Diving myths taught for safety?

[NAM001]

One of the items listed was about carrying your fins into the water on a shore dive. when i started you always wore your fins into the water and "WALKED BACKWARDS TO PREVENT TRIPPING". The BCD sure changed the need for that practice. Of course there were rules about the J valve also. As opposed to a k valve the j valve will give you air when you get low.

So many technologies have changed and what were once good rules are now moot and have become todays myths.

 

[AfterDark]

One of the items listed was about carrying your fins into the water on a shore dive. when i started you always wore your fins into the water and "WALKED BACKWARDS TO PREVENT TRIPPING". The BCD sure changed the need for that practice. Of course there were rules about the J valve also. As opposed to a k valve the j valve will give you air when you get low.

So many technologies have changed and what were once good rules are now moot and have become todays myths.

I still walk backward or sideways (crab walking) when entering the water with my fins on. How did the BCD change that?

 

[redsky@night]

If you don't dive cave/wreck/doubles/ccr/drysuit/altitude/mixed gas/...... you aren't a real diver

 

[Abdullah]

Sidemount is for cave divers only
Sidemount is a fad and the practice will disappear altogether within a few years
Sidemount is dangerous
Sidemount divers take more time to gear up
You can't sidemount off a boat
You can't backroll with sidemount
Switching regs is task loading
Sidemounting with more than one stage is impractical
Backmount is more appropriate for open water dives
Sidemount does not apply to CCRs

Some of these myths may have nothing to do with safety...

---------- Post added May 10th, 2013 at 06:14 AM ----------

I thought the s word was sidemount

Don't forget "sidemount is a solution looking for a problem"

 

[Searcaigh]

Cave
Wreck
Tech
Sidemount
Split fins
Rebreather
Solo

- good hard-earned training programs are available in all these areas. The lessons were learned through the losses of those who pioneered before. Please get training before you "push the envelope" in all the things you hear are myths. When you gotten all the training that's available, you'll be ready to explore real new frontiers.

There is a training programme for Split Fins? :shocked2:

 

[bilsant]

There is a training programme for Split Fins? :shocked2:

Sorry. The earlier poster was talking about splitfins in a cave, which is discussed in the Cave Diving course.


but I wouldn't be suprised to see somebody offer a Splitfin Specialty Course in the near future...

 

[CT-Rich]

In rescue class this past week, we would turn our masks around on our head (so the glass is facing backward). Clearly a non distress signal, and that way you could do mouth to mouth without it choking you around your neck. Caveat- we couldn't drop anything because the viz was zero - drop it and its gone forever - even in 10' of water. I actually found the damn thing was more comfortable on backwards than front-wards!

The MOH is more of an indicator of "I haven't had a wave knock it off and had to go in to get a spare/replacement, yet" than of panic. Once you get to shore and realize that you are down $70 you will get the message.

When I see a diver I don't know with his MOH, I usually look for easier tells about his condition. Is he flailing? Does he have enough air in his BCD to keep his face out of the water? Is he screaming for help? Can standing up be a form of self rescue? In most cases where I see Newbie classes in the water they are almost always doing one or more of these things.... Unfortunately, MOH only works as a distress if divers treat it like that...

MOH is like driving over your regulator.... Normally it SHOULD be interpreted as a universal signal that you are frustrated with a POS gear, but more often it the result of carelessness.

 

[tajkd]

My pet peeves:

Don't drink and dive

and

Stay hydrated (whatever that is)

 

[The Chairman]

My favorites are "Everything posted on the internet is true". Which is just as wrong as "Nothing posted on the internet is true" which is just as wrong as "No one listens on ScubaBoard! Any yahoo can make stupid suggestions and people will believe them!" In my not-so-humble opinion, ScubaBoard has done an awful lot for dive safety and increases our knowledge and understanding. Ask any question and I am certain that at least one of the answers will be right!

 

[DaleC]

The MOH is more of an indicator of "I haven't had a wave knock it off and had to go in to get a spare/replacement, yet" than of panic. Once you get to shore and realize that you are down $70 you will get the message.

When I see a diver I don't know with his MOH, I usually look for easier tells about his condition. Is he flailing? Does he have enough air in his BCD to keep his face out of the water? Is he screaming for help? Can standing up be a form of self rescue? In most cases where I see Newbie classes in the water they are almost always doing one or more of these things.... Unfortunately, MOH only works as a distress if divers treat it like that...

MOH is like driving over your regulator.... Normally it SHOULD be interpreted as a universal signal that you are frustrated with a POS gear, but more often it the result of carelessness.

What?

MOF just means I haven't bought into the BS that it means anything and am comfortable enough not to succumb to peer pressure.