Time for a mandatory refresher?

[Walter]

Jersey,

I understand your point, but I don't believe we were ever at risk. My student was competent and was a Wreck, not an OW student. She was not going to be involved other than to follow us up. As for myself, my experience includes many rescues both at depth and at the surface. I'm confident I would have brought him to the surface without putting myself at risk.

medical1,

I have no idea. I never saw their cards, I was merely a passenger on the boat. BTW, some agencies do not put photos on c-cards.

 

[ScottyK]

yknot once bubbled...
For instance, is there anything preventing me from buying a lift ticket in Aspen, renting skis and then heading for the double black diamond runs or heading down the "closed" side of a mountain? Are there "ski resort" police checking my abilities?

Your point about personal freedom is well taken. I do not think this is a good analogy however. A bad diver is much more likely to be endangering the lives of others than a bad skier is. The ski patrol doesn't risk getting bent or running out of air going back down to retreive someone.

 

[Jersey]

yknot once bubbled...
For instance, is there anything preventing me from buying a lift ticket in Aspen, renting skis and then heading for the double black diamond runs or heading down the "closed" side of a mountain? Are there "ski resort" police checking my abilities?

Actually at many sites there are people checking your abilities who hare authorized to send you to the lodge to watch the "skiing is dangerous" movie or to revoke your ticket. In PA there are a couple Mts. where access is restricted to those owning their own gear to prevent the scenario you describe above. And yes, the lift chair guys will pull you out if you show up wearing rental gear. (I smell a liability issue there as the runs in question would not even qualify as a beginner hill in, say Jackson Hole. Several nudnicks - high school kids, first day on skiis have managed to kill themselves showing off for their friends.)

Walter - I did not mean to imply or infer that either you or your student were at risk, more that a risk existed, and point out a worsening case scenario. Perhaps it could have been me there, or someone far less qualified or a whole boat load of 'flappers'! Imagine the mess the DM could have had on his hands w/ 8-10 flailing & floundering about...

 

[yknot]

Any time someone or some agency decides to appoint them selves as the standards guardians we are going to have trouble. What passes for "skill" by some will be viewed as inadequate by others. The eventual outcome will be some governmental regulations and licensing of divers. We need only look at the US auto industry to figure where that will lead.

 

[medical1]

yknot once bubbled...Snip
The eventual outcome will be some governmental regulations and licensing of divers. We need only look at the US auto industry to figure where that will lead.

Wonderful. Not what I want. Whats next - a concealed tank permit? Will I have to register my tanks every year too?

 

[yknot]

medical1 once bubbled...


Will I have to register my tanks every year too?

No-Just pay to have them inspected- oh wait- you already have to.

 

[Dyno Bill]

I dont know that looking in log books is at all an indicator of a divers competancy, I havnt put an entry in a log book in 10 years as they just seem to run together and it becomes a place for patches like dive patches. I think the operator has the right to see a skills demonstration if they dont have any knowledge about a diver. I am curious about the checking of C cards as I have dove with a lot of the boats in the Channel Island area and they always check fo certification before you dive.
Bill