I relayed my experience. If you were offended that's on you. I did not bash solo diving in my post.
Probably a knee-jerk reaction on my part. Anytime I see a new thread heading that has solo & RB in it, and then the OP's post saying that the diver isn't going to do it anymore because he almost died, it paints a negative picture in my mind.
Your statement may be true: "
I am convinced beyond a doubt if I had not been diving with an attentive buddy (two in this case) I would have eventually succumbed to CO2 accumulation which several hundred feet back in a cave is as good as dead. I completely lacked the ability to recognize the symptoms and therefore would not have been able to save myself or bailout on my own."
My problem with your post is that you tend to blame the absorbent and not that you bought absorbent that you had no idea what it was (absorbent is arguably the most critical component of a RB), that you apparently improperly packed it to get such an even spread of the dye reaction, and that you pushed your diving/breathing on your RB, as these machines don't respond well to that (an indication - to me - that you lacked experience on a RB).
We solo divers have been fighting these battles for a long time, just like we did for Nitrox (it was a voodoo gas for many years), RBs (we're still fighting this one), solo diving, etc. If someone doesn't say something to the contrary, like I tried to do, it tends to invite all of those who are against it - usually for no logical reason - to jump in and rebuilt momentum in the other direction. Remember, Scuba Board tends to have many more divers that are newer to the sport and more highly impressionable than say the cave diving and/or rebreather forums, so what we say and defend is important.
Accept my apology for barking at you, but realize the obligation you have, as an OP, to present any opinions you have fairly, which if you re-read your post you might agree - regardless of your intention - you may not have done.