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

[SteveKL]

I had a busy summer and haven't been around in a couple of months. Just worked my way through this entire thread (even digesting the recurrent pro-DIR and DIR-is-Satan arguments) and just wanted to add my 2/c about Technical Diving Handbook.

Although it's due for a thorough update as technologies and equipment have changed, the book still has loads of good information about many aspects of the sport. Name another book that talks about building a drifting deco station, or gives a step-by-step discussion on various deco schedule formats, or tells you how to do a helium hot mix? Just like all the books, all the board discussions, all the web sites and magazine articles, there are things almost any diver can learn from Gary's book.

 

[Joe R.]

If you like diving you 'have' to admire Gary. He has done what most only dream about. I took a tek I dir course and the instructors ripped Gary's technique a couple of times (ALLUDED to crow bar in his weight configuration,ha ha)but niether dove the Doria, Gary has done so over 100 times! I agree dir is great but I too like to shape things to me and what I'm doing. I think the amusing phrase we hear is "dir ****'s". The single most important thing to keep in mind is to make sure you enjoy it, safely.

 

[netmage]

I was wondering - why do so many feathers get ruffled when I mention "DIR" @ the dive shop/boat.....?

99% of the people I've come into contact with in person or on the boards has been a positive experience of people trying to help another diver understand the rationale behind the choices they make.

The remaining are usually the 1%'ers you find in all groups. You know - the hardcore nutcase people who will be alive w/ the cockroaches after the apocolypse.

I don't mean to lauch a troll thread - but I'm wondering if peoples opinions on DIR and its approach are the same everywhere or they tend to follow regional trends and embraced accordingly...?

 

[salty]

What people dont understand they Fear. :06:

 

[Boogie711]

I think it's really simple. It's defensiveness.

For years, people have been taught that a+b is equal to c. This is the way they've been taught, this is the way they teach others, that's how they run their shops, that's how they run their boats. For the most part, everyone feels like they have a good time, fatality's appear to be low, and people went along their merry little way.

Eventually, people discovered that they wanted to do things that traditional training practices simply weren't adequate for. So they started to revise their system, and to their pleasant surprise, discovered that it was superior for all types of diving, for a number of reasons.

So they called this system "Doing it Right." And those who have never truly bothered to learn WHY it's better choose hear an unspoken follow up - "... so that means you're doing it wrong." And thusly, they react defensively.

It's sad, really. The GUE people are very clear that their system is not for everyone, but as they have a right to do, they do believe their system is better. Unfortunately, those people who have a lot of money and emotional investment in the old way of doing things aren't really interested in listening to alternatives.

And besides - mentioning DIR at a dive shop may very well be the equivalent of saying "I'm not interested in purchasing your newest, high priced, stupid gimmick POS." Obviously, that's a threat to a lot of LDS's.

 

[pipedope]

If so, go back and start reading the archives of the Quest list, look for posts by GI3.
Most people don't like being insulted and abused.

A lot of it is how many people present it.

 

[DennisS]

Condescending attitude and creating buzz threads in order to advertise might be some of the reason. Someone once said there is no such thing as bad publicity, controversy is their advertising budget.

 

[garyfotodiver]

The difficulty is with how some people present their opinion/argument. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, at least usually in the USA, but sometimes an opinion is expressed as the Word from Mt. Sinai.

I do many things differently today than I did when I first dove 30+ years ago. Equipment is different, techniques are different, attitudes are different. I would be foolish if I insisted on diving from a charter boat with my old Swimaster regulator, j-valve tank, and horse collar BC.

Listen to someone's opinion, but take it with a grain of salt. Evaluate it, and if it fits your needs, try it. On my next dive, I will take a reel and line. I was shown how to use it to keep a diver at the safety stop depth, and I want to try it.

Every dive is an adventure and a learning experience.

 

[Doc Intrepid]

I'm wondering if peoples opinions on DIR and its approach are the same everywhere or they tend to follow regional trends and embraced accordingly...?

In my experience, your former option is more often the case.

Many recreational divers know nothing of DIR. Those who are aware, tend to have an opinion one way or the other. Sometimes its a strong opinion.

I've not seen any evidence that this state of affairs varies by region.

 

[WVMike]

Many recreational divers know nothing of DIR. Those who are aware, tend to have an opinion one way or the other. Sometimes its a strong opinion.

I've not seen any evidence that this state of affairs varies by region.

I am land locked, no deep wrecks and no caves. None of the people I dive with have heard of DIR, if not for this board I would not know what it means.

So my assumption is if you explain to those who never heard of it that it means doing it right, then you are telling them, they must be doing it wrong.

mike