3.14 Photos on pi day dive.

[ryssyr]

The guy didnt seem dangerous or anything. I chatted with him for a sec and we politely said that we were taking photos and couldnt be counted on to watch a third. It did ring my internal 'watch out' buzzer. That ususally doesnt happen with me so when my gut says watch it I usually listen.

Kenn, I've read that thread and heard all of the stories. It didnt even register until he walked back to his truck and then approached another male-female team, but he didnt seem interested in the other all dude team closer to us.

 

[Gombessa]

His arms go around the unsuspecting diver and he does things I cannot post on this thread. He also has been known to shut off your gas from your valve, please be warned.

Those are the kind of reports I'm talking about. It's been a while since I read the thread, but I don't recall a first-hand account of him doing anything like that. I'm disinclined to believe that story personally, as well as the whole " get me his license plate number and we'll get a lynch mob together to kick his ass."

He does seem a bit "off", which is why I think people should be aware of him, but I don't think it's anywhere near proven that he goes around shutting off people's gas. If it was true, he'd probably be in jail.

 

[ryssyr]

I'm personally more concerned with the condition of my gear, running out of air, reg free flows etc more than I worry about that guy bugging me in the lot.... but I wont go diving with him.

 

[Gombessa]

I'm personally more concerned with the condition of my gear, running out of air, reg free flows etc more than I worry about that guy bugging me in the lot.... but I wont go diving with him.

Yep, I think I agree on all counts.

 

[mikemill]

I'm much more concerned with the massive creature in the bay that tries to rape divers...

 

[mikeguerrero]

The female diver that told me he shuts off the gas is from King City, CA. I just cannot place a name on her but it might be Jennifer.

She told me to be clear of his van and what she has heard he does to female divers. I was also shocked to hear that he would do something like that.

When I inquired more about him doing that, she said he likes to play around, I thought, "what the hell is playing around with a valve that controls your life"? I just don't get it.

MG

 

[Gombessa]

The female diver that told me he shuts off the gas is from King City, CA.

She told me to be clear of his van and what she has heard he does to female divers.

We're still talking about third-hand accounts here. Anyone on SB who has read the thread referenced above or talked to friends who dive in the area can repeat what they hear to people and say "Fred does X" or "I've heard Fred does X." I haven't seen anyone come on here and say "Fred did X to ME."

I myself don't take at face value the "he'll turn off your gas" stories. But you know what, I don't plan on being around to test it out.

 

[mikeguerrero]

Even if you did dive with him Ken, since you dive doubles you have a one in three chance that he'll turn off the wrong valve...

There is enough things already at hand with diving to have to contend with one more from an oddball diver...

If Robin which in my opinion is a really nice guy gets a bad vibe after talking to him, will make me turn the other way in a hurry...

Rumors are rumors but first hand accounts of odd behavior are something I don't take lightly...

 

[dannobee]

There's a pic of his truck in my SB Gallery.

 

[Gombessa]

Rumors are rumors but first hand accounts of odd behavior are something I don't take lightly...

That's totally fine, I think we're on the same page here. I just want people to understand that someone saying "My friend said he met the guy, and friend got an off-feeling from him" is completely different than declaring "He's known to shut people's air off," which comes only from third-hand, he-said, she-said rumor.

Even if you did dive with him Ken, since you dive doubles you have a one in three chance that he'll turn off the wrong valve...

No offense Mike, but thisn't is a fair or accurate representation of my attitude or biases. Yes, doubles gives you redundancy in the event of various valve failures, but I want to point out that 1) I've felt this way about Fred well before I ever got into doubles, and 2) without creating any kind of false dichotomy between singles and doubles divers (most doubles divers still dive single tanks on a regular basis), it's been my experience and observation that people who dive and get trained in doubles are acutely more sensitive about risk-taking, preparedness and general safety than they were when they were just diving singles. I can assure you that my own personal attitude toward this guy has NOTHING to do with the fact that I dive a rig that may (or may not, who knows what anybody knows) confuse a potential assailant.

Man, how did I get put in the position of defending Fred? Just so it's clear, please read my posts above. My position has consistently been that I personally would not, nor would I recommend that anybody dive with Fred. I simply feel that if we're going to sit here bashing some guy on the internet who isn't here to defend himself, we owe it to ourselves to be as truthful with the allegations as possible.

OK, what a hijack. Sorry guys, back to regularly scheduled programming