Diving myths taught for safety?

[AfterDark]

Since I'm 10 years old MOF. I ain't changing because some moron made up a distress signal BS story. Kiss it.

 

[flots am]

I was generalizing. I do dive within my limits of experience and instruction.

Before I signed up for my AOW, I have dove to 90 feet, did a few night dives, did an ice diver course, solo dove....

How does one find their limit without hitting it? However, I am not going to do anything I know will kill me.

There are a number of ways to kill or injure yourself that aren't obvious or apparent, and aren't directly discussed in Open Water training, but are prevented by general rules.

Just a quick example: "Surface with 500 PSI and within the no-decompression limits". If you do this, you'll probably be pretty safe. What isn't mentioned is that if you wander past the no-decompression limit without understanding how to calculate the required decompression stops, and didn't reserve enough gas, you're left with a choice between "bent" and "dead."

The general rules taught in OW prevent this, when followed.

Even little things, like keeping your regulator in while boarding a boat are seemingly arbitrary until you learn the difference between "getting smacked in the teeth with a boat ladder" and "getting smacked in the regulator cover with a boat ladder".

There are any number of other examples where a general rule might seem overly broad or restrictive, but exists to keep divers safe until they understand the reasoning behind it and are qualified to determine if/when it can be bent or broken.

flots.

 

[iluvtheocean]

There are a number of ways to kill yourself that aren't obvious or apparent, and aren't directly discussed in Open Water training, but are prevented by general rules.

Just a quick example: "Surface with 500 PSI and within the no-decompression limits". If you do this, you'll probably be pretty safe. What isn't mentioned is that if you wander past the no-decompression limit without understanding how to calculate the required decompression stops, and didn't reserve enough gas, you're left with a choice between "bent" and "dead."

The general rules taught in OW prevent this, when followed.

Even little things, like keeping your regulator in while boarding a boat are seemingly arbitrary until you learn the difference between "getting smacked in the teeth with a boat ladder" and "getting smacked in the regulator cover with a boat ladder".

There are any number of other examples where a general rule might seem overly broad or restrictive, but exists to keep divers safe until they understand the reasoning behind it and are qualified to determine if/when it can be bent or broken.

flots.

i just thought about this... maybe it's just due to lack of sleep? but

one of the reasons that OW divers are taught these w/o going into details as to WHY... is that the minimums are geared towards children. To use PADI as an example. Their minimum age is 10 years old for OW divers. you teach them not to do something and give them the consequences. You don't necessarily give them the background to understand how to bend/break the rules. We're trying to keep them safe relatively-speaking in a sport that has inherent dangers built in. An adult can and should ask why something is done a certain way - and hopefully is mature enough to understand why. Also the adult is responsible for his/her actions.

 

[swimmer_spe]

i just thought about this... maybe it's just due to lack of sleep? but

one of the reasons that OW divers are taught these w/o going into details as to WHY... is that the minimums are geared towards children. To use PADI as an example. Their minimum age is 10 years old for OW divers. you teach them not to do something and give them the consequences. You don't necessarily give them the background to understand how to bend/break the rules. We're trying to keep them safe relatively-speaking in a sport that has inherent dangers built in. An adult can and should ask why something is done a certain way - and hopefully is mature enough to understand why. Also the adult is responsible for his/her actions.

There really should be a "Youth" course for the people under 18, and an "adult" one for those over 18

 

[Hatul]

Most of these "rules" are good but should really be called guidelines as they can be broken as long as you manage properly.

Some that come to mind are: you should come up with at least 500 psi. This is fine but not at the expense of skipping a safety stop. If you need to it's OK breathe down a tank.

Another is a diver who goes into deco, gets anxious, does not know how to read his computer in deco mode, does not know what to do and just surfaces, skipping the deco stop.

Another is a diver who never solo dives, gets separated and gets very anxious and no longer reacts rationally.

 

[nimoh]

Most of these "rules" are good but should really be called guidelines as they can be broken as long as you manage properly.

Some that come to mind are: you should come up with at least 500 psi. This is fine but not at the expense of skipping a safety stop. If you need to it's OK breathe down a tank.

Another is a diver who goes into deco, gets anxious, does not know how to read his computer in deco mode, does not know what to do and just surfaces, skipping the deco stop.

Another is a diver who never solo dives, gets separated and gets very anxious and no longer reacts rationally.

I agree with your first sentence, but your examples seem to imply that it is OK to break some rules, provided you have already broken other rules.

 

[BDSC]

One diving myth taught for safety is that you need to "take the class" before you can safely do the dive.

 

[swimmer_spe]

One diving myth taught for safety is that you need to "take the class" before you can safely do the dive.

What existed before the class?

Lets be realistic, 3 simple courses would suffice: Open water, Overhead, and Deep. Name me a real skill that could not be covered in one of those? Caves and wrecks? What do you think is.. overhead? Dive deeper than the no deco limit, thats the deep dive.

 

[nimoh]

What existed before the class?

Lets be realistic, 3 simple courses would suffice: Open water, Overhead, and Deep. Name me a real skill that could not be covered in one of those? Caves and wrecks? What do you think is.. overhead? Dive deeper than the no deco limit, thats the deep dive.

I think that is a little more simplistic than realistic.

 

[BDSC]

Lets be realistic, 3 simple courses would suffice: Open water, Overhead, and Deep.

If we are talking about what we think of as typical recreational diving, I think Open Water is enough. Now when you get into something like cave diving where a screw up could be pretty unforgiving, I think a cave class is a must.