Do you ever break the rules?

[it_mike]

Rules? What rules?

Technically, I've ignored many of the guidelines presented by different agencies from time to time.

-Solo: Often, even before the advent of SDI. I traveled extensively, over 300 days a year/200,000 air miles, and I only had two options: stop diving or go solo. I'm planning to get the cert, but the instructor backed out due to family issues. We're rescheduling for spring.

-Cavern/Cave/Penetration: Light duty penetration. Limits depended upon the light, diameter/size of the entry and the size of the first chamber. No further than the first chamber.

-Bounce dives: Assisting with classes, chasing student with buoyancy issues, etc.

There really aren't any 'rules', other than physiological ones, except in France (scuba police). Diving is a self regulating sport, and hopefully those who don't respect the risk bow out quickly.

As a disclaimer, I've been diving for >25yrs, on both coasts and inland, and have studied every one of these techniques independently before attempting. I do not recommend or endorse anyone attempting these dives without proper training.

 

[Stu S.]

Nitrox training used to be expensive. Often, two "checkout" dives were required. The instructor read straight from the NAUI book and that was it. Let's just say that there was a lot of "divers training other divers" maybe five or so years ago. There just wasn't that much to it.

Now that nitrox training is $79, and includes a card, there is less reason for folks to bypass the dive instructor.

 

[fairybasslet]

I heard all about that trip in NC.

 

[CamG]

Greetings Bob "Grateful Diver" and you have brought up a interesting topic. I think if every diver really thought about it carefully and was truthful we have all at times pushed the rules. Now mind you Solo is not pushing. It is in a world of it's own! Not one to be taken lightly! I am guilty of the same interest in Solo diving but for different reasons. I feel that the Solo training "self rescue" is the best buddy training a diver can have. I like to arrive early at dive sites not always is this possible for my buddy. That is my reasoning for Solo.
Now onto the the pushing training limits actually the issue here is a pretty clear one.
I have two Dive Brothers who are just that! I never do any new or personal limit dives without these guys being there. It sounds ridiculous but that is how it is. I have done more training with these two and we know each other better than we like to admit.
Have I done dives with other buddies? Sure but always well with in my personal training limits. I have pushed the air limits on shallow OW dives and usually carry a full pony when doing so. This is for shallow pleasure dives never on training dives!
That is probably my biggest rule bend but this always with direct access to surface and diving in very familiar sites,"quarry". I have rode my doubles to 500 psi, and slung an 80 or 30. It can be fun to breath the stage bottles down to 500 as well to see what the buoyancy differences are. I should also state shallow means no deeper than 40'. Anything deeper I go loaded for bear, and run on rule of thirds and still carry a stage. Why not it is just to much fun!
When it comes to training sites I fly above the table, I dive quarries most of the time and have to maintain a good relationship. And I should say I want to as well.
When I dive local lakes we obey the regulations much closer than the boaters do.
They think a dive flag is a new fun coarse to drive through or buzz over, NOT COOL!
For the most part I guess I play by the rules and keep a pretty close tally. I assist training divers and I am not afforded the opportunity to have the liberty. It would be very irresponsible of me to do so and I do not in any way give diving a black eye, so to speak. I am not trying to poke anyone or offend either just speaking for my own diving practices. We all have different opinions and diving practices that is what makes Scuba Board awesome. The variety of different back grounds makes for some great conversations and information.
Safe diving to all and get out there and dive!
CamG Keep diving....keep training....keep learning!

 

[HowardE]

Well, yes ... to a degree. However, when I'm representing the agency (as in when I'm teaching a class), it's incumbant upon me to represent the agency by following their rules ... however I may disagree with them. Some NAUI instructors here ... one in particular ... take great exception to me diving solo even when I'm not teaching, because they believe that it sends a message to less experienced divers that the rules don't matter. I disagree with them ... but I also see their point, at a certain level.

I guess I'm glad I'm not an instructor. If I was... and teaching a class... I would have to follow the rules. Those are the standards for the course, and they are what they are. I wouldn't want to have to follow the rules (on my OWN time) - just because they're "the rules", even if they're not practical - FOR ME. However, I see their point, and wonder what I would do in your situation.

What I want to know is "why" ... what causes people to justify breaking the rules? Do they believe the rules are unjustified? Or is it perhaps do they believe they are better divers than their training and experience level would indicate?

For me... I've broken a few rules. The reason that I've chosen to break the rules, is because I personally weigh the options on both sides of the coin, and use my best judgment, and maybe even consult with a mentor and/or research the idea on ScubaBoard.

Diving with a dive knife in someplace where it's not allowed (for example). I carry a backup backup in my pocket on my waist belt. I will not dive without a knife - period.

Diving deeper than my card says I can... well... I did that. However, Like I said earlier, I carefully planned the dive, and had over 600 open circuit dives before I made that plan to execute a dive that exceeded the limit on the card.

I believe that rules (in general) are guidelines... They're not "THE LAW".

 

[dumpsterDiver]

I've never taken ANY technical dive training classes, but I do deep air dives solo and often use oxygen for decompression. I've witnessed enough CF's while observing technical dive classes, that as long as I can continue to get oxygen fills, I am unwilling to spend money for additional classes. You can learn a lot by reading stuff on the internet.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

You can learn a lot by reading stuff on the internet.

Heck yeah! I got my ScubaBoard Advanced Cyberdiver C-card right here ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Sas]

I break a lot of 'rules' with scuba diving but don't feel what I am doing is unsafe (with a few exceptions)

I do the following and I consider them safe for me to do:
-solo dive (don't have a card for this...) I don't do this for lack of good buddies, but just because I like to be alone in the sea
-dive without a dive flag (this is a law in my state), but I only do this where there is no boat traffic. Around a pier or at other sites where boats cannot access them I don't think it is practical to use a dive flag so I don't use one. Boats I dive from always have flags too.
-dive sites at night for the first time - this was something my 'Night' specialty instructor said was a very bad idea. But, some sites I am not able to do during the day (such as a pier where a ferry leaves and arrives at every 20mins during the day) and others have just been sites that I have felt are safe. Some sites I have never seen in the day time actually.
-solo dive at sites I've never done before. I often dive unknown sites with buddies and I think if I am comfortable with that, I don't see why I shouldn't be comfortable doing it myself. I aim to be self-sufficient all of the time.
-do dives sharing air with a buddy to extend both our dive times. I don't do this off one tank only though, and we only do this if they have enough air in their tank to ascend safely
-I hold my breath sometimes - to steady myself for a shot
-Sometimes I interact with critters, but in situations where I do not think it is harmful (such as holding my fingers out for cleaner shrimp to play with and so on) or if I think it might be harmful it is only to stop them hurting me (i.e. once a blue ring launched itself at my face so I wacked it really hard with my torch)
-I have been in overhead environments but am not trained in this area - a few 'swiss cheese' wrecks locally and a 120m sea cave on a holiday.
-dived dry without doing my drysuit specialty I learned about diving dry off the net, then more by getting in the water and trying it out myself and it seems to be going well so far so I do not regret this decision

Some rules I have broken where in hindsight I have felt what I did was unsafe:
-the first time I solo dived. Was too early for me and I was not ready. Basically the boat forgot to assign me a buddy and I didn't correct them. I followed a group around for a bit but lost them in the low vis. I kept doing my dive rather than ascend.
-doing a dive where I was not happy with my buddy. I had a bad experience with a buddy and didn't want to dive with him again but I let myself get talked into it again and the dive went pear-shaped (again).
-not calling a dive when I knew I should have. I did eventually but it was about ten minutes too late. I did this for the first time last week actually and ended up with hypothermia. Was getting disorientated, very clumsy (couldn't maintain proper buoyancy any more), shivering uncontrollably and feeling really sick but I didn't want to cut my buddy's dive short. I really should know better by now but this was the first time I have felt a need to end a dive early and I didn't. Live and learn!

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

-dived dry without doing my drysuit specialty I learned about diving dry off the net, then more by getting in the water and trying it out myself and it seems to be going well so far so I do not regret this decision

Ah yes ... that one. Ironic that I have issued many drysuit diver c-cards, but I have never owned one. I learned drysuit diving by going out with experienced dive buddies. Never took the class, never got the card ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[drbill]

Break the rules? I've been a solo diver since 1961, so who is going to see me anyway?

I dove for 8 years before I even got certified (heck NAUI and PADI didn't exist back then)> However, I did follow the one rule my friend told me... never hold your breath.

I've dived solo for 48 years and still haven't taken the course...

I've dived to depths of 200 ft on air (yes, solo) repeatedly without any technical training.

Do I recommend anyone else follow my example? Heck, no.

Fortunately, I'm a dive bum, not a dive professional so I don't feel I have any obligation to any certifying entity... except my psychiatrist.