Not sure what the best thing to do is there, but these guys didn't come off as particularly smart.

Yeah, like @newtboy says. After all the tragedy, to the pinnacle of comedy, trailer parks are Natures Tornado Magnets.

It was actually a temporary oil workers' camp.

I was gonna chime-in, that it looks better than any residential trailer park around I've ever seen....I.E., all double-wides, new buildings.

No fear and a pocket-full of easy money....

*eia *wtf *wheels

Adding video to channels (Eia, Wheels, Wtf) - requested by ant.

*water, *fear - commentary by Bill and Ted.

Adding video to channels (Fear, Water) - requested by Zawash.

Well, the truck is a truly terrible idea (*under* the truck might be the best of bad alternatives). Perhaps we need to go down the "there ought to be a law" route and mandate that the owners of trailer communities provide a tornado shelters. They can't be that expensive to build.... a hole in the ground, some cinderblocks, some steel I-beams.

Here's a question for the experts. If, for some reason, you're stuck in your truck. Are you better off with the windows rolled down, partially down? Fully up?

My very superficial understanding leads me to suspect that if the windows are closed, you're risking the pressure differential exploding them. On the other hand, they will protect you from a lot of flying debris (to an extent) if they are closed. Maybe partially closed?

I guess when it's all said and done, it's EIA. If you live in a tornado prone part of the world, and you live in a trailer park, you should probably have some sort of plan worked out in advance regarding the best course of action.

Are these guys high? That would explain A LOT.

Getting in the truck and driving away before it hits seems to be a pretty good strategy.

I'd be more worried about the vehicle flipping, or being picked up and thrown. They weren't wearing seat belts so both scenarios would be pretty serious, if not fatal. Additionally, debris falling on the truck or more aptly, how some debris can be picked up and turned into a projectile that can penetrate the metal and/or windows causing great harm.

I would wager that in most cased to break tempered glass, the outside pressure would already be high enough to roll/flip the car. But to be safe, you're better off cracking the windows anyway.

...made up of trailers...making it a trailer park. A nice and private one to be sure, but still one.

These guys are pretty stupid, but I'm glad they are.

Dear Uncle Chuck,

You missed.

To be fair, I can't really decide what I'd do in that situation. Assuming the tornado was just suddenly upon them with no warning, there aren't a lot of options. Staying in the trailer is a bad idea. In the truck or under the truck aren't great ideas. They did appear to make an attempt to drive away, which may have been the best bet, but then they stopped... there would be a lot of danger of hitting panicking pedestrians, but at least you have more options than just sitting in an immobile truck.

I suppose, if I were living there for any length of time, and nobody was going to build a tornado shelter, what I'd do is buy a very sturdy steel drum and secure it to the ground with with some big, long steel bolts and then fashion a solid latch for the top that could be opened from both the inside and the outside (not forgetting the breathing holes, of course). Perhaps pile some sand bags around it for good measure.

What about just digging a trench, five or so feet deep... maybe with a sturdy well secured roof of some time? Being underground, I suppose flooding might be a concern.

Meh, I dunno. I guess when it comes down to it, even in tornado alley, the odds of actually getting hit by a tornado are still pretty small. And, if you are actually *directly* hit by a tornado there probably isn't a whole lot that will save you except maybe a main battle tank or a concrete bunker.

See #1

http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/top-five-tornado-myths-debunke/61918

Thanks Dolbs, that's good to know even if I will almost certainly never encounter a tornado. So, windows rolled up then. After further thought, I think the truck probably is the best idea in this scenario. Belted in and covered with a heavy blanket to protect you from flying glass should the windows break (and it's safety glass anyways) or other small debris, would be the way to go, or just curled up in a ball against the firewall if that's the only option. In the truck, you're insulated from lighting strikes or downed high tension lines, and it would provide reasonable protection from small whirling debris. You also have the mobility option should that need arise.

Granted, the truck could get hit by large missiles such as tree trunks, other cars, fat old ladies, cranes or other heavy machinery, or indeed itself be lofted hundreds of feet into the air. If any of that sort of thing happens, though, you were screwed anyways.

So, when it comes to this, I'm not really sure this is EIA in the truest sense. Given the (apparently) 30 seconds they had to plan, I think they made a reasonable choice among the options available to them. After all, it's definitely a situation where an okay plan now is better than a brilliant plan in five minutes. And yes, they probably should have come up with a plan as soon as they realized they were moving to a trailer park in ND, so a bit of EIA there. At least they kept on top of their priorities and realized the very first item of business was to film it happening, and I commend their presence of mind to hold the phone properly even in such a life-and-death situation.

Of course, since we're betting on the tornado not scoring a direct hit anyways. It could be that under a bed or in a closet in the trailer might have been just as well (losing the mobility, of course). Maybe having a trailer collapse on you is bad.

I dont' know why I find this scenario so fascintating to dissect.

And, everything I said was wrong according to Iowa State. The truck is a bad idea (though again, this is assuming close proximity to the tornado). The thing to do is to get in a ditch. Prayer probably couldn't hurt either. You never know.

Then again, a tornado can pick up a person at least as easily as it can pick up a car, ditch or no ditch. I suppose people prone in a ditch have far less drag than a car though.

http://www.public.iastate.edu/~atmos/tornado_safety_rules.html

Interesting article. The bit about basements in brick houses is interesting (possibility the house will collapse in on you, which would suck). I'll keep that in mind because I live in a brick house. Of course, there has also never been a tornado here in recorded history.

Don't you boys worry; you're doing the right thing sitting there as it approaches. Just wait until it completely surrounds you because the eye of the tornado is peaceful and safe.