DIR: God's gift to diving or Hell spawn?

[WVMike]

You mean he was so hung up on it that he wouldn't take in a bunny dive in paradise?

You have to admire someone who has principals and the discipline to follow them.

 

[Doc Intrepid]

You mean he was so hung up on it that he wouldn't take in a bunny dive in paradise?

"Hung up" has such negative overtones...

Lets substitute the word "commitment".

If you are committed to the system, then you elect not to dive rather than dive under conditions where variables such as equipment and buddy are complete unknowns.

Is that a good thing or a bad thing?

Your conclusion depends entirely on your perspective.

 

[Cave Diver]

Boogie pretty much hit it on the nose. The choice to name it "Doing it Right" in my opinon, was a mistake because it naturally implies everything else is "Doing it Wrong."

In the article that I wrote regarding DIR it was noted that the phrase was not originally coined by GI3, JJ, GUE, or any of their associates. It came from the title of a magazine/newspaper article and just kind of "stuck."

A review of my article be several people, including JJ himself, has assured me that it is very factually correct. JJ's comments where along the lines that there were a few minor discrepancies, but nothing worth changing.

IMHO, and take this for whatever you feel it's worth, if someone wants to remain close minded to a potentially better way of doing something simply because the term for that way is not "politically correct," then it's their loss.

From my own perspective, I didn't care what it was named. I was more interested in the results obtained and I looked into it further because of the controversy it generated.

Where there's smoke, there's usually fire...

 

[Boogie711]

From my own perspective, I didn't care what it was named. I was more interested in the results obtained and I looked into it further because of the controversy it generated.

Where there's smoke, there's usually fire...

Here here. Very well said.

 

[netmage]

"Hung up" has such negative overtones...

Lets substitute the word "commitment".

If you are committed to the system, then you elect not to dive rather than dive under conditions where variables such as equipment and buddy are complete unknowns.
.....

Your right - sorry if I offended anyone..

I suppose this is another one of the discussion points - the system and its applicability to all enviroments.

I seem to recall one member - either here or over on decostop made the statement - "the most efficient system will still be the most effecient if your in a cave, wreck, or reef at 30 feet."

I havn't read the book, only lurked around in these forums - and I hope I'm not coming off too uneducated, but when I look at DIR; the gear, the team aspects, the planning. It appears very much centric to mitigating the risks one would have to deal with in an overhead enviroment diving scenerio.

 

[roakey]

IMHO, and take this for whatever you feel it's worth, if someone wants to remain close minded to a potentially better way of doing something simply because the term for that way is not "politically correct," then it's their loss.

What I've never had adequately explained to me is how the same people who get their knickers in a twist over "Do It Right" have absolutely no problem with the company named "Dive Rite".

Supposedly the same complaint could be applied -- if I don't use "Dive Rite" equipment, I'm diving wrong, right?

As Joan Rivers would say, get over it. Slogans are everywhere (I'll never "Be all that you can be" since I didn't join the Army? Yhea, right...) Are you that easily influenced by a simple marketing slogan?

Evaluate the system on its merits and either accept it or reject it. It's up to you, no one's forcing you either way.

Of course we're covering the exact same ground that's been covered in [at least] two dozen other threads on this exact same topic, so nothing new is being said here, including what I just said...

Roak

 

[MikeFerrara]

In the article that I wrote regarding DIR it was noted that the phrase was not originally coined by GI3, JJ, GUE, or any of their associates. It came from the title of a magazine/newspaper article and just kind of "stuck."

...

Actually, I've been told that the term was coined in an old NAUI text. I haven't seen the text but I've had several people who should know tell me that it's true.

 

[MikeFerrara]

What I've never had adequately explained to me is how the same people who get their knickers in a twist over "Do It Right" have absolutely no problem with the company named "Dive Rite".

Supposedly the same complaint could be applied -- if I don't use "Dive Rite" equipment, I'm diving wrong, right?

I can explain that one.

Dive Rite is just a company name. They name companies all kinds of things and always say they're the best in adds. We expect it and ignore it.

OTOH, DIR, is used to describe a system of diving and some probably do take it as an implication that others must be doing it wrong...or...less right.

 

[MikeFerrara]

There is really nothing wrong with the DIR system as taught by GUE (and trademarked by Halcyon) but it is not the only choice.

Of course not and I never heard any one claim otherwise. At least no one who counts.

Anytime anyone tells me they have the one and only true way then I know they are full of something that I don't want. This is true in politics, religion, science and especially diving.

I don't know...

In science we often find only one truth in any one given subject. There may be multiple theories but in the end only one (if any) is true.

In religion and I'm no theologist but...it's almost a given that a devout practitioner will believe that his is the one true relgion. Otherwise he/she isn't so devout are they? Therefore if some one practices a religion but doesn't believe it's the one true religion I have to question where they're comming from. In Christianity for example while there may be many denominations with who knows what as differences the one Bible that's common among many of them clearily states that there is one God and one way to him. That's one...not many...not your choice or whatever works for you.

Politics...the name says it all. Poly... meaning several and tics...meaning blod sucking creatures. Put together the word means many blood sucking creatures. There you have it. The one true way of politics.

Now in Engineering we don't expect there to be only one best way. Or at least that isn't always what we're looking for. We want the best one that meets timing, risk and cost requirements. That may or may not be the one best solution and in this case we don't need absolute truth. We need something that's true enough often enough at a price we can afford.

This might be where DIR fits in. There's no argueing that DIR won't help in a cave where you need to be sidemount to get in or on a commercial Job. I thinkit aims at being a best fit accross many situations and I think they've come pretty close since I'm not aware of a "system" that has proven better. Well, that is if you can find anything else that you could call a system at all. In this regard it may be the only one so in that case it must be the best.

In the begining you don't need to know all the reasons but you will eventually if you continue to train and progress.

I disagree. Unless you're just a mindless drone there isn't any reason to spend any time or effort on it if you don't know the reasons. Without understanding the reasons for the pieces I don't see how you could understand the application and importance of the pieces. No, I think the reasons are essential right from the start.

 

[MikeFerrara]

One more comment on DIR.

I first heard of it a few years ago when an IANTD instructor that I know emailed me a link to the GUE web site and suggested that I check it out.

For a while I didn't see anything of it except on the boards. Since then however you'll several DIRF classes each year at any of the local sites. They are definately growing in frequency and the number of divers taking the class.

I've said before that if you go to the caves you don't see an obvious difference in skill level between divers regardless of style. They're all good in the water for the most part with few acceptions.

However if you go to the local sites and watch recreational divers there is one group who's skills really stand out from the rest and I don't mean by only a little. It's like night and day. That group is the divers who have gone through one or more DIRF classes and spent some time with their buddies practicing. You could put them in totally different equipment and they'd still stand out big time.

So...even if we set aside all the specifics of DIR, GUE is the only organization teaching that level of skill at the recreational level. There may be individual instructors from other organizations who do but no other agency is demanding it.

If you ever get the chance at least go watch part of a DIRF it's true that not very many divers do well regardless of cert level with other "recreational" agencies. And we're just talking about basic skills, nothing DIR specific.

I'd really have to say that GUE is the only agency that I see who's really making a noticable difference in the skill level of recreational divers. There are all the others and then there's GUE. In cave training I don't see that but in recreational diving it's clear.