[rant] DIR vs. DID

[detroit diver]

biscuit7 once bubbled...
Honestly, this wasn't meant as a troll, although I should have anticipated that there would be some debate about the whole issue.

Some of the issues that have been raised in this thread have clarified what I already knew: lots of people love it, lots of people find some value in the teachings, and some people will do anything just because someone tells them they should or can.

I've never been able to do stuff on the "because I said so" frame. I have to know the how and why and what for otherwise I think I'm being fed a bunch of crap. The idea that I can take a class and become a competent tech dive is absurd. There is no way that I'm going from a 60 fsw pretty fish dive to 300 fsw cave diving on the suggestion that I'm fully qualified after a week with an "expert".

I respect the vast majority of people on this board and I'm thrilled to be a part of this community. I will listen to all advice and suggestions and then take what I need and chuck the rest. Most important of all, I'm gonna dive.

R

No one in DIR ever said that you were "going from a 60 fsw pretty fish dive to 300 fsw cave diving on the suggestion that I'm fully qualified after a week with an "expert"". In fact, DIR is just the opposite of that. The fundamentals of DIR are the BASICS, and only that. This is where most people have trouble, because they don't have the basic skills to progress in their diving, no matter what that may be. After learning and perfecting these "fundamental skills", you progress to the various intrerests. Or not.

Anyone that does something just because someone on an internet board says so is a complete fool. You can even take a class and be totally incompetant. No one is going to make you a star, but you.

One more thing-you're not going to learn the how's and why's unless you take the class. It's that simple. You can pick pieces up here and there, but it doesn't come together until you learn it as a cohesive package. For some people that need to know everything in advance, well, this isn't for them then, is it?

 

[MikeFerrara]

MikeS once bubbled...


Be very careful, that’s how it starts, and it’s a slippery slope! Next you’ll try a back plate and wings and like them. Then, perhaps a out of air (OOA) drill with a buddy diving the long hose. Next thing you know you’ve been assimilated.

The only thing that’s saved me to this point is my love for my brain rotting air integrated computer!

Mike

Several things saved me...

I never had a fin fall off.
I learned to hover before I ever heard of DIR.

I am always aware of my buddy. You don't need DIR to teach you buddy awareness, just dive with your wife! If that don't do it, dive with mine!

I don't like Nick
George keeps insulting people I respect.
WKPP wants the caves for themselves.
JJ won't give me a break and 5th-d is killing me!
I already know I'm going to die.

 

[wreckchick]

First of all: Easy there...... I was exaggerating to make a point.

Second of all:

detroit diver once bubbled...

One more thing-you're not going to learn the how's and why's unless you take the class. It's that simple. You can pick pieces up here and there, but it doesn't come together until you learn it as a cohesive package. For some people that need to know everything in advance, well, this isn't for them then, is it?

Bait on hook: noted and dismissed

R

 

[WJL]

biscuit7 once bubbled...
I've never been able to do stuff on the "because I said so" frame. I have to know the how and why and what for otherwise I think I'm being fed a bunch of crap. The idea that I can take a class and become a competent tech dive is absurd. There is no way that I'm going from a 60 fsw pretty fish dive to 300 fsw cave diving on the suggestion that I'm fully qualified after a week with an "expert".

Yeah, you're trolling.

No GUE instructor has ever said that the reason for any DIR practice or procedure is "because I (or anyone else) said so." There is always a "how and why and what for" given for everything. No GUE instructor has ever said that all you need to become a competent tach diver is to take the class, or that you will be fully qualified after a week. These supposed DIR positions are nonsense from anti-DIR cyberdivers. You are attacking DIR for things that have nothing to do with DIR.

If you want to learn about what DIR really is, take a class from a GUE instructor. Read the book.

 

[Big-t-2538]

WJL once bubbled...


Yeah, you're trolling.

Nah...she's just opinionated, not a troll yet. She's responding to comment's like "Take the class and drink your kool-aid"

 

[wreckchick]

Not to derail the lovely turn this thread has taken, but I'm not trolling. I had a inexplicable urge to rant about the nomenclature of DIR. I have frequently stated that I don't know much about it and at this point I don't wish to explore it to it's fullest extent.

I am NOT anti-DIR. I am FOR whatever makes anyone feel safter while diving, whatever that might be. I am anti-elitism. I am anti-cliques.

I have not spoken to any GUE instructors about their training. I am not attacking anyone on this board for doing what they think is best for them.

I am doing what I feel is right for me at my level of experience.

R

 

[wreckchick]

Big-t-2538 once bubbled...


Nah...she's just opinionated, not a troll yet. She's responding to comment's like "Take the class and drink your kool-aid"

You forgot to mention fiesty.

R

 

[bwerb]

Here's a few thoughts...

Go to the GUE website and look-up the course outlines and instructor requirements for their courses. You will see that in order to begin tech diving (tech 1/cave1 with GUE) you are required to have at least 75 dives beyond open water certification and training dives don't count in any of the totals. You also have to pass the DIRF course. To get to Tech 2, you need at least 200 dives and 25 since Tech 1. Tech 3 requires 750 dives and at least Cave 1 certification. Seems to me that no-one becomes an expert overnight with these bare minimum requirements...it's tons of hard work.

Their instructor requirements are also really interesting to read, the instructors actually have to dive at a level above what they are teaching a minimum number of times each year (I didn't double check but I think it's at least 25 dives a year at the higher level).

It's funny too that people talk about not being able to find out what's in the courses...the course outlines are all available on-line, you take the course to learn but the learning objectives and skills are all really clearly outlined.

I tried to find out what I was going to learn or how to study before hand for my OW certification...I found next to nothing to help me, I had to take the course and buy the text. Try to find a PADI recreational dive planner and full instructions on use online...not an easy task. Try to find the complete outlines for any of the specialty classes or find out exactly what you are going to learn. I don't know why DIR always gets painted with the brush of secrecy and elitism when the GUE training objectives and guidlines are so out in the open.

I also understood that the term DIR had some sort of "trademark" around it. Someone help me out here but I know that for example OMS can't call their gear DIR, it has to be called something like DIR style...I know there is more to this but I'll let someone who knows for sure fill in the details.

And as Uncle Pug has quipped in the past...sometimes you just have to throw the shoe out and see who puts it on...calling something Doing It Right does not mean that you are Doing it Wrong...that's just what you have read into it and some of the adherents (acolytes) have begun shouting.

 

[MikeFerrara]

Rachel, you've done it now. LOL

I'm thinking you should point out one more time at least that you didn't talk to a GUE instructor but Aquatech said something like that. That will get them going after him for a while and give you a chance to compose your next post.

bwerb bring up some good points and I still don't think much of Nick.

 

[Big-t-2538]

MikeFerrara once bubbled...


I am always aware of my buddy. You don't need DIR to teach you buddy awareness, just dive with your wife! If that don't do it, dive with mine!

Now I fear your wife too....sheesh and I thought one ferrara was bad enough