Government Regulation

[sheeper]

not gonna happen. And in some areas we ALREADY have dive regulations like "divers MUST carry a dive flag".

regulations do not prevent stupidity. Scuba is a very small niche. We'd have to regulate every sport and activity where people do stupid things.

 

[mizzie]

My original thought was more along the lines of "I wonder how many divers have to kill themselves doing something stupid before someone decides it's too dangerous to leave self-regulated?" Or, to put it more bluntly, who's going to ruin things for everyone else?

 

[DennisS]

One of the first regulations they would probably pass is an annual physical and fitness test. What do you think will happen to the dive industry when they prohibit overweight and out of shape people from diving

 

[muzikbiz22]

The government has no business getting involved in scuba diving. It's a ridiculous idea, and would probably skyrocket the cost of diving, boat trips, etc. And at the end of the day, diving would be NO SAFER or better off. Just look at the "marvelous success" of Obamacare Just sayin'

 

[Ontwreckdiver]

You don't want any government getting involved in scuba diving. They did this in the province of Quebec about 10 years ago.

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/basic-scuba-discussions/10775-quebecs-new-diving-laws.html post #4

Here is the regulation in english. FQAS --> Diving Regulations of Quebec

 

[TSandM]

I have a strong feeling that if scuba were to be regulated, it would be much as driving is, on a state to state basis. There is little reason to do otherwise. States could put together a licensing requirement, but if they did, I'd be surprised if it weren't something like having to present a C-card from an accredited agency (just as, for example, some jurisdictions require drivers to take a course from a private firm before sitting for the licensing exam).

Driver's licenses don't stop people from driving poorly or driving drunk or driving cars with no brakes. It would amaze me if diving licenses did anything more effective.

We already have Coast Guard licensure for charter boats, and regulations for cylinder inspection and testing.

 

[Akimbo]

There were endless editorials in Skin Diver Magazine in the 1960s prodding the industry to organize training and self-regulate before the government did it [-]for[/-] to them. The industry did and dodged that bullet only to devolved training over decades to the sad state we see today. Perhaps the fear of government intervention will bring people back to reality and require the basics in Scuba 101 again.

As always, well executed and intelligent regulation might be a good thing — but we all know that isn’t what we would get. Fortunately an innocent neighborhood doesn’t go up in flames when a diver crashes.

 

[Dr. Lecter]

Government regulation of dive activities is something I would stand behind. If private individuals, organizations, or businesses wouldn't, or couldn't, enforce rules and regulations, then the government should step in.

Kindly stay in Canada where you belong, and keep your notion of protecting adults from themselves as the "right thing to do" up there with you.

Or, to put it more bluntly, who's going to ruin things for everyone else?

Anyone who fails to vote the bums out, should they pass such ridiculous paternalism. People get -- and deserve -- what they tolerate.

 

[Akimbo]

Think about it, do we really want agency like OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration in the US) regulating recreational activities?

http://community.ubnt.com/t5/The-Lounge/The-Cowboy-After-OSHA/td-p/395890

 

[spc751]

As someone who is employed to enforce regulations I would like to see this happen if I could get paid for diving.

As a diver who knows about enforcing regulations it would be the end to a lot of diving.