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Neither prophet nor soothsayer I am still literate enough to read the handwriting on the wall. What to do with the message however is, I must admit, sometimes perplexing.
You do a couple of dives with an individual, first as a beginner and then later after they have been diving aggressively for a half year and have 60+ dives.
Things you attributed to newbieness haven't changed and you realize that they indicate an attitude of carelessness. You realize that there is a general spirit of unteachableness and surmise an underlying ego problem is at the root of it all.
You watch the individual from afar through postings on the internet and see that they are taking what appear to you as *chances* but worse... they are involving other new divers in their quest for.... whatever it is.
You see this individual playing on the railroad track and calling others to join in the fun. And you see, from your vantage point, the train that is coming.
From my (limited) experience, if someone is ego-driven it's difficult to adjust their course because they will see it as an attack on their ego, possibly the best course of action is to guide this person's "subjects" into the light (maybe take them under your wing instead) through subtle means, which should remove them from the dangerous path along with some of the motivation.
If you've tried to mentor and find the person unteachable, what else can you do?
You can attempt to give the others a heads-up about the potential risks of diving with the dangerous character, but often that is perceived as being as meddling and the message won't be appreciated or heeded.
But being that there are always thoses that have the attitude of "DON'T CONFUSE ME WITH THE FACTS MY MINDS MADE UP" I avoid them like they have some kinda contagous disease. I've run into several of these guys lately. They call it no limits diving. There is nothing you can tell them that will convince them otherwise. They think the rules of diving are flexable and can be bent or broken at their will. That it won't happen to me I've done this before and got out alive. Sooner are later they make the headlines in the local paper. If I know they are like that I won't dive with them as a pair. If their in the group of 3 or 4 divers and I dive with the group I understand I better be ready to save them or if I'm the one in trouble I'd better not rely on them to save me.
But I prefer to avoid diving with them altogether.
As for trying to help the others that maybe follwing him I inform them of my experiances with them and they choose to join them on the tracks I wave goodbye to them all at the same time.
Now that I've said these things watch the guilty dogs bark.
Then we will all know who they are
I think time will be the only thing that can correct their attitude. One way or the other.
Fred
A legitimate adventure has no predetermined outcome. - Chatterton
A flawlessly working rebreather is almost as dangerous as a completely unreliable unit since reliability encourages complacency. - Howard Hall stating the Richard Pyle Paradox
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Neither prophet nor soothsayer I am still literate enough to read the handwriting on the wall. What to do with the message however is, I must admit, sometimes perplexing.
You do a couple of dives with an individual, first as a beginner and then later after they have been diving aggressively for a half year and have 60+ dives.
Things you attributed to newbieness haven't changed and you realize that they indicate an attitude of carelessness. You realize that there is a general spirit of unteachableness and surmise an underlying ego problem is at the root of it all.
You watch the individual from afar through postings on the internet and see that they are taking what appear to you as *chances* but worse... they are involving other new divers in their quest for.... whatever it is.
You see this individual playing on the railroad track and calling to others join in the fun. You see, from your vantage point, the train that is coming.
What do you do?
You do as I've been doing and try to convince the newer divers that this isn't the person they should be trying to emulate.
I just had a diver tell me that I have a fundamental fear of diving because I won't take the same risks he does.
Think anyone's gonna convince him he needs an attitude adjustment? Me neither ...
Neither prophet nor soothsayer I am still literate enough to read the handwriting on the wall. What to do with the message however is, I must admit, sometimes perplexing.
You do a couple of dives with an individual, first as a beginner and then later after they have been diving aggressively for a half year and have 60+ dives.
Things you attributed to newbieness haven't changed and you realize that they indicate an attitude of carelessness. You realize that there is a general spirit of unteachableness and surmise an underlying ego problem is at the root of it all.
You watch the individual from afar through postings on the internet and see that they are taking what appear to you as *chances* but worse... they are involving other new divers in their quest for.... whatever it is.
You see this individual playing on the railroad track and calling to others join in the fun. You see, from your vantage point, the train that is coming.
What do you do?
Well, I take it your talking about something you see a lot and from what you have said the best thing I could say is to step and give them a talking to. Tell them that what they are doing is flirting with death and if they keep doing it death will catch up soon and that they should stop if they like living.
When I got certified, the instructor always stressed that you never go diving alone. If you run out of air, your buddy can help you. If you have equipment
problems, your buddy can help you. If you meet a shark, your odds are 50-50 instead of 100%"
Well, I take it your talking about something you see a lot and from what you have said the best thing I could say is to step and give them a talking to. Tell them that what they are doing is flirting with death and if they keep doing it death will catch up soon and that they should stop if they like living.
That's exactly what I did ... albeit I attempted to be more diplomatic (initially) ... and his response is posted in my previous reply to this thread ...
That's exactly what I did ... albeit I attempted to be more diplomatic (initially) ... and his response is posted in my previous reply to this thread ...
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
Well, then if you have told him of the risk that he is taking then the best you could do is tell the new divers that are diving with him and putting themselves in danger with him what they are getting in to and the risk so that they at lest know the dangers that this may be there last dive.
When I got certified, the instructor always stressed that you never go diving alone. If you run out of air, your buddy can help you. If you have equipment
problems, your buddy can help you. If you meet a shark, your odds are 50-50 instead of 100%"
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Originally Posted by Uncle Pug
