A divers arrogance and ignorance

[SueMermaid]

The DM communicated with his co-worker before he went down to retrieve the stupid, moronic, ******* of a diver. (I have not used enough expletives here, but you get my point). The DM knew he would have a tank waiting for him when he needed it.

FWIW, I would have gone down to get this guy myself if I were in the DM's fins. This is someone's life we are talking about, and while I would be plenty angry with this jackass, if I felt I could get him and safely deco, I would do it. I would not be able to live with myself if I did not at least give it my best, most reasonable effort.
Then I would slap him silly when I got him onto the boat.

 

[Phish-phood]

I'm not saying that I wouldn't have gone to get him, I think in the same circumstances I probably would but at some point you have to draw the line.

It may be someones life we are talking about but as far as I am concerned when someone shows a blatant disregard for their own life then I would not be inclined to put my own life in danger to help.
In this situation as you say the DM conveyed the problem to another DM and so the although an undesirable and dangerous situation it was from the DM's point of view under control because others new what he was doing and were able to help and make the necessary preperations to minimise all other potential risks and problems. But say they had been a buddy pair on a dive - no DM's no boat crew or method of communications with emergency services, no quick way of getting to medical help and maybe not even recuse trained. It just isn't fair or accpetable to put that burden on some-one. If the diver who had gone to 250' died down there what on earth kind of mess has he left behind for others to deal with because of his stupidity!

If you want to push the limits like that you do it on your own time

 

[Zagnut]

If I were the DM, I would not want to live his death if I didn't at least attempt to retreive the moron in question.

When a fireman runs into a burning building to rescue someone, we don't call him stupid...we call him a hero. I see this DM the same way. Maybe it was foolish to rescue the moron, but the DM saw the problem, weighed the risks vs. the chances of success and survival, knew he had good surface support and did what he felt he had to do. This DM is a hero.

 

[Walter]

Sue,

I agree with your basic goal. Unfortunately, in a situation like this the most likely outcome would be the death of you and the diver you were trying to save. The DM in question was extremely lucky to have survived. At 250 ft, you are so completely narced that your IQ is in single digits. You can quite literally forget to come up. I would go deep for someone, but that is too deep to expect to return.

 

[Zagnut]

.. that Walter's point are good as well. I would not have faulted the DM one bit for not going after the moron.

This moron was damn lucky to have this DM for a DM!

 

[SueMermaid]

Absolutely. I agree with you all. It is a calculation. If you are putting yourself in an impossibly dangerous situation, that is one thing. But if you can reasonably rescue an idiot and don't because he makes you mad and you think he is a jerk, that's another thing entirely. This jerkweed would almost certainly have died if the DM didn't go after him. I would not have faulted the DM for not going, either, but I would probably have faulted myself if I were the DM and did not go after him, knowing that my buddy had my back.
As with all elements of diving, you need to do what you are comfortable doing.

 

[Walter]

Sue,

I am in complete agreement with your last post. I just think you need to reconsider what your personal limits should be. I have quite a bit of deep dive experience and the dive described is not one I would make. I don't believe this is a rescue you can reasonably make. I believe you could reasonably expect a failed attempt resulting in 2 deaths. This is "an impossibly dangerous situation."

 

[BILLB]

There is a valid saying: "There are BOLD divers and there are OLD divers. There are no OLD, BOLD divers.

 

[SueMermaid]

Point taken, Walter.

 

[agstreet]

Zagnut once bubbled...


When a fireman runs into a burning building to rescue someone, we don't call him stupid...we call him a hero. .

Actually, you might want to check with your local fireman about that (my brother in law is a captian in the LAFD). A fireman that "runs into a burning building," disregarding his own safety, is usually called many things by his co-workers, none of which is "hero." The last thing firemen want to do is add bodies to the situation.

This diver is extremely lucky he had such an experienced DM team to save him from his own stupidity. Personally, I think the DM took an unacceptable risk, but each person has to decide what is acceptable and unacceptable based on their own circumstances, experience and temperament. Fortunately, in this case, things worked out OK.

Alan