My wife repairs regulators in a scuba shop. We can all agree that regulators aren't cheap, and even cost more than cylinders. Many divers own their own regulators, probably more than own their own cylinders.
You would be shocked at the condition most regulators come in for service in. I mean that. Shocked and most.
It is remarkable the nights she comes home and says "I worked on a regulator that was in pretty good shape". She services regulators for the local community college, her dive shop, another dive shop in town, the scientific divers for a number of organizations, and whomever wanders in off the street, locals and vacationers alike. A large percentage must be frozen to disassemble. Most everything goes into the acid bath. Everything goes into the ultrasonic, just as a precaution.
Most divers are ineffective gear rinsers. They don't keep their regulators in pristine condition, or hardly in working condition. There is no reason to assume that the majority of divers would keep their cylinders any better.
Interesting. I need you to be my neighbors so I can learn some more, lol.
I understand that there are 2 different kinds of divers. Vacation and serious. Obviously if we're all spending time on a scuba forum I would think that we are the latter. Hard to compare the 2 as they really are worlds apart. I should know I live with a vacation diver. She could care less, and your right, I would not want her to vip my tanks, but that's not me and that's probably not the majority on this board, but I get that we are the minority.