But the OP stated the tech diver was supervising the dive, so I doubt (an assumption) the supervisor would let the diver just bolt for the surface, and probably mentioned that bolting to the surface is bad.
A significant part of dive instructor training involves learning how to manage students ... which includes some insight into what conditions might lead them to want to, and maintaining a close enough proximity to the student to prevent them from acting out an instinctive reaction. Not only is this not part of tech training ... in some respects it's counter to what tech training teaches you. The assumtion that a tech diver would know how to do this is not a good one. And usually when someone bolts for the surface, they're in such a mental state that they're likely to forget anything you may have "mentioned" prior to the dive.
Tech divers are not trained to "supervise" ... they're relying on skills that assume that they have a competent dive buddy.
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
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Have you ever wondered why children can be home schooled but scuba diver can't
Homeschooled children still have to pass standardized tests ...
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
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No offense... but I find it ironic that most of the responses in this thread don't see a problem... except the DMs or Instructors.
Well ... ya don't know what ya don't know ... FWIW, I don't see a problem, but rather a potential for one. Most tech divers I know would make terrible instructors ... their mindset just isn't a good fit for what it takes to train someone how to dive ...
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
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At the same time, there are plenty of instructors that have way less experience than me, or others whom I know, and I'm pretty darn sure that without me being a "professional" instructor, I would venture a guess that I could give someone a way more comprehensive scuba education than let's say the guy who has 200 dives... regardless of how much they paid to become an instructor and they were taught some approved method for teaching.
... it was stated that this tech diver had about 250 dives ... that ain't a lot, really.
But I'm with ya on the low bar to become a dive instructor ... I've known a couple who got their instructor rating right at 100 dives and, frankly, I wouldn't trust them with anybody I cared about ...
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
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You're rather missing the point. In the old days most of the folks who were diving without benefit of "formal" training were first of all water people, surfers, ocean swimmers, free divers, etc., and second of all were simply extending skills that they already had by individuals or guided study on the their own ... usually by reading and practice under controlled conditions. It is not that people today are just too stupid to study and learn on their own, but more that a different slice of the population is becoming interested in diving.
... betchya there weren't very many overweight 50-somethings taking dive instruction 40 years ago like there are today ...
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
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Of course you would... you're an instructor. It's almost obligatory for you to do so...
That's a pretty damned insulting insinuation ... and it also happens to be untrue. I probably talk more people out of a class than I talk into one, because I happen to think that a great deal of the learning process comes from just going diving ... but never would I suggest to a first-time diver that they should just go jump in the water with someone who may not be qualified to assure their safe return.
... Bob (Grateful Diver)