Does a DM have responsibility?

[Superlyte27]

Another thought....
Have you interviewed this DM? When I was a DM in the keys, no one ever asked me "how many dives do you have", "how long have you been a dm", "ever had to rescue anyone". Etc

For all they knew, I could have become a DM yesterday and had less total lifetime dives than they had. What's the number of dives to become a DM? Like 50 or 100?

You trust you life to a guy who's been a DM for one day and had less than 100 dives? You ever interviewed your DM to see what his qualifications are? Nah, I'll take care of myself. Humans are consistently unreliable.

 

[jmasin]

I am responsible for my own safety.

I listen to the DM for the dive brief, and I "generally" follow her/him on the dive. I say "generally" because when on vacation I let them navigate, they dive those waters/reefs 2x per day, and it frees me up to look for photo ops etc.

But there are times where the DM does things I don't feel safe doing, diving a little deeper than the plan my buddy agreed to etc. In this case we keep track of the DM and where he is, but my buddy and I will stay shallower.

These are just examples.

My buddy and I are responsible for each other and ourselves during an emergency. That's where it starts and stops.

I do not feel the DM at dive-focused OPs needs to be responsible for all divers, for keeping the group together etc. If you have gone on a dive vacation, you should be expected to maintain your own well being (with buddy).

At places like Sandals/Beaches (I've dived there) the DM has more responsibility, because some of the divers are very new, or not very experienced and need a little more "rounding up". This equates to very short, shallow dives too because they have to cater to the least-experienced denominator.

 

[knowone]

With solid planning, and free pre dive communication, a group of newly qualified divers
is quite capable of acting as it's own DM cooperative, building confidence to the relief
of all, as shared responsibility for each other, will lead to a quicker mastery through critique

 

[Mike]

Anyone ever got on a dive boat without signing a waiver of liability? Ever read that waiver? You think that waiver is increasing your rights or decreasing your rights? What do you think the purpose of that waiver is for that the Dive Op is making you sign?

In the United States waivers don't protect the dive op from gross negligence. A dive op can have you sign anything they want, it doesn't necessarily mean it's going to mean much later after something happens, depends on what happens. If a dive op fills all the people on the boats tanks with C02 and kills and injures you, and it's proven in court that it's a result of the dive ops gross negligence that waiver means nothing.

Now add in diving in a foreign country and who knows...

 

[Superlyte27]

a DM wouldn't be responsble in any way for filling a customers tank with CO. Unless he owned the shop and the compressor, and even then it's unlikely, because unless he's an idiot, he's Incorporated.

 

[scottf24]

Another thought....
Have you interviewed this DM? When I was a DM in the keys, no one ever asked me "how many dives do you have", "how long have you been a dm", "ever had to rescue anyone". Etc

For all they knew, I could have become a DM yesterday and had less total lifetime dives than they had. What's the number of dives to become a DM? Like 50 or 100?

You trust you life to a guy who's been a DM for one day and had less than 100 dives? You ever interviewed your DM to see what his qualifications are? Nah, I'll take care of myself. Humans are consistently unreliable.

Please keep in mind that I am talking about NEW divers. I made a few dives before I found this site. This site really opened my mind...and I picked up a lot of info that is just not taught. I would have NEVER interviewed a DM. After all....he is the PRO and I am just a newbie. I now see that an interview would be a great idea!! And taking full responsibility for my own safety....well is a BETTER idea. My training did teach me to take care of myself and I have always done so. I just see to many people that need to be watched.....and simply are not. I find myself watching these people.

 

[diver 85]

I would say No---& think about it, how can he/she handle up to 10+ OOA situations @ 1 time......I would think 2 would be tops......

 

[nolatom]

Think of the DM as a guide, but not a guard. They don't physically hold your hand because first, it's *your* dive, and second, there are too many hands anyway.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Thought for the day ... in many parts of the world there are no DM's on dive boats. You have a boat captain and a crew. They will take you to the dive site, describe the site and give you some general guidelines for the dive ... then they will tell you to have a nice dive. You and your dive buddy exit the boat and do the dive without supervision.

Who's responsible for you at that point?

The whole purpose of OW training is supposed to be to teach you how to plan and execute your own dives. If you come out of that training feeling like you need to rely on someone else, it's an indicator that you didn't fulfill the objectives of the class ... and that your instructor should not have passed you ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[scottf24]

Think of the DM as a guide, but not a guard. They don't physically hold your hand because first, it's *your* dive, and second, there are too many hands anyway.

I like this......he is a guide taking you through the jungle. If someone falls behind, surely he would not leave you.