What makes trust me dives bad, and what makes them worse?

[diver7276]

It is one thing to put your trust in someone but it is another to blindly trust someone. Too often divers do minimal or no research concerning a dive site or a dive operation. You can learn a lot by observing a dive leader or a DM. Sometimes you learn more about someone by the questions they ask than the answers they give. The easy manner in which a DM learns about the divers before a dive tells you a great deal about the DM's abilities. How the DM interacts with the divers and the questions the DM ask. Did the pre-dive orientation cover more than points of interest? This is especially true when the dive involves more risk, such as overhead, wrecks or current. The bottom line is every dive involves risk and every diver beyond OPW is responsible for themselves and most dives involve some level of trust. The primary consideration becomes the level of trust you are giving someone and how well founded is that trust.
I learn a great deal by following these threads and appreciate all that take the time to comment. Thanks.

 

[flots am]

All you Pros on scubaboard are making me think you would rather have some of us divers give up diving and go home rather than make a trust-me dive.

Nobody wants you to give up and go home. However we also don't want to have to make arrangements to have your body sent back either.

I would venture a guess that thousands of divers go on "trust me" dives every day and they're generally just fine. However when they're not, the divers quickly find out that the DM can not "keep them safe" Many times the cost of this is some anxiety, fear and a rude awakening. However it can easily be injury or death.

If you are ever on a dive where there is even a moment when you are unable to simply head "up" and safely end the dive, you are literally trusting your life to someone who you probably never even met before stepping on to the boat.

The only reason people make such a big deal out of not doing "trust me" dives is because the world is full of "professionals" who are willing to risk your life in the hope of giving you some excitement. Take it in the same way you would if your waiter suggests that you "not order the fish". These are people who see SCUBA from the inside and would prefer to that divers didn't leave their next dive scared, injured or dead.

They're not ragging on you, they're trying to help you.

flots.

 

[Kingpatzer]

A good diver asks another diver to hope their trust is not misplaced only as much as is appropriate for a dive of that specific level of complexity.

Dive 1 of OW appropriately requires the student to trust the instructor a great deal.

A dive into an overhead environment, even as a training dive, appropriately requires far less trust.

A non-training dive should not involve any hope that trust is not misplaced at all, period.

 

[LakeCountyDiver]

I will just say as new divers all dives are somewhat "Trust Me" dives. You lean on your instructor and divemaster for leadership and training.

Now if the "trust me" dive is one of those "just follow me" then that a joke. All Divers no matter how new or experienced should be involved in the dive planning/briefing..

Dive leaders are trained in ways "good buddies" are not. They know how to look for, spot, and deal with problems. They also know how to plan for someone that is new and lead inexperienced divers.

 

[al fish]

Found the comments on trust me dives very good. As a new ow diver my 2nd year and i dive mainley in the gulf coast west in depth 35 plus with a very safe and experenced diver i am very guilty of the trust me dive on my partner . Thank you for all the good comments that made me aware of my big oversights i will change my habits and hopefuly be a better dive partner and diveer.

Al fish