Diver0001:
I guess I've hit a sensitive string here... I didn't realize that this was such an item with RB divers....
I don't see any need for hostility.
No animosity or hostility here. Initially you stated that the RB diver needs to carry the bailout for himself as well as the buddy, all I did was ask how you reason that. There was no mention of team bailout where, by definition, bailout gases are carried by both and shared. That's quite a difference, and
when diving as a team quite common.
Having done the majority of my diving off SoCal cattle boats, I've been "paired" with divers in the past that I didn't know. And have set out put dives when I had the feeling (or knowledge) it would be the wrong person to dive with.
IMHO you can only be a useful buddy if you're capable of helping yourself when things go bad. Having a redundant gas source is that part of that, just having an Octo just doesn't seem sufficient to me. Hence my statement that it doesn't matter if one dives CC, SC or OC, one should bring an alternate breathing system.
I have yet to dive profiles that don't allow me to carry all my bailout, once I get to that point the number of people I dive with will go drastically down. Until then it seems to be a fair request to ask OC divers to bring along a pony tank if I do the same. And yes, I will share my bailout if need be, I just don't like the idea of having to haul around bailout for two and babysit other divers. Which you have to do with OC divers as an OOG situation usually translates into two or three breaths and your SOL.
On a rebreather,
having to bailout only happens during a catastrophic loop failure which is extremly rare. When either out of O2 or dil there are usually other options one has while still being on the loop and at least utilizing the RB to some extend.