A little guilt about about using another lds

[MXGratefulDiver]

Not sure if it translates into highest number of divers, but I believe Colorado has the highest number of dive clubs in the US for more than a decade now, but if you think about it, is not that odd.

The statistic I read claimed highest number of divers per capita ... but I would guess that California or Florida has the highest number of divers overall than any other state ... simply because of their greater overall population and easy access to diving.

As for dive shops ... the highest density of dive shops I've ever seen is in Maui. Goodness, if you don't like one, just walk across the street ... there's another one over there ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[rk288]

Hmmm...this one takes some thought...
My son and I have done and still are doing a lot of training with our favorite shop. There's a lot of history there...OW, AOW, refreshers, rescue clinic. The instructors know us and we know them. From this point of view I can't compare a dive shop as "just a store". I still watch the video I took of my son doing his first giant stride into the quarry where we were certified. There's his instructor standing behind him; his hand was on his tank valve as he told him he was clear to go...
I feel it's like family...you know, you can pick your friends but you're stuck with your family...
We go to other shops locally and on trips of course but those guys would have to do something really rude and stupid before we'd leave them altogether. They are an important part of our "dive life"...

 

[Avonthediver]

Jax said

You suck. And I mean that in the nicest possible way.

Thank you!

And insta-gator said

That's down right promiscuous

Why yes..yes it is LOL!

awap said

How does Arkansas even get 6 LDSs?

Even Hillbilly's have hobby's BUt to answer your question in the small little town of Mtn Home their are two shop's in town, two on norfork lake, one on bull shoals lake, two on beaver lake, one that I know of on table rock lake, and three shops in the fayetteville area! :shocked2:

And I can hit almost all of them in a day, but I limit myself

and if i were to go down to south Arkansas their is about that many or more.
So what can I say we have water!

 

[fjpatrum]

I will usually go to my main LDS first and if they don't have what I need I'll move down my list. Being on Oahu means I have a lot of choices though. The main thing that keeps me coming back to the same LDS for training though is the fact that I don't want to fill out that ridiculous PADI folder again...

You know you can just request the dive shop forward it to another shop, or you can just get copies of it, right? I hear some shops get pissy when you ask for it, but I didn't have any problems when I needed to have mine sent somewhere.

 

[divad]

The main thing that keeps me coming back to the same LDS for training though is the fact that I don't want to fill out that ridiculous PADI folder again...

Are you saying that you feel like a hostage?

 

[Avonthediver]

Originally Posted by Langbot
I will usually go to my main LDS first and if they don't have what I need I'll move down my list. Being on Oahu means I have a lot of choices though. The main thing that keeps me coming back to the same LDS for training though is the fact that I don't want to fill out that ridiculous PADI folder again...

You know you can just request the dive shop forward it to another shop, or you can just get copies of it, right? I hear some shops get pissy when you ask for it, but I didn't have any problems when I needed to have mine sent somewhere.

and I agree. In this day and age of mega fast computers that some way some how all agencies could not have a data base and just not pull up records from each other!

Or ..and I know this is never gona happen..but join all agencies into one mega one stop for all diving needs!

anyway my two cents have been put in.

 

[divad]

There's no reason you can't start your own agency.

 

[TexasKaren68]

I guess we look at things a little differently out here -- we count our blessings for what we DO have, a guy who runs a business part time, who will work with us to order anything we need, does his damnedest to get us a low price but simply cannot match those with volume sales. Those of us down here in our small town thank God for what we have, small that it is.

I guess if you have dive shops scattered about like most big cities have McDonalds, the situation in our little rural corner of the world is just beyond comprehension.

I lived in Sierra Vista for three years. I comprehend your situation very well. My condolences. :consolation:

 

[Downing]

As for dive shops ... the highest density of dive shops I've ever seen is in Maui. Goodness, if you don't like one, just walk across the street ... there's another one over there ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Cozumel would have to be in the running for highest density of dive shops, too. Practically one on every corner.

I sympathize with the OP. I switched LDSs a couple of years ago even though I really liked the folks at my original store. But when I decided to go with Atomic gear, I had no choice since the first shop doesn't carry that line and can't even order it. I still drop by every now and then, mostly to pick up PADI course materials since my current shop of choice is an SSI member. I feel a little guilty about it but it is what it is.

 

[ScubaSteve2000]

There are at last count 19 dive shops in the Phoenix area, by the way. Some good some not so good.
Even with all those choices I like the customer service and pricing at the shop where I was certified. Free air fills are a good motivater to keep me coming back week after week too. If they don't offer what I want then I go someplace else...after I get my tanks filled.