ever took a non diver to a shallow dive?

[valligurl]

On my first dive experience, I had an friend who wanted to go diving when we were on a trip to Acapulco. We both knew American Sign Language, and she was a certified diver. She tells me that she'll "talk me through it" and only go 20-30 feet deep. I put on the gear, knowing absolutely NOTHING about diving...not how to clear my mask, clear my ears...NADA!!!

I had a fabulous time. So, I go home and tell my brother (a cetified diver) about the experience. I thought he'd KILL me. He read me the riot act and told me how lucky I was to be alive. He made me promise never to anything that stupid again. Now, I look back on what I did and can't believe I was so stupid.

[Nylorac]

So, I take someone out water skiing and they drown, am I to be held responsiable?. I followed all of the proper rules. Wasnt speeding, wasnt drinking etc etc....Its a sport that has risks. As most if not all sports do. If you are afraid of death in participating in these sports, dont partake in them. Seeking qualified instructions can limit some of your exposure of injuries or death, but can still happen. Hence the hold harmless that we all sign when we hire a guides or let our kids play sports in schools.

I shouldnt take someone bike riding with me either? Because, if they fall and die, I could be held accountable?

This is the problem with this country. Everything has to be regulated, controlled and sanctioned. And if you dont have imbeccable credtionals as stating that you are an "expert" in your "sport" , you WILL be criminally charged and if that fails, then a civil suit against ya.




ac·ci·dent /
–noun 1.an undesirable or unfortunate happening that occurs unintentionally and usually results in harm, injury, damage, or loss; casualty; mishap: automobile accidents. 2.Law. such a happening resulting in injury that is in no way the fault of the injured person for which compensation or indemnity is legally sought. 3.any event that happens unexpectedly, without a deliberate plan or cause. 4.chance; fortune; luck: I was there by accident. 5.a fortuitous circumstance, quality, or characteristic: an accident of birth. 6.Philosophy. any entity or event contingent upon the existence of something else. 7.Geology. a surface irregularity, usually on a small scale, the reason for which is not apparent.

I agree, we live in a VERY litigious socity - no such thing as an accident happening around here.....

That being said, diving is not the same as bowling or riding a bike. Whether or not you agree on the industry standards some things do require a certain level of skill/certification. Yes, accidents can happen under the best of circumstances (accidents do happen - not everything is a crime) and our country really has gone overboard on the need to regulate everything but there are some things, like diving, that really do require professional training.

[SNorman]

Industry critics charge that the industry response has not gone far enough. A spokesman for the Citizen’s Ad Hoc Committee for Bowling Safety (CAHCBS) refuted Karlin’s contentions. “The bowling industry has swept this under the rug for long enough because they don’t want to spend the money to make the lanes safe” said Terry Withers, brother of last year’s victim Chris Withers. “It’s time that the industry step up to the plate with motion-controlled power cutoffs in the pin setting machines, with hand guards on the ball returns, and bowling shoes with anti-bacterial linings. If they are unwilling to do so, we will have to take this to our state and federal legislators and impose a legislative solution, and nobody really wants that.” Mr. Withers said that according to CAHCBS calculations, if deaths continue to double every year, in 12 years, deaths due to bowling and bowling equipment will outnumber deaths on our nation’s highways. “It may not seem like much, but at the current rate, we’re on pace for eight deaths this year, 16 next year, 32 the year after that and 32,768 deaths twelve years from now. That should worry every parent, every consumer, every bowler” Withers said



3 deaths from hand caught in ball returns and 6 deaths from slips and falls..............

Hahahah

Bowling Deaths Double in 2006

[scubadobadoo]

Judging from my experience with discover scuba in Cozumel some years back, I would rather have had my friend take me out the first time.

Actually I would rather have had my friend teach me how to dive period than have the instructor I had in Key West over only two days. She was nice but I had to frequently translate words for her out of the OW manual. Honestly, some classes, like the very short OW course I took do more damage to the concept of safety than some of us regular idiots who don't teach scuba. Teachers are good and bad in all areas of teaching and the same goes for course structures.

Moreover, just because someone is an instructor or a padi 5 star resort/op doesn't mean they will follow the rules. While in Grand Cayman, one dive op let a guy go diving who said he hadn't been diving in over twenty years and couldn't prove he ever was certified. The DM told him to just stay close to him. Money talks.

I have let friends and family members use scuba with me in the pool. It's really not a big deal.

[Nylorac]

[quote=scubadobadoo;3208207]Judging from my experience with discover scuba in Cozumel some years back, I would rather have had my friend take me out the first time.

Actually I would rather have had my friend teach me how to dive period than have the instructor I had in Key West over only two days. She was nice but I had to frequently translate words for her out of the OW manual. Honestly, some classes, like the very short OW course I took do more damage to the concept of safety than some of us regular idiots who don't teach scuba. Teachers are good and bad in all areas of teaching and the same goes for course structures.

Moreover, just because someone is an instructor or a padi 5 star resort/op doesn't mean they will follow the rules. While in Grand Cayman, one dive op let a guy go diving who said he hadn't been diving in over twenty years and couldn't prove he ever was certified. The DM told him to just stay close to him. Money talks.

Right on the mark with that - some teachers just suck. But I think the majority of instructors are pretty good and just like anything else in life you take the good with the bad. I had a really bad "discover dive" experience and it took almost two years after it before I was willing to try it again. Since then I learned that good instructors make all the difference. So if you want to help someone get into the sport find them good instruction.

[PlayaCountryBoy]

Have you taken a friend of yours to a shallow dive without a OW before? I'm talking about like 20-30 feet or so.

and after showing her the ropes on the pool...

just curious

Uh, yeah...I call it a "DSD". But then again I am a certifed and current, PADI Instructor.

[Dectek]

I would never do such a thing.....
I would rather send my family or friends to a third world country resort where some stranger(teaching the TWO HOUR Discovery Scuba Class) does not even speak English (insert your family member's native tongue here)as his first Language. I would then allow him to take four or six Dollar Signs ( er I mean Students) out on a boat and take them down to 20-30 feet in open water. That plastic card he has MUST mean that he knows more than me, is better at crisis prevention and management, and CARES much more about the person curios about someday getting certified.
Seriously....With a little one on one theory,Do's and Don'ts, and physical hands on predive explanation I do not see a problem taking somebody down in a controled area as long as you are physically touching with a whole lot of eye to eye supervision. I feel that is more than you get in a Discovery Scuba class.