Everyone Plz Read

[scubagirl15]

This is a forum for us to chat. The only difference between this forum and a bunch of people chatting face to face is that the forum potentially has a wider and faster reach than face-to-face conversations.

Who hasn't experienced something negative and then shared that experience with their friends and associates? If I go to a restaurant that treated me badly, I'd tell my friends and associates about it. If I go diving with an outfit and experience something I didn't like, I'd tell my friends.

OK granted, a chat board like this reaches more people faster, but how is that substantively different from just telling your friends about it? Seems to my feeble mind that the larger issue here is the very fine line between slander and freedom of speech. The other thing that strikes me is the elevating level of litigiousness in so many areas of life that shows no signs of abating.

IMHO, NatureDiver has every right to express his opinions to us, just as ltbz has the right to defend her dive operation against his opinions and statements, but accusations of slander and implied threats of lawsuits seem rather opportunistic. What if NatureDiver spoke about this only face to face with his friends? In that case, ltbz wouldn't even know about those comments. Where and on whom would those lawyers even know to begin to descend?

 

[saying]

evad once bubbled...
that one just might get you in to hell.

Yeah. But to all those who laughed: I'll see you there.

 

[ltbz]

If you would review my posting, not once was there an implied threat of lawsuit.

 

[scubagirl15]

ltbz once bubbled...
If you would review my posting, not once was there an implied threat of lawsuit.

I did read your posting, ltbz, but NatureDiver's thread today made it seem like he was being muzzled. Perhaps that was a mis-reading on my part; my apologies.

 

[divad]

saying once bubbled...


Yeah. But to all those who laughed: I'll see you there.

Can God see everything?

 

[Lawman]

you can't get insurance for intentional torts.

There isn't any lawsuit over this. There never would be any lawsuit. Truth is an absolute defense and there are no provable
damages. You're getting worked up over nothing.

Most of the people on this board know a hell of a lot about diving.
They no nothing about the law or how it works. They parrot Rush Limbaugh stuff and old lawyer jokes.

You don't need lawyers except when you knock up your girlfriend and we have to do a paternity suit. Or you wife wants a divorce. Or you pound down a few frosty lagers and get caught driving. Or you die and we have to figure out whos going to inherit your dive stuff. Or you start a dive store and fight with your partner. Or you get swindled by the LDS and want your money back. Or you file an insurance claim and the company won't pay. Or you want to buy or sell a house and don't know how. Or your LDS goes bankrupt. Or you don't pay your supplier. You get the idea.:upset:

 

[New2ScubaSC]

lawman that sounds like a nice closing for this thread, its begining to sound pointless now

 

[CBulla]

Lawman... I'm with ya man. I agree w/New2ScubaSC to.. good way to close..

Incidentally, I posted this on the original thread -

From a somewhat outsiders point of view based on videos I have seen of people and other such in the water down in USVI and other carribean areas, its hard not to believe that the underwater vehicles are not finding their way into reefs or other underwater structures.

Granted, some damage could have pre-existed, I can't doubt that further damage is being created through poor steermanship of these tourist attractive devices, much the same way as those whose only dive experience occurs once a year on vacation. I've seen at least 4 hours of video which substantiates this, each of which shows divers touching reef, rolling into it, bumping it with tanks, sticking knives into it, standing on living rock, and even holding the reef to stabilize bouyancy. Some of this was seen in an AOW course video! Based on those examples, its hard to believe NatureBoy's claims.

Personally, I would suggest that some video monitoring of people who participate in the activity be done. Watch the video and evaluate whether or not this is an ecologically sound activity.

 

[Tim Ingersoll]

Lawman once bubbled...
There isn't any lawsuit over this. There never would be any lawsuit. Truth is an absolute defense and there are no provable
damages. You're getting worked up over nothing.

One thing I have learned about saber-rattling. . .it works. You would be surprised how many people wilt and fall over at the mention of a lawsuit. I have also seen lawsuits filed just to harass and cause the defendant to incur attorneys fees. Truth is a question of fact which may require a hearing to determine. Sure you may eventually win but at what cost. The English have a solution: Loser pays the winner's costs.

 

[Aquatic Eagle]

fgray1:

I'm always concerned when it comes to public forum where the accuser in anonamous and he names someone else.

At one point since I have been a member on this board have I been anonymous? I stated who I was and what I did there from the get-go. I have never hidden myself throughout this whole thing. Look at my profile and you get my location. Look at my section on the Deep South Divers page and you see my first and last name. I have no problem with people knowing who I am when I am stating an opinion. As for everyone else's replies...

I completely understand and agree that nobody can rightfully takes sides here because nobody on the board was there and saw what I saw. I completely understand that and I would feel the same way. I didn't do this to gain sides, I wanted to voice my opinion and see what people thought about it. If everyone here were to take the other side, I would still stand by my opinions. However, I appreciate the support I have gotten. Thanks for the replies.