Does anyone see the trend that's forming?

[CincyBengalsFan]

Net doc, you have backed me up once before. I agree 100% with you on this matter. Unfortunately I may have spoke my mind a little much for a few people.

 

[Rick Murchison]

Originally posted by Divesherpa
Doing a 100' dive for an hour in a wreck and not switching gas is going above one's level of training. I am unfamiliar with any agency who trains divers to go into deco on air and complete their deco on back gas. I'm not flaming, I just don't understand the logic in that. What's the contingency for loss of back gas on such a dive?
This is the scenario I am referring to.

Any cave dive is a good deal more technical than a single stop open water dive with a deco bottle, whether the cave dive involves a gas switch or even a stop or not.
Let's keep it simple and make the break at "overhead environment" whether that be a mandatory stop or a physical overhead. In technical diving, stops and gas switches are just some of the tools you use to get the dive done safely; it's the inability to make a direct ascent without significant risk that precipitates the equipment, training and planning that make up the "technical" dive.
--------------------------------------
Now, back to your original question - yes, there's a lot of non-technical fluff in the "General Technical Discussions" area. But I don't see it as a degenerative trend, and welcome the interest of non-technical divers. Becoming a technical diver is an expensive, time consuming proposition requiring dedication and passionate commitment. It is more an avocation than a recreation. Those contemplating the technical route need to know that up front, so they can make an informed decision on whether they want to head down the tech path or not. Many "technical" boards treat newbies as idiots - the idiots are the ones flaming the folks seeking information. If we do it right we will be informative without being concescending (after all, many of the folks expressing interest in technical diving are highly educated, highly respected experts in other fields - and warrant that same respect here), helpful and accurate.
I welcome them here, and don't think the many "flights of fancy" into tangential discussions detract from the value of the area.
Rick

 

[Iguana Don]

I dislike the "poll" portion of this forum. It seems to me that it would just be easier to ask a question and get answers and opinions rather than taking a poll.

Don't we get enough of them on TV and in the papers without having to deal with them here.

And if you are looking for "tech questions and discussions" you yourself are guilty of "meaningless" discussions.

Just MHO

ID

 

[HDrider]

Originally posted by Rick Murchison
Now, back to your original question - yes, there's a lot of non-technical fluff in the "General Technical Discussions" area. But I don't see it as a degenerative trend, and welcome the interest of non-technical divers. Becoming a technical diver is an expensive, time consuming proposition requiring dedication and passionate commitment. It is more an avocation than a recreation. Those contemplating the technical route need to know that up front, so they can make an informed decision on whether they want to head down the tech path or not. Many "technical" boards treat newbies as idiots - the idiots are the ones flaming the folks seeking information. If we do it right we will be informative without being concescending (after all, many of the folks expressing interest in technical diving are highly educated, highly respected experts in other fields - and warrant that same respect here), helpful and accurate.
I welcome them here, and don't think the many "flights of fancy" into tangential discussions detract from the value of the area.
Rick

Here Here

I could not agree with you more or have put it any better!

Tom

 

[DaveDog]

The idea behind message boards is to help people learn things. May you should start an exclusive one if you like helping people who know less than you. Hell I don't even know what DIR is, I will though. There are no stupid questions.

Dave

 

[Divesherpa]

And now you are guilty of finger pointing. I only asked a question and stated a couple of opinions about it. There was now slamming anyone, only a very simple question. If you don't like polls, get rid of them. You are a regulator.

 

[Uncle Pug]

Originally posted by Rick Murchison
Now, back to your original question - yes, there's a lot of non-technical fluff in the "General Technical Discussions" area. But I don't see it as a degenerative trend, and welcome the interest of non-technical divers. Becoming a technical diver is an expensive, time consuming proposition requiring dedication and passionate commitment.

The problem as I see it is not the interest expressed by recreational divers nor even questions that lead discussions astray...

What does present a problem is recreation divers trying to drag a technical discussion back into the recreation realm and argue from that view point...

Admittedly some discussions posted in the Tech. forum belong in the Rec. forum to begin with...

And some technical discussions might even end up on the rec. forum...

For example:
So far it has seemed impossible to have a technical discussion of DIR as applied to technical diving without recreational divers jumping in with complaints about having DIR shoved down their recreational throats and trying to shut the discussion down or divert it to how someone hurt their feelings and why they hate DIR. How is that productive? If tech divers have a beef with DIR I want to know about it... and try to understand what I may be missing. I understand why DIR may not be a rec. divers cup of tea and even though I might advocate for DIR in a recreational setting it really isn't a big deal at all.

And this is not to say the Tech=DIR or vise versa btw.

 

[Divesherpa]

UP, I think you read my mind. I spend too much time alone in a cave (does that make me a recluse) to have the people skills that you possess. You hit the nail on the head with your post. Thank you.

 

[sumguy]

Good post, UP.
But, when a new thread is titled, "Why do YOU reject..." and not, "Why do tech divers reject...", or "Opinions on..." it seems to be an open question to all divers. Just because it's in the tech section, are we supposed to assume it's directed only to tech divers? I'm sure many rec divers visit the forum to learn about tech issues, and just to further their knowlege, genuinely attempting to learn from more experienced divers.

 

[JamesK]

I think a lot of the reasons for the "not so technical threads" is simple. A lot of people, myself included, are new to the tech style of diving. I just finished my cave intro last month. Others, are simply interested in tech. The ones who really know what they are doing, don't really have any questions, and are here to help mentor those of us that do.

Luckily, I dive with a great deal of excellent tech divers to begin with, and can ask all my DFQ's there. However, many do not have that option.