New name for "DIR"

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Iguana Don once bubbled...
"Dump DIR", Rick, that ain't in the cards.
Why not?
You can plainly see that its use is fully corrupted. You yourself have said it isn't important enough to be of concern. So why cling to it? (I know why, but I want to hear the DIR folks admit it). It certainly isn't accurate. I'm old enough to truly not give a flyin' rat dropping whether anyone else thinks I'm doing it "right" or not (I take that back - some folks' opinions are important to me - just not the same ones you might think). Some days you could actually mistake me for a "DIR" diver, because that's the optimum configuration for some dives. Other days there's no doubt I'm not even close to a GUE configuration, though I'm still doing it (Scuba diving) right. But I have a love of diving - I want to share it, and I hate to see folks assume an elitist attitude that runs people off. I want Scuba to be as inclusive as it can be... many - no, make that most - Scuba divers aren't interested in becoming "Global Underwater Explorers" - they just want to dive for the pure fun of it, for recreation. But everybody wants to do what they're doing "right," and that includes and encompasses a vast, vast array of equipment, procedures and activities that are definitively not "DIR" as defined by GUE.
The slogan is elitist. Either dump it or admit it. (It is also inaccurate, insensitive, inflammatory and exclusionary... but those are just byproducts of its being elitist.)
Rick
 
I'm not affended by Dive Rite, what's your problem?

I've never seen such a so many so-called "adults" upset by a simple name!

As Joan Rivers would say, "Grow Up!"

Feel free to dislike the methodolgy, but sniping at the name is a hollow gesture. It's an excuse, not your real problem.

Roak
 
roakey once bubbled...
I'm not affended by Dive Rite, what's your problem?

I've never seen such a so many so-called "adults" upset by a simple name!

As Joan Rivers would say, "Grow Up!"

Feel free to dislike the methodolgy, but sniping at the name is a hollow gesture. It's an excuse, not your real problem.

Roak
If it's just a simple name, just simply get rid of it. As an adult, getting rid of it shouldn't upset you. But it isn't just a simple name to you, is it? Why don't you grow up and admit you think it really is the only "right" way.
------------------------------
I like the methodology.
Well, except for the ridiculous, dangerous "horizontal ascent." Of course, it'll take someone having their head split from stem to stern on a prop before you'll admit it's not the only way to ascend.
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As for "Dive Rite" that's a brand name and a play on words, not an agency motto that claims to be, if I can remember GI's words correctly, "a platform that is integrated completely and accommodates all contingencies and additions, but no phobias."
All contingencies indeed.
Give me a break!
Rick
 
I'd like to teach the world to sing, in perfect harmony!!!!

Oy! This is getting ridiculous. I used to be anti-DIR, in fact you can find some of my posts on this board where I flamed it. However, the more I learned about it, the more I understood it, the more I realized I already was diving very close to DIR in my Hogarthian rig. I already believed in much of it. I do not consider myself a true hardcore DIR diver, because I will dive with someone who is not DIR as long as they are very similarly configured to me, and I feel they are of sound mind. I have also not been GUE trained in anyway, yet.

I used to HATE the DIR name badge, and would lash out against it because of people like GI3, but I have let it go. I realized that I can learn a LOT from GI3, GUE, and DIR. I have used to become what I feel is a better diver. What is wrong with that? I know that there are divers who are not DIR and MUCH better than I am. That is great.

We can spit hairs an ***** all we want. Either you are DIR or your not. Regardless of what you are, dive safe. Make sure you hav ethe best equipment for the job. Last but not least, don't forget to have fun!
 
some of you guys are cracking me up. And some of you are worrying me.

I don't see much wrong with the DIR moniker. It's just a name, and any handle for any diving theory, system or "religion" (if it is that for some) is just that, a handle. Inflexible jerks will remain inflexible jerks no matter what you call them and their membership in a group should not reflect on that group as a whole.

As for intolerant a-holes? I don't think DIR proponents own the market. On most any dive trip I've run across egomaniacs who think whatever philosophy they espouse or whatever gear they dive is the ONLY way to get wet or the only gear to use underwater. Anyone who disagrees with these guys is an idiot in their own narrow minds. I'm a really friendly guy, but I've "bowed up" more than once at some of this crap.

This narrow mindedness is common in "risk" sports. Within the ultralight community you find the some sorts of people. I would bet skydivers, rock climbers and other extreme sports have their share of jerks.

I still don't know much about DIR as a philosophy, although I'm absorbing a bit from this list. Much of what I've learned makes sense to me and reflects changes I've made independantly to my own diving technique over the years (back inflation, simple brass SPG, gauges on wrist), some things make sense upon reflection, and I'll give them a try on day soon (the bungeed second stage...although I did this when I first learned to dive and some panicky guy almost snatched my head off. I think I'll study just HOW the stage is bungeed. I think I used a rubber strap back then.).

Some things I do are definitely poo poo'd by DIR (solo. back mounted pony. air below 100'), although I'm listening to all those arguments against these things and am willing to change....

Okay, since I'm typing stream of consciousness, a DIR type question just occured to me. I was diving in Panama City a few weeks ago and saw some sort of advanced class out on the jetties. They sorta looked DIR, with all black techno outfits, bungeed safe seconds, hoses that looked like they were long enough for Larry's Garage and their masks were on backwards.

My question: Just what is it with the backwards mask thing? I never wear my mask on my head for obvious reasons, and I rarely take if off in the water unless I have a serious booger accumulation, but these guys all had their masks on top of their heads but facing the wrong way.

At first, I thought it was for the "Illusion of Speed", then decided they thought a mask was less likely knocked off if facing in that direction. Unfortunatelyl this orientation forces "extra handling" of the mask to get ready to go down (assuming they don't dive them backwards), which implies and increased risk that a vital piece of equipment would simply get dropped into the blue.

Anyway, there is likely something obvious missing here. I did think it looked cool, as did all that serious looking gear and double tanks (for a 70' dive?). But, regardless, I don't dive to look cool.

I thought about asking them, but I was diving solo, with a pony, I had a pink slap strap and my safe second (oh, lordy) was over the WRONG shoulder. From what many of you guys have said, I thought that if they were DIR, I would have been hauled up on the beach and eviscerated as an example to the unwashed and uninitiated.

BTW, the diving was extra cool on that trip, since they left a whole bunch of weighted hoola hoops on the bottom. It was fun trying to drift through them without touching the sides. (I'm glad they didn't see me doing that. Egads.) Those things were still there the next day, so I hope the whole class didn't drown in some bizarre religious, er, TRAINING exercise.

Kidding. Just kidding.....
 
My question: Just what is it with the backwards mask thing? I never wear my mask on my head for obvious reasons, and I rarely take if off in the water unless I have a serious booger accumulation, but these guys all had their masks on top of their heads but facing the wrong way.

At first, I thought it was for the "Illusion of Speed", then decided they thought a mask was less likely knocked off if facing in that direction. Unfortunatelyl this orientation forces "extra handling" of the mask to get ready to go down (assuming they don't dive them backwards), which implies and increased risk that a vital piece of equipment would simply get dropped into the blue.

Ricky,
I think I can tell you why I do this despite the fact that I lost a mask doing this exact thing...and I still do it... Placing your mask on your head facing forward is a common distress signal. Placing your mask around your neck (like I was taught in OW) gets to be a real PITA when you have a backup bungeed around your neck...too much junk in that area. If there is a chance I think I will lose it, I usually just run my arm through the slap strap and clasp my hands on my chest while surface swimming... That being said, I, like you, don't take it off unless I have to (like hanging out on the surface with a class or something).
 
O-ring once bubbled...
Placing your mask on your head facing forward is a common distress signal.

When was the last time you actually saw someone signal distress this way? PADI has been teaching that for decades but I never saw it done. Agreed, it's a poor idea but only because it makes it easy to lose your mask. Backwards isn't much better.

Tom
 
When was the last time you actually saw someone signal distress this way?

Only heard it in PADI...guess I should stay away from stroke training, eh?

:wink:
 
O-ring once bubbled...
Only heard it in PADI...guess I should stay away from stroke training, eh?

:wink:

Yea, that's probably a good idea :)

It is the PADI party line though so you'll have to teach it. It's been my experience that when someone is in distress it'll ussually be pretty obvious. The flailing arms are screaming are often the first clue :)

Tom
 
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