the DIR moniker

[boulderjohn]

Just like I know what it means to be a Christian, and I think I know what it means to be DIR.... Just like the different 'flavors' of faith - I'm not going to nitpick which variants are saved and which are not.

In no specific order and off the top of my head....
1. Surround yourself w/ competent divers.
2. Donate the long hose - and don't allow anything to get in the way of making donation possible.
3. Utilize standard gases appropriate for the depth range.
4. Shape the ascent to ease the stress on your body.
5. Situational Awareness.
6. Never stop diving.
7. Take what you need - no more - no less.
8. Use gear and techniques appropriate for the environment.

Good list, Tim.

But I think it makes my point. You have your loose, off the top of your head definition, and I won't quarrel with any of it. But once DIR becomes, "this is what it means to me," then it no longer has a universal meaning. (And I don't think that's bad.)

[BTW, diving with you years ago had a lot to do with my own path toward DIR diving. You were the first DIR diver I had ever met. I didn't know much about it then, but you were clearly a better diver than I was, and I wanted to know more.]

 

[lamont]

Lamont talked about it earlier regarding his role as the leader of the DIR Practitioner's Forum. He has the unenviable task of deciding who is DIR enough to gain admission. I guess that makes him the ScubaBoard DIR Pope for now, but I suspect that the difficulties he mentions will only grow in the future until he throws up his hands in despair.

I think of myself more as a Deacon than a Bishop or a Pope...

 

[Slamfire]

... Don't forget about the hitler video

Which unfortunately is off of youtube . The world will never again know the humor...

[youtubehq]kBO5dh9qrIQ[/youtubehq]

 

[GShockey]

[youtubehq]kBO5dh9qrIQ[/youtubehq]

And that is the very definition of the word "irony".......

 

[NAM001]

Honestly guys. I'll admit alot of the GUE stuff makes sense. I dove with a long hose bungied to my doubles for a decade. And the long hose was yellow and it was my octopus not my primary. It worked for me great.

One day I realize that the "gooey" method was better. Primary hose being the long hose on the best post to avoid rolloffs. So I changed. Still most of what I do is simply to piss you guys off. Yes, YOU GUYS that keep claiming that i'm not, and I quote "doing it right". That was actually said to me word for word last month because my mask was clear and the necklace for my octo was orange. My method works great for me, it's worked for me long before "DIR" and "GUE" were known. And as I learn things I like, I'll adopt them, but please don't look down on me because my way is not your way.

Guys DIR people bring alot of this on themselves. I'm in a spot where I get to see all sorts of diving. Cave, Wreck, Newbies, Techies, Good, Bad and Ugly. With an open mind, the biggest jerkoffs are the vocal ones who say "you're doing it wrong". Which keeps getting spouted to me time and time again by complete strangers from the DIR crowd.

I truly hope that not all of you "DIR" guys are flaming idiots because that Scootergirl looks smoking hot.

i couldn't agree more with you.

reminds me of a girl once who told me she would not go out with me if i was the last sailor in port. that I said assumes i would ask out out.

 

[NAM001]

instead of trying to hold a whole pile of random people on the internet accountable for one ill mannered divers behavior?

.... =)

that one ill mannered diver sure gets around. so many seam to have crossed his path.

when i crossed paths with him he told me my home made reel handle would kill someone. i went on my way and he in his gi joe all black outfit went his.

 

[ucfdiver]

From my personal experience, GI3 is a nice guy. I had a question about my scooter past 9pm on a Friday night and he let me call him, then walked me through troubleshooting it.

Divers were dropping like flies and sites were getting closed left and right back then. Times are different, people change. As far as I'm concerned he's a very nice and helpful guy, I'm not going to base my opinions off of something he said during an era which most of us weren't even around for.

 

[Gombessa]

when i crossed paths with him he told me my home made reel handle would kill someone.

Can you really blame the guy?

 

[NAM001]

Can you really blame the guy?

i see you have a nack using photo editors. good job.

perhaps before you back up gi joe to quickly. you could probably use a little more info. Joe saw my reel in my bag and asked what i paid for it. told him i made it in the shop and that it was not bought. till that point he thought it was bought and showing some age. once he learned i made it his nose went up in the air and commenced telling me that i should never use anything but bought equipment and my reel will kill someone someday.

it was the mommy knows best attitude, and only one wayism that seems to be a reoccuring theme in post after post that describes the dir negative attitude to outsiders.

i thought that joe was rather over rigged my self large doubles and pony in a 25 foot deep scuba park. each to thier own i guess. i certainly did not comment on his equipment.

the eliteism noted in many posts is real , and is not a few jerks as some have suggested. i dont believe that what i believe to be a minority of elites represent the mass of dir's. they are the ones that are so quick to belittle those who do not prescribe to thier methods. i know that many of the dirs i chat with are not what is described in many of the posts. however many threads i have read reak with the attitude. including this one. and they are not newby's as some have suggested. they are by assumption some rather high regarded senior people. read some of the posts and the holier than though pours out. For people to feel safe aspire to be like the cream of the crop, the i'm better than you image has to get fixed from the top down.

 

[AndyNZ]

DIR..... isn't it just diving?