a retreat from DIR

[DIR-Atlanta]

My question for the DIR folks... Why do you do what you do? Is it because someone else said it was the best?

In my case, it was a combination of several things - a little guidance, a little experimentation, and a lot of diving (with both DIR and non-DIR divers). I definitely did not accept it just because someone "said it was the best" (although I certainly believe that now). If you're truly interested in "why I do what I do", then check out a recent posting of mine in the DIR sub-forum.

You could still have all the DIR advantage with the different setup correct?

Personally, I think not. I see no advantages of any other system over DIR.

 

[Soggy]

re-read my post here.

and, again, i never claimed to be DIR. for the past two years, i have had my
equipment configured DIR-style. but i have used a computer and dived solo.
thus, I don't call myself DIR. never have.

I know you never claimed to be DIR. You did say, "while I follow most DIR guidelines" and I'm just saying that you don't follow any of it. Accept that you don't care about DIR and continue on doing it your way. You obviously don't believe in or understand the system and don't accept the reasoning behind why certain things are done or not done the way they are.

 

[H2Andy]

well, i'm glad you can read my mind. isn't it awesome when you can just
decide what people think and feel and not have to bother with trying
to understand what you don't understand?

can you guess lottery numbers?



also, don't ever make the mistake that because someone
doesn't follow something 100% they don't care about it.

i care about DIR enough to take DIR-F and think long
and hard about its role in my diving.

oh wait... you already know i don't care about DIR. that's right.

 

[Vayu]

Wow, this thread has sure degenerated.

I vote that all personal pronouns except "I" be henceforth removed from the thread and that it changes into a constructive and objective dialogue about gear configurations.

I may be a newbie, but I understand the importance of gear familiarity. DIR or not, a diver needs to make sure that anything taken into a demanding environment is consistent and facilitates the resolution of emergency situations.

 

[JeffG]

My question for the DIR folks... Why do you do what you do?

Because I'm unable to think for myself and I need someone to do it for me <snicker>

 

[Jasonmh]

and my question really is: what reasons can you give me for doing x, y, z,
because the reasons i've heard do not make a compelling argument to do it
x, y, z.

.

Andy, and I say this with all sincerity and no malice what-so-ever, it might be time to accept that if the reasons you've heard are not a compelling arguement to you, then DIR is obviously not for you. There may be some other reasons out there, on top of the ones already listed here, on top of the idea that if you do advance to scooters, argon, whatever, that you don't have to change things around, or relearn something that is already ingrained, etc. But if these reasons haven't struck a cord with you then there is not much of a chance that one more reason will either.
You seem to be waiting for that one silver bullet, that one piece of scared knowledge that someone might be withholding, and I don't think it is there.
But that is ok, dive the way you like, obviously there are many ways to dive, just be happy that you have found a way that works for you and continue on.

 

[H2Andy]

Andy, and I say this with all sincerity and no malice what-so-ever, it might be time to accept that if the reasons you've heard are not a compelling arguement to you, then DIR is obviously not for you.

well... sure... i already decided DIR is not for me. i decided that when i kept diving
with a computer and diving solo after DIR-F. and, not accidentally,
i have never claimed to be a DIR diver, knowing that it's a hollistic, all or nothing
system.

i am, however, interested in the DIR rationale for doing things a certain
way, as i find that valuable.

is it so hard to understand that people may find value in DIR
other than its intended value?

 

[Jasonmh]

is it so hard to understand that people may find value in DIR
other than its intended value?

That is not hard to understand, but you have been given reasons in this thread yet still ask for the reasons. I am saying, you have the reasons, you've stated that you don't think they are compelling reasons for you, end of story. No need to keep saying that you are looking for the reasons or don't like the reasons given, we get that part.
If you have already decided that you didn't really agree with really ANY of the DIR config (which is now coming out at the end of the posts) dispite saying that you have been diving DIR for 2 years (misleading), and that basically the only thing that you were doing that was "DIR" is the lighthead and the SPG, I don't see how you are having such a hard time getting over the last 2%.
If you really want to know, take cave1 and cave2. Then you will have access to the MOST qualified people to answer your questions.

 

[H2Andy]

That is not hard to understand, but you have been given reasons in this thread yet still ask for the reasons.

not quite correct

i continue to look for other, additional reasons.

basically, i want to see if i've missed some considerations in my analyzis

dispite saying that you have been diving DIR for 2 years (misleading)

i never said that.

here's what i said:

well, after thinking about this for a while, and trying various things out,
i have decided that after about two years of diving with the standard DIR
configuration (plus computer), i will change two more things about the DIR
equipment configuration:

http://www.scubaboard.com/showpost.php?p=1796255&postcount=1

as you know quite well, diving with the standard DIR configuration plus computer
is NOT the same as diving DIR. for the umpteenth time, i have never claimed
to be a DIR diver or to dive DIR.

If you have already decided that you didn't really agree with really ANY of the DIR config (which is now coming out at the end of the posts)

ah... no.... i never said that. i said that i was changing the light and the
SPG. and since when is post number one in a thread "the end of the posts?"

from post one:

well, after thinking about this for a while, and trying various things out,
i have decided that after about two years of diving with the standard DIR
configuration (plus computer), i will change two more things about the DIR
equipment configuration:

 

[in_cavediver]

Your right, panic is completely a mental issue and things not operating as expected just add to the confusion. As confusion grows so does panic (snowball). It's possible to bring others in to your panic with you in their effort to calm you down. The sooner you can make things go as expected the sooner you are through the panic and can work on the problem solving.

I have seen panic a few times, in OW fortuneately and I can tell you its no single item that precipitates it for an expierenced diver. It takes a chain of events to overwhelm the divers capacity to handle them. You break the chain, you prevent panic and you allow a response. If you get to panic, you then become totally dependent on instinct and your fellow divers to save you (and instinct isn't a good thing underwater). In the cases I have seen, only returning to the surface ended the panic in the diver. If that during an overhead dive, your team is in a bad way.

Equipment is usually one of the factors that form a link in that chain of events. Whether its a DIR rig, a hogarthian rig or just a rec rig, equipment familiarity prior to the dive, for all of the team members gear, will serve to reduce the chances of that forming a link in the chain toward panic. It's pretty much the same reason that most of us practice basic skills on each dive - to try to lower the stress incurred when we encounter problems underwater.