Dir?

[offthewall1]

I think you ought to read my post.... I never said a bad word about DIR... I said - in essence - to each his/her own. We simply don't need DIR people trying to tell everyone else they are wrong - which has been my experience with DIR people both on this thread, other threads and in the real world. I have some good friends who follow DIR... I can respect them because they don't try to convert everyone... they just do their thing. That was all I had to say about DIR

In addition, I never really pumped my chest... if that was perceived, I was taken out of context. I simply said DIR people haven't taught me anything I didn't already know. I never said I was beyond learning - just that DIR hasn't brought anything new to the table.

Your attacks on me put you all in the very light I was imforming the rest about - so thanks for proving my point...

As for CDReamer... she always has a lot to say for someone who barely has the requisite knowledge to carry a newbies tank... Everytime I make a post she gives the "moon." She is the perfect example of someone who fits in the DIR mentality. Know nothing, but knock everyone else.

As for the rest of you, none of whom I know personally - we ought to go diving sometime... Come on - it'll be fun... that's what this is suppose to all be about.

Dive Happy - Dive Safe

 

[offthewall1]

Education for Everyone:

"The "Doing It Right" (DIR) system evolved out of the exacting demands of the world's most extreme exploration diving, yet the approach is rapidly gaining favor among all levels of divers. Everyone benefits from a system that makes the underwater experience safer and more comfortable. The DIR system is much more than an equipment configuration. It is a diving style that ensures every aspect of each dive represents safety, fun and efficiency.

Leading explorers long ago realized that a confused or delayed response to emergency situations creates an unacceptable risk. DIR attempts to bring the practical solutions to safety and productivity honed in the world of exploration into the classroom for entry and advanced divers. Risk is managed by streamlining and minimizing gear configuration. Buddy communication skills are refined to heighten awareness of the dive environment. Taken together, rethinking your gear configuration and your approach to teamwork puts you back in the middle of the dive.

Unfortunately, there is a prevailing assumption that standardized equipment, clean configurations and attention to detail are only for "technical" or other rigorous diving conditions. In reality, clean and simple universal configurations are even more beneficial for divers with limited experience. GUE representatives have discovered that training all divers with standardized equipment has been highly successful."

- From DIR Mexico

I think it says a lot of good stuff... but this is what good Instructors everywhere do. They teach people about gear configurations and the importance of knowing their buddies configurations and good dive shops go one further and even teach new divers other configurations which they may come across out there in the real world.

Reality - DIR is cult like. It would have everyone wearing the same gear and swearing the same thing. Reality - with so many gear manufacturers making so many different things - realistic education is more important than fantasy. It's like the expectation that one day we all may drive Toyota Prius's... that's not going to happen... So don't expect everyone's going to dive a BP/W with a 7' hose etc... because that's not going to happen either.

Let's train people to buy 1. what they like, 2. what they can afford 3. what makes sense for the type of diving they're doing... then teach them how to use it and how they may run into other things out there in the real world.

That is what makes sense - and I'm sticking to it.

 

[Rainer]

Education for Everyone:

"The "Doing It Right" (DIR) system evolved out of the exacting demands of the world's most extreme exploration diving, yet the approach is rapidly gaining favor among all levels of divers. Everyone benefits from a system that makes the underwater experience safer and more comfortable. The DIR system is much more than an equipment configuration. It is a diving style that ensures every aspect of each dive represents safety, fun and efficiency.

Leading explorers long ago realized that a confused or delayed response to emergency situations creates an unacceptable risk. DIR attempts to bring the practical solutions to safety and productivity honed in the world of exploration into the classroom for entry and advanced divers. Risk is managed by streamlining and minimizing gear configuration. Buddy communication skills are refined to heighten awareness of the dive environment. Taken together, rethinking your gear configuration and your approach to teamwork puts you back in the middle of the dive.

Unfortunately, there is a prevailing assumption that standardized equipment, clean configurations and attention to detail are only for "technical" or other rigorous diving conditions. In reality, clean and simple universal configurations are even more beneficial for divers with limited experience. GUE representatives have discovered that training all divers with standardized equipment has been highly successful."

- From DIR Mexico

I think it says a lot of good stuff... but this is what good Instructors everywhere do. They teach people about gear configurations and the importance of knowing their buddies configurations and good dive shops go one further and even teach new divers other configurations which they may come across out there in the real world.

Reality - DIR is cult like. It would have everyone wearing the same gear and swearing the same thing. Reality - with so many gear manufacturers making so many different things - realistic education is more important than fantasy. It's like the expectation that one day we all may drive Toyota Prius's... that's not going to happen... So don't expect everyone's going to dive a BP/W with a 7' hose etc... because that's not going to happen either.

Let's train people to buy 1. what they like, 2. what they can afford 3. what makes sense for the type of diving they're doing... then teach them how to use it and how they may run into other things out there in the real world.

That is what makes sense - and I'm sticking to it.

Your posts clearly demonstrate that you don't actually have any real knowledge of what DIR promotes. Was that brief cut and paste from the DIR-MX page your sum total experience with DIR? I'm generally curious.

 

[UnderSeaBumbleBee]

I think you ought to read my post.... I never said a bad word about DIR... I said - in essence - to each his/her own. We simply don't need DIR people trying to tell everyone else they are wrong - which has been my experience with DIR people both on this thread, other threads and in the real world. I have some good friends who follow DIR... I can respect them because they don't try to convert everyone... they just do their thing. That was all I had to say about DIR

In addition, I never really pumped my chest... if that was perceived, I was taken out of context. I simply said DIR people haven't taught me anything I didn't already know. I never said I was beyond learning - just that DIR hasn't brought anything new to the table.

Your attacks on me put you all in the very light I was imforming the rest about - so thanks for proving my point...

As for CDReamer... she always has a lot to say for someone who barely has the requisite knowledge to carry a newbies tank... Everytime I make a post she gives the "moon." She is the perfect example of someone who fits in the DIR mentality. Know nothing, but knock everyone else.

As for the rest of you, none of whom I know personally - we ought to go diving sometime... Come on - it'll be fun... that's what this is suppose to all be about.

Dive Happy - Dive Safe

I agree with you that you are proving a point, but not the one you are intending to make.




I do hope you will post again! I think it is as instructive for the OP-original poster to know what sort of folks are DIR and what sort of folks are not. That way the OP will have a much better idea of what it is and is not. You are doing a great job of representing the not DIR crowd.

By the way, I am not DIR, but they have taught me a lot. I still have more to learn. I hope I am always able to learn something new and to see something new.


Hmmm, for some reason one of my buckets of popcorn did not pop and when I go to edit, I cannot find the space. Guess that proves I am not able DIR the popcorn icon!

 

[Gombessa]

It's like the expectation that one day we all may drive Toyota Prius's... that's not going to happen... So don't expect everyone's going to dive a BP/W with a 7' hose etc... because that's not going to happen either.

This suggests that you don't understand DIR nearly as much as you make yourself out to understand.

DIR is not like "everyone driving a Prius." It's more akin to everyone driving a "car," with four wheels, a license plate, turn signals, stop lights, bumpers and an understanding of the same posted traffic signs, signals, and laws. I would argue that driving on the road is MUCH more "DIR" than not.

 

[cdreamer]

Ken, your just pissed that I didn't come work for you!!!!
You offered me twice my current salary to come and
manage your shop, which I declined. You are a JOKE!!!!
Call me a liar and I'll get Mike Paquette to verify what you
told him, when you tried and failed to get the Scubapro line.
Sorry folks for the hijack.

 

[Gombessa]

Guys (and gals), maybe the personal attacks should be left to the presidential campaign and left out of this thread, which I hope can still be salvaged in some meaningful way.

 

[UnderSeaBumbleBee]

everyone driving a Prius

Speaking of the Prius. While my truck was in the shop, I rented a Prius for a week. Talk about sweet. I hate little cars, but it really handled well and was a lot of fun to drive. I can see why they are selling so well. I am really tempted to get one.

I like the driving analogy about how there are many brands of cars made in many different countries, but I as driver could get in any one of them and use it with ease--and be on the road with thousands of other road buddies and we all get to where we want to go without having to have a big pre-trip meeting to figure out where everyone's place is on the road.

In the US our road buddy groups have decided we drive on the right side of the road. Over the pond those driving buddy groups drive on the left. When in another road environment, I will adapt the said buddy group!

 

[offthewall1]

OK... here is what people (OW Divers) need to go diving... Equipment and Skills. What does DIR say you need... lets have a comparable lis. I too am curious:

Regulator
Alternate Air Source (Octo or breathable inflator)
BCD or BP/W
Weight - integrated or belt (or simply steel tank & plate)
Tank
Mask, Fins & Snorkel
Wetsuit, Boots, Gloves and Hoods (all optional depending on location)
Redundant Air supply (not required, but recommended)

Minimum skills 36 requirements (in water

Entries & Exits (giant stride, controlled seated, backward roll, shore)
Regulator clearing 1 & 2
Regulator recovery 1 & 2
Mask Clearing
Mask removal & replacement
Controlled Ascents & Descents
Air Sharing
Air Sharing Swimming
Air Sharing Ascents
Emergency Swimming Ascents
BCD removal and replacement UW & On surface
Weight removal and replacement UW & On Surface
neutral buoyancy (fin pivots & hovering)
navigation by compass
Buddy Assist Tows (three methods)
Cramp Relief
Breathing from a Free Flowing Regulator
Snorkel to Regulator Exchange
Air Monitoring
Safety Stops
Fin Kicks (Flutter, Frog & Dolphin)
Proper Weighting
Inverted Swimming

I have to ask all new divers... did you get all of these 36 skills in your OW course?

 

[Blackwood]

DIR... "Doing it Right" in itself implies that if you're not DIR then you're wrong.

Crap. I guess I need to stop going to Walgreens in favor of Rite Aid.

Though the possibility exists that it's just a name...

And even if it isn't, like you (wisely) said in your first post (before it went all DJIA on us) "...a diver should dive that with which they are comfortable in, confident in (i.e. believe in)..."

To me, it stands to reason that if a person is comfortable, confident and believes in something, he/she would consider that thing to be "right."

Right?