I've not started my tech classes yet but there is something that I have observed while trying to learn a bit own my own before class. Why is it that some tech divers tell you the ONLY way to do something is the way they do it. They act like anyone who does anything different is a suicidal retard. Then you ask another diver about it (procedure or rigging or whatever) and they have a totally different way they do it and act like anyone who would even think about doing it differently is insane ,suicidal,and a moron, and the term "suicidal" is always thrown in to validate their opinion, as in you will kill yourself if not done my way. How does it work if you go on a charter boat with four or more guys who have totally different ideas on deep diving? How does a newbie sort out the BS, and incorporate the best attributes of other's techniques and procedures? Fire away.....
Newbie questions about tech diver opinions
- Thread starter bell47
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bell47, when I started my tech training, I read everything that I could get my hands on including books, training manuals and articles from GUE, IANTD, TDI, NAUI, etc. I also hit the web hard, including this forum. You'll find that as your "technical" education ramps up, the "noise" will come down. Yes, you'll find that people argue over whether a clip should be facing in or out, whether bungied-wings will KILL YOU, etc.. Opinions are like A-holes, everyone has one. But at the end of the day, YOU will have to decide, based on your experience and training what is safest and what works best for you. Just start your training with a competent instructor and the rest will fall into place.
Reg Braithwaite
Contributor
As a fellow newbie, may I ask if you will get a better response asking this question in the general technical diving forum than the DIR forum? Generally, I have had the best results when I used this forum for asking experienced DIR divers what they do. I usually don't need to ask why, that comes out in the explanation.
JM2C, mods feel free to remove this post if you feel it is not within the spirit of the forum.
JM2C, mods feel free to remove this post if you feel it is not within the spirit of the forum.
SparticleBrane
Contributor
Well, I'd like to say that there ARE suicidal morons out there. Several of which like to post their near misses on youtube and brag about it.
Those guys are usually pretty obvious, and if you have read up in any way, you can spot them easily. As far as anything else, just ask a bunch of questions and go with what your common sense tells you. Get details.
Tom
Those guys are usually pretty obvious, and if you have read up in any way, you can spot them easily. As far as anything else, just ask a bunch of questions and go with what your common sense tells you. Get details.
Tom
Because they are insecure. That's also why the term "technical diver" came about in the first place. It's pretty much meaningless, but it feeds their egos. Most are not insecure, but those that are get pretty defensive. Listen to their points about why they prefer a particular method and why they don't like another method. Listen to reasons only and ignore the static.
Interesting that many of the people who will tell you about bolt snaps facing the wrong way,quick releases etc etc cannot tell you of real first hand examples of emegencies or problems. You always need a basis to start from,and your instructor will give you that,then you need to learn and modify your gear,and apply critical thinking. Many of the innovations in diving have been bourne from "tech divers" who challange the norm,and develop these innovations. To some degree I hate to see diving philosophies that are very strigent,and only allow a select few to make changes to the group,because that stifles innovation.
Bell47, it is not just tech diving. You will find folks with the my way is the only way attitude in recreational diving as well as other sports I participate in: flying, hang gliding, skydiving, motor cycle riding. Pretty much anything that requires motor skills and equipment.
Being well trained gives you core skills. Experience gives you the valuable stuff to stay alive. I prefer a wide range of knowledge and experience from many sources.
Having only one and perfect way of doing something may not work well when the situation requires some out of the box thinking.
Being well trained gives you core skills. Experience gives you the valuable stuff to stay alive. I prefer a wide range of knowledge and experience from many sources.
Having only one and perfect way of doing something may not work well when the situation requires some out of the box thinking.
This reminds me of when I first met my tec instructor. He picked me up from the airport and we had a 3 hours drive to chat, and I was brimming with questions. At one point I ask him about long hoses. He starts by asking me why I think I would need a long hose, and eventually when I come to "easier to share in a cave or wreck", he says: "Exactly! If you are in a cave or wreck, long hose is good [sorry, I can't fake a German accent in the post] because you have tight spaces. In open water it is a pain in the ass. You don't need it. All these people think you need long hose to be a technical diver. You find what works for you. If that is a long hose, then great. But don't put a long hose on if you are diving in open water just because someone tells you that you have to have long hose to be a technical diver."
So I don't carry a long hose. I also use a conventional jacket style BCD rather than a BP/W configuration, despite that being heresy in the tec diving community. Just not lest ye be judged, I say.
So I don't carry a long hose. I also use a conventional jacket style BCD rather than a BP/W configuration, despite that being heresy in the tec diving community. Just not lest ye be judged, I say.
ucfdiver
Contributor
yawn.
I took a look at who's doing the dives I want to do, with the highest degree of safety and success and adopted what they're doing. And yes, for 95% of the dives I do or want to do, it seems one PROVEN system clearly outperforms anything I could come up with at this point.
I've dove with some divers who decide that they can come up with something better, and like clockwork, there's always some little thing that goes wrong during the dive that could be solved by simply following a system developed by those more experienced than us. Rarely if never is it a life or death issue, but it's annoying, and I'd rather spend the time diving than dealing with it.
I'm not saying don't think about WHY you do things, but you really have to decide if you want to reinvent the wheel, or just go have fun diving.
I took a look at who's doing the dives I want to do, with the highest degree of safety and success and adopted what they're doing. And yes, for 95% of the dives I do or want to do, it seems one PROVEN system clearly outperforms anything I could come up with at this point.
I've dove with some divers who decide that they can come up with something better, and like clockwork, there's always some little thing that goes wrong during the dive that could be solved by simply following a system developed by those more experienced than us. Rarely if never is it a life or death issue, but it's annoying, and I'd rather spend the time diving than dealing with it.
I'm not saying don't think about WHY you do things, but you really have to decide if you want to reinvent the wheel, or just go have fun diving.
