Government Regulation

[MXGratefulDiver]

... it would be the beginning of the next prohibition ... and we all know how well Americans respond to those ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[tkdgodess]

No regulations please. I already sign a waiver and initial a whole bunch of safety rules every time i get on a dive boat here. Assuming the arrogant selfish risk takers can read.... Darwin lurks. So frustrating, show your sport/hobby some respect, people have already made mistakes and pioneered the way to safer choices....the rules are there for a reason. It always gets me, what part of breathing underwater don't you understand, you cant, so respect it.

 

[pocky21]

How about we have automated facial recognition checkpoints at each dive site which will verify your identity with a centralized cert. agency computer. That way we can stop all unauthorized access and force divers into actually getting that boat diver specialty.

And we don't need scuba police when we have drones. If we terminate them BEFORE they get into the water, it isn't a diving accident!

 

[AfterDark]

What dive flag laws aren't enough of a PITA? Somebody wants more?!?!?!?!!?

Maybe we can have snorkel check points to make sure every diver is WEARING one.

 

[kydaka]

You want something screwed up??? Let the government get involved!!!

 

[Nemrod]

If the Federal government begins to regulate SCUBA diving, which will never happen, if you guys think it is expensive now, wait until the government starts running it. They will most likely require swimming skills, which will flunk 90% of the current population. And then divers will need a medical just like pilots. Then all gear will have to be certified which will require all sorts of hoops to jump through for manufactuers and a new agency to inspect and regulate the gear, license the divers, approve of the training curriculum. Of course you will have to demonstrate the skills for a government inspector and the instruction will be months long.

This is why democracy can only exist temporarily, ephemerally, until people no longer believe in anything, vote themselves other peoples money and decide they cannot regulate themselves and turn themselves over to the government. Which is why the human race is doomed to repeat a cycle of despotism, communism, fascism followed by revolution, followed by freedom of choice and democracy and the pursuit of happiness until yet again we have a leader come along who tells the people they do not deserve what they have earned, they did not even earn it and they should feel guilty for having had the gumption to get up off their aXX and make something of themselves and it begins again. Said as we yet again slide into despotism.

Yeah, let's have the government control SCUBA diving, LMAO. The freedoms we give away now do not belong to us, they belong to the future generations and were secured for us by the preceding generations.

N

 

[maderadiver]

Any one supporting this needs to follow the logical path after the rules ae installed they will need manpower manpower cost money so be prepared to pay a fee each year to dive be prepared to present your equipment annualy for inspection at your cost be prepared to pay a much higher fee for diving out of state like with hunting be prepared to lose mqny of our locql shops as they will not be able to operate with fewer clients willing to shell out money to support the regulation of the sport

Also the freeeom is what brought me to the sport I'd rather turn in my fins then help build the machine that would force controls onto a fellow diver

 

[Lost down under]

They will most likely require swimming skills, which will flunk 90% of the current population. And then divers will need a medical just like pilots.

Although I'm against regulation I can't see more robust swimming skills and fitness tests being such a bad idea.

 

[Griffo]

You don't want government interference any more than you have already. Here in Oz we have more than you do and it's a pain. Nationally the cylinder regulations mean yearly hydros. Have a few tanks and it gets really expensive really quickly. When you know you've only put a couple of dozen fills in the tanks over that time, it hurts even more.

In Queensland after losing a few US citizens on the GBR they implemented a set of OH&R rules that basically copied the PADI manual and made it into a pseudo law. (my understanding is that while it isn't technically a law, by ignoring the standards and not having a legally defensible standard of your own opens you up to fines in the hundreds of thousands, and jail time).

While there are noble ideas such as mandating that all divers carry an SMB/sausage and whistle, it also has stupid things like requiring all EANx diving to have a DM or higher present to supervise the Nitrox divers, regardless of their certification level.

 

[TMHeimer]

The trouble with government regulation is politics and human nature. Every time somebody dies the bureaucrat in charge will pile on more regulations to cover their backside and appear sympathetic to the grieving family. This is especially problematic when somebody dies because they did something stupid and knew better. You can’t tell a poor widow that she’s on her own because her husband was a moron and knew better.

This can go on and on, but I think this post is best so far. I won't even get started on this topic.... Except for, hey, lets discuss seat belts and motorcycle helmets.....