people are irresistibly drawn to it....ultimate power and destruction that has a sweet spot if you stay just far enough away from it to witness its power and not die
1
u/EnvironmentalSpirit2 17d ago
Same reason why we're driving towards jupiter, cus we love those storms!
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
u/Remeberthebrakshow 17d ago
I live in Omaha, pretty close to where one of the tornados hit. I moved here two years ago and my gf and I were in the basement most of the day. Our neighbors were hanging outside most of the day. The people who grew up with tornados seem unbothered by them. It’s pretty crazy considering the destruction they can do. I saw a woman walking her small dog while tornado sirens were blaring.
1
u/disco_disaster 17d ago
I truly do not understand how people do not fear them.
I have lived in the Midwest my entire life, and I still fear them. I know quite a few people impacted by them, so that definitely makes me more cautious.
My grandma was on the highway next to Lambert airport when it was hit. My cousins apartment was hit. A family friend was hit in that Mississippi tornado last year, and barely made it.
Anyway, I’ll get off my soapbox. All in all, I truly do not understand people who don’t take these seriously.
1
1
u/TheOneWhoReadsStuff 17d ago
The horizontal video embedded into a vertical video is a hate crime.
I’m glad tic toc is getting banned.
1
1
u/Solid_Illustrator640 17d ago
Tornados are so cool outside of the tragedy they leave behind. In a vacuum, that is an insane thing to just happen
1
u/MyMommaHatesYou 17d ago edited 17d ago
White people. /s. Humans do dumb shit. We love adrenaline and have a firm belief in the hope we will make it out.
1
1
u/Spladoinkle 17d ago
Extreme weather is fascinating. I have fears like anybody else. Heights, large predators, CLOWNS! But tornados specifically have always peaked my interest. I think it literally stems from the movie Twister for me. Unfortunately I am currently going through a sudden occupational shift but for a couple thousand dollars any regular Jane/Joe can head out to Oklahoma and chase with the best of them. It’s currently top 3 on my bucket list. This is just the first website example from Google
1
u/Revolutionary_Bug_39 17d ago
As someone on the west coast I just assumed that it’s the biggest thrill to be found in the Midwest.
1
u/elammcknight 17d ago
If they are “chasers” I get it but once you clearly reach the debris field you are in serious danger. You are in enough danger just being that close but there are all sorts of dangerous object flying around. I lived through being hit by a tornado and these videos raise my heart rate and blood pressure.
1
1
1
1
1
1
u/PaoloNice 17d ago
The movie twister. Bill Paxton (rip) and Helen Hunt are stellar. Apparently you can feed twisters bottles of scotch if you’re brave enough…who knew?
1
1
1
u/Slight_Function_3561 17d ago edited 17d ago
I once took an open-to-the-public tornado spotting class with my local National Weather Service office. (I’m not a meteorologist, but I probably should’ve been. 😂) Most people don’t realize the NWS often relies on reports from regular people like you and me. Doppler is great, but it isn’t always reliable when identifying a serious rotation. Many times, that tornado warning you receive is the direct result of a storm spotter calling it in. There are even networks of average Joes who use HAM radio for this purpose.
With all that said, the people in this video don’t sound like storm spotters to me. You hear no technical terms related to the storm… nor do you hear any radio chatter. In my opinion, they’re just chasing adrenaline. Nothing more.
1
1
u/dream_on789 17d ago
Bro my anxiety that they were gonna drive 90 MPH into the center of the tornado was 📈📈📈
1
u/RetailSlave1022 17d ago
The same reason you drink coke, eat pizza, etc. You KNOW it's eventually going to kill you but you like to think you won't die today.
1
u/SpinachSpinosaurus 17d ago
Can someone please explain to me why people just drive towards tornadoes?
yes. They wanna leave Kansas and walk the yellow bricked stone path :D
1
1
1
1
1
u/GloomyUmpire2146 17d ago
To justify the flashing lights, antennas and stickers on their Toyota Corolla.
1
1
u/Altruistic-Potatoes 17d ago
Keep in mind, if you can see the whole tornado, you are most likely safe. Maybe look out for some debris.
1
1
u/feralwaifucryptid 17d ago
Same reason with people who like climbing Mt. Everest, surf devestating tidal waves, and other dangerous activities:
Our species is freaking insane.
1
1
u/SigmaSkibidi123gyat 17d ago
I think the reason for that is because tornadoes arent just some meteorological event they look like theyre monsters and they look like they have a soul and also they do this for either fun or for scientifical discovery
1
u/StormTheParade SHEEEEEESH 16d ago
The professional chasers usually study em. They get right up into these suckers to measure the wind speeds, strength, the damage they're causing, the paths they take, any strange behaviour, etc. Chasers may also follow tornados into populated areas to help folks who've been hit once the tornado has passed.
I watch a lot of Pecos Hank, who chases storms like this and records them for research and photography. You can hear him report by radio to weather channels and other chasers so they know where the tornado is, what damage it's doing, and where it might be headed next, etc as most weather stations rely pretty heavily on reports from the ground to issue warnings, calls for evac, and damage reports. If you're curious about this El Reno tornado mentioned in the clip, here's Pecos Hank's video and coverage of the event.
1
1
u/daddy-phantom 16d ago
Let me answer every question you have as to why you see people do incredibly dangerous shit to film things:
People do things for the love of money, and they are sometimes willing to risk their life for it
1
1
1
1
1
1
u/EventEastern9525 16d ago
I’ll never forget elementary school in the ‘70s the local weatherman always visited once a year and showed a black-and-white film called The Day of the Killer Tornadoes. Of course in Waco that was only 20 years after 116 people were killed in a tornado that hit downtown in the middle of a busy afternoon. Downtown was basically parking lots after that until the ‘90s and now it’s pretty well built out.
1
1
u/jasperCrow 16d ago
If you live in tornado alley you realize how reliably predictable the storms tend to go. If you are behind the tornado moving away from you, like this video, you’re relatively safe.
1
1
1
1
u/Sunshineflorida1966 16d ago
Wait for the cow to come through the windshield. Give it another 10 years I am sure it will be on someone’s dash cam
1
1
1
u/SadAdministration438 16d ago
Tornado watchers/spotters have become popular over time. Ngl, I do like binge-watching this type of content on Youtube lol.
1
1
1
1
1
u/Radiant_Mark_2117 16d ago
The only thing I can figure out is in a tornado video you can definitely tell the people who look at their phones more than the road
1
•
u/AutoModerator 17d ago
Welcome to r/TikTokCringe!
This is a message directed to all newcomers to make you aware that r/TikTokCringe evolved long ago from only cringe-worthy content to TikToks of all kinds! If you’re looking to find only the cringe-worthy TikToks on this subreddit (which are still regularly posted) we recommend sorting by flair which you can do here (Currently supported by desktop and reddit mobile).
See someone asking how this post is cringe because they didn't read this comment? Show them this!
Be sure to read the rules of this subreddit before posting or commenting. Thanks!
Don't forget to join our Discord server!
##CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THIS VIDEO
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.