What if...? Miscellaneous Problems

[DevonDiver]

Miscellaneous
* What would you do if your buddy started making fun of how much air you use?

I would discuss their attitude with them. I don't agree with peer pressure in scuba diving - as it leads to errors in safety.

* What would you do if another diver criticized your gear?

I would listen and make an open-minded judgement about any decent constructive criticism that they may provide. If there is none, then I would shrug it off. Everyone has a right to a personal opinion about their configurations. Mine is well throught through and applicable to the type of diving that I perform.

* What would you do if you saw something with another divers gear that you thought was unsafe?

I would initiate a discussion about their gear and diplomatically present my concerns; explaining the dangers involved and how their gear configuration can either mitigate or increase those dangers.

* What would you do if you overheard another diver on the boat bragging that they planned to do something they were cautioned against during the briefing?

If I was just a customer, I would pass my concern onto the divemaster and ensure that I was not going to be grouped/buddied with that diver.

If I was working in a professional dive capacity, and if what they planned was against the operations rules, then I would take that diver to one side and firmly remind them that if they wish to go on the dive, then they need to obey the rules. If not, they can have a refund.

If the proposed activity wasn't against the rules, then I would simply ensure that the diver concern (and their buddy) fully understood the activity involved, the risks and the skills needed. I would ensure that their buddy was happy with that.

* What would you do if you were trying to change a setting on your dive computer and you and your buddy missed part of the DM pre-dive briefing on a boat dive?

Ask for the briefing to be repeated...and apologise to the DM.

 

[diver_doug]

What would you do if your buddy started making fun of how much air you use?

Hold him down at dive-knife point, then force him to smoke a pack of cigarettes so his air consumption will be worse than mine.

What would you do if another diver criticized your gear?

Cry, and ask the DM to call my mommy. Also I believe the diver in question should be put in time-out.

What would you do if you saw something with another divers gear that you thought was unsafe?

Say "oh, this is cool", take the item from him, then stare him in the eyes as I toss it over my shoulder into the ocean.

What would you do if you overheard another diver on the boat bragging that they planned to do something they were cautioned against during the briefing?

Tell them: "Oh, you guys think you're so cool because you're gonna do something dangerous. Well, wait till we get underwater and I'LL SHOW YOU what dangerous is." Then do something TOTALLY CRAZY like breathe from my octo or disable the conservative mode on my computer.

What would you do if you were trying to change a setting on your dive computer and you and your buddy missed part of the DM pre-dive briefing on a boat dive?

Trick question...if I have a computer then I don't need to listen to the DM.

 

[smellzlikefish]

Miscellaneous
* What would you do if your buddy started making fun of how much air you use?

Use a bigger tank, smear his wetsuit with fish oil, bring a camera to watch the attack.

* What would you do if another diver criticized your gear?

Criticize theirs.

* What would you do if you saw something with another divers gear that you thought was unsafe?

Mention it, if they don't change it, watch them underwater.

* What would you do if you overheard another diver on the boat bragging that they planned to do something they were cautioned against during the briefing?

They were cautioned against it, in the end how they dive is their business. I don't listen to EVERYTHING people tell me either.

* What would you do if you were trying to change a setting on your dive computer and you and your buddy missed part of the DM pre-dive briefing on a boat dive?

Same as above, "Could you repeat that?"

 

[Cave Diver]

Ah, this one bring back memories ...

* What would you do if your buddy started making fun of how much air you use?
When I was a new diver, my buddies used to tease me that they could see the sides of my tank cavitate when I inhaled. They were coming back with 1500 to 2000 psi in the same size tank I was draining on a 20-minute dive.

At first I felt bad ... but they were my friends, and teasing is what friends do. It was all in good fun, so I decided not to let it bother me. In those rare serious moments, they always made sure I understood that it was normal, and that with practice it would get better. And it did.

Now I can outlast most of them ...

Ah, Bob, sounds like we have some of the same friends.

My buddies and I harass each other all the time. Most of it is friendly picking on each other. Periodically we'll have an issue that we need to really hash out but most of it is just razzing.

* What would you do if another diver criticized your gear?
Ah ... my first exposure to DIR was some diver kitting up on the seawall with a rig that looked decidedly different than mine. My (then) wife was there for her OW checkout dives, and she was as curious about this strange setup as I was. The guy was a complete jerk ... and pointed out that our equipment was not just suboptimal, but probably dangerous. The wife was very worried ... this guy appeared to know what he was talking about after all. We brought it up to her (and my) instructor who told us there were different configurations out there, and that they all had advantages and drawbacks. He told us we'd learn more about these choices in later classes, but that there was nothing wrong with the gear we were using.

I later learned that the fellow we'd been talking to wasn't much more experienced than we were ... and that he'd just completed some class called "Fundamentals". It colored my perception of that style of diving for quite some time.

I was that diver once. Well, maybe not quite, but almost...

I recall a trip with several buddies to Grand Cayman just after completing fundies. We were gearing up at Dive Tech for a shore dive and another diver had their gear sitting out. It was an OMS IQ pack with a bungied wing with a set of doubles and a 50% bottle clipped on the left side and 100% on the right and an AIR II inflator.

I was diving a Hogarthian setup so we were standing there between the two setups while I explained to my buddy some of the differences between the two configurations pointing out pros and cons. That's about the time the other diver walked out... (those of you familiar with the pros and cons of both systems can do the math. )

Although I really didn't say anything bad about his setup, but he didn't seem too impressed with my comparison. Lesson learned, be careful of your comments, your audience and your surroundings.

* What would you do if you saw something with another divers gear that you thought was unsafe?
Act interested in how they plan to use it. Not too long ago I was at a dive site next to a couple who were gearing up. I noticed that they had both removed the BCD inflator hose from their regulators. So I asked them about it. They said they'd just taken a drysuit class and the instructor had told them to only use their drysuit for buoyancy control ... so they figured they didn't need the BCD hoses anymore. I said "so you just orally inflate the BCD for things like surface swimming?" They looked at each other, and the wife told her husband to put her BCD hose back on.

Turns out this was their first dive after drysuit class, and they hadn't really thought through what had, at first, seemed like a neat idea ...

I pretty much follow this same line. I'll generally strike up a conversation with them about it and see what their reasoning is. If it seems like something may be an issue, I'll ask them if they've given any consideration to alternatives. If they're not interested in discussing it, I'll just leave it alone, but most people will happily talk about their gear.

* What would you do if you overheard another diver on the boat bragging that they planned to do something they were cautioned against during the briefing?
Nothing ... as von Schiller once put it, "against stupidity, the Gods themselves contend in vain". I long ago learned that some people have a need to do stupid things, and you cannot talk them out of it. The best you can hope for is that Darwin's taking the day off ... and that their stupidity won't have an adverse impact on your day.

I may quietly tell the DM that I have some concerns with them and he might want to keep an eye open. Or I may just keep an eye on them myself for a few minutes until I determine their comfort and skill in the water. If they seem to know what they're doing, I'll leave them alone. I'm not here to babysit other divers.

*What would you do if you were trying to change a setting on your dive computer and you and your buddy missed part of the DM pre-dive briefing on a boat dive?
Oh boy ... like that never happens to me ...

I usually end up like "Marlin" ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

This generally isn't going to be a problem for me as I generally pay close attention to any specific information the DM's give. Usually, I'm the one filling in the blanks for someone else that wasnt paying attention. If I did miss part of it, I'd politely ask them to repeat it or ask them before I splashed.

 

[Jax]

Miscellaneous

* What would you do if your buddy started making fun of how much air you use?

Shrug. Tell 'im to FO.

* What would you do if another diver criticized your gear?

:whatever: Unless I thought there was something sincere behind it, in which case I would explore their thoughts..

* What would you do if you saw something with another divers gear that you thought was unsafe?

Tell 'em I find it interesting, and ask them about it. I may not understand, or they may not have noticed.

* What would you do if you overheard another diver on the boat bragging that they planned to do something they were cautioned against during the briefing?

Follow them and video it.

* What would you do if you were trying to change a setting on your dive computer and you and your buddy missed part of the DM pre-dive briefing on a boat dive?

I ask for the part I missed, and apologize for my inattention.

 

[Cave Diver]

Follow them and video it.

 

[Georgiadaybreak]

What would you do if your buddy started making fun of how much air you use?

Hold him down at dive-knife point, then force him to smoke a pack of cigarettes so his air consumption will be worse than mine.

What would you do if another diver criticized your gear?

Cry, and ask the DM to call my mommy. Also I believe the diver in question should be put in time-out.

What would you do if you saw something with another divers gear that you thought was unsafe?

Say "oh, this is cool", take the item from him, then stare him in the eyes as I toss it over my shoulder into the ocean.

What would you do if you overheard another diver on the boat bragging that they planned to do something they were cautioned against during the briefing?

Tell them: "Oh, you guys think you're so cool because you're gonna do something dangerous. Well, wait till we get underwater and I'LL SHOW YOU what dangerous is." Then do something TOTALLY CRAZY like breathe from my octo or disable the conservative mode on my computer.

What would you do if you were trying to change a setting on your dive computer and you and your buddy missed part of the DM pre-dive briefing on a boat dive?

Trick question...if I have a computer then I don't need to listen to the DM.

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Diver_doug, please provide your diving resources to validate your answers for new divers or those considering diving. Your answers seem off topic, but I'm always open to new styles of diving.

 

[Jax]

Diver_doug, please provide your diving resources to validate your answers for new divers or those considering diving. Your answers seem off topic, but I'm always open to new styles of diving.

Ah, c'mon, Georgia, he's being funny . . .

 

[Bob DBF]

Miscellaneous
* What would you do if your buddy started making fun of how much air you use?

If it was My buddy, I would tell him to go back to New Jersey with a number of expletives scattered about as necessary.

* What would you do if another diver criticized your gear?

Let them know how thankful they should be because they are not diving it.

* What would you do if you saw something with another divers gear that you thought was unsafe?

Considering my gear, I am hesitant about correcting others choices and, of course, I may not notice. If I had been chatting him up on the trip out I could probably find a way to discuss it.

* What would you do if you overheard another diver on the boat bragging that they planned to do something they were cautioned against during the briefing?

I never brag before doing something stupid.

* What would you do if you were trying to change a setting on your dive computer and you and your buddy missed part of the DM pre-dive briefing on a boat dive?

I don't do anything but listen during the briefings. However, my hearing is not what it once was so I catch the DM after the briefing to fill in the blanks.


Bob
-------------------------------------
I may be old, but I’m not dead yet.

 

[soltari675]

* What would you do if your buddy started making fun of how much air you use?
I would ask for suggestion on improving my gas consumption. I have taken the peak performance course, however I am sure more experienced divers have better ideas.

* What would you do if another diver criticized your gear?
I would ask what about my gear they don't like and why. I would determine if their reasons match the kind of diving I do and if that gear suits what I do well or if their option was better.

* What would you do if you saw something with another divers gear that you thought was unsafe?
I would ask why they have their gear set up that way in case there was a reason I didn't know about yet. And then ask "what if..." do address my concern and see if they considered it.

* What would you do if you overheard another diver on the boat bragging that they planned to do something they were cautioned against during the briefing?
Ask why they want to do it? What was the benefit? Who was going to be with them that they expected to help them if it went bad.

* What would you do if you were trying to change a setting on your dive computer and you and your buddy missed part of the DM pre-dive briefing on a boat dive?
When he was finished, so not to interrupt, I would ask him to repeat that bit to make sure I didn't miss something important.