leeblackman
Registered
I wanted to continue the thread for the poor guy who feels like he got screwed on onlinescuba.com. Honestly, I feel like the local dive shops in his area are really the ones screwing him, and themselves out of a new diver to the sport and future business.
Now I didn't take scuba online, but I know that there are NO laws in the united states governing the sport of scuba diving and its certifications. Basically the existing certification agencies are accredited to no one but themselves. And this in its own is a problem. Because the only people who uphold their rules are their members, ie the dive shops. And in a way its good, because it protects people from themselves, but on the other hand who gave them the right to do so?
Dealing with Dive shops in general is both a pain and a blessing. Typically as long as you start with them from day one, they are great to work with, local. But as soon as you try to bring in an outside element they become defensive. For example trying to take the online scuba classes. Obviously taking classes online will only get you the textbook knowledge you need. Might as well buy a book from a bookstore and teach yourself right? Why not? I mean in theory you can certify yourself to dive! Yes, absolutely. Even have your own card printed up. But dive shops will hate this because they loose money. So they will not cooperate or help you if you didn't start with them.
So what it boils down to is that onlinescuba isn't any type of a rip off. There are better ways to learn to scuba, but its basically like buying a book and teaching yourself. Its better to have an experienced professional teach you hands on.
I would have assumed that onlinescuba.com would have some type of support network for assistance if you had questions. Otherwise they would literally just be an online book. And in theory if they wanted their business to flourish, rather than push the student out on their own to find a dive shop or instructor to continue their education with, onlinescuba should have an established network of shops and instructors willing to work with students that they could contact nationally to work. Say even a list the student could punch in their zip code and get the closest results. If they don't already do so.
And just a note to any shop owners out there, when one of the students comes to you, rather than try to run the out of your shop, why don't you look at them as a potential customer and offer a discounted rate for just the pool portion of the class. I mean after all, that person might end up buying fins, snorkels, bc's and other gear from you. But on the other hand you could refuse any compromise from the way you work, require full price, and they will take their business elsewhere. And you have also discouraged a future diver. Let alone with the harsh economical times we are endouring, eventually run yourself outta business...
Now I didn't take scuba online, but I know that there are NO laws in the united states governing the sport of scuba diving and its certifications. Basically the existing certification agencies are accredited to no one but themselves. And this in its own is a problem. Because the only people who uphold their rules are their members, ie the dive shops. And in a way its good, because it protects people from themselves, but on the other hand who gave them the right to do so?
Dealing with Dive shops in general is both a pain and a blessing. Typically as long as you start with them from day one, they are great to work with, local. But as soon as you try to bring in an outside element they become defensive. For example trying to take the online scuba classes. Obviously taking classes online will only get you the textbook knowledge you need. Might as well buy a book from a bookstore and teach yourself right? Why not? I mean in theory you can certify yourself to dive! Yes, absolutely. Even have your own card printed up. But dive shops will hate this because they loose money. So they will not cooperate or help you if you didn't start with them.
So what it boils down to is that onlinescuba isn't any type of a rip off. There are better ways to learn to scuba, but its basically like buying a book and teaching yourself. Its better to have an experienced professional teach you hands on.
I would have assumed that onlinescuba.com would have some type of support network for assistance if you had questions. Otherwise they would literally just be an online book. And in theory if they wanted their business to flourish, rather than push the student out on their own to find a dive shop or instructor to continue their education with, onlinescuba should have an established network of shops and instructors willing to work with students that they could contact nationally to work. Say even a list the student could punch in their zip code and get the closest results. If they don't already do so.
And just a note to any shop owners out there, when one of the students comes to you, rather than try to run the out of your shop, why don't you look at them as a potential customer and offer a discounted rate for just the pool portion of the class. I mean after all, that person might end up buying fins, snorkels, bc's and other gear from you. But on the other hand you could refuse any compromise from the way you work, require full price, and they will take their business elsewhere. And you have also discouraged a future diver. Let alone with the harsh economical times we are endouring, eventually run yourself outta business...
