FPDocMatt
Contributor
In another thread, someone complained about a DM who didn't do enough during the dive to help the divers. Then several SB members criticized the OP for not accepting responsibility for his own safety. Then I said that I was happy on my recent scuba trip to have a DM who watched out for us. Then someone said I wasn't accepting responsibility for my own safety.
So I thought I'd start a new thread about this whole issue.
And the point I'd like to make is that this discussion is pretty silly. Here's why:
The typical discussion goes something like this:
The DM took care of us.
Why do you need taking care of? You're not accepting responsibility for your own safety.
So what are you saying? I shouldn't have a DM with me to make sure I don't do something stupid?
I'm saying you shouldn't do something stupid in the first place.
So does that mean I shouldn't have a DM with me?
You just shouldn't expect him to do your job for you.
I agree that I should take responsibility for my own safety, but in the end, as a new diver, I'm going to darn well have a DM with me who will watch out for my safety. I know that I'm not qualified to do so. There are situations that could arise that I wouldn't be able to handle. And I know that my risk of getting decompression illness is less if someone with more experience is with me.
If you're not qualified to watch out for your own safety, then you shouldn't have been certified.
Okay, so what are you saying, I shouldn't be diving? I should go back and take Open Water and Advanced Open Water and Rescue and Nitrox all over again?
Certification cards don't mean anything. They're not worth the plastic they're printed on. You need more experience. You shouldn't have gotten all those certification cards in the first place.
Okay. While I'm getting more experience, is it okay with you if I hire a DM to watch out for my safety?
If you do that, then you're not accepting responsibility for your own safety.
Does that pretty much sum up the discussion?
So I thought I'd start a new thread about this whole issue.
And the point I'd like to make is that this discussion is pretty silly. Here's why:
The typical discussion goes something like this:
The DM took care of us.
Why do you need taking care of? You're not accepting responsibility for your own safety.
So what are you saying? I shouldn't have a DM with me to make sure I don't do something stupid?
I'm saying you shouldn't do something stupid in the first place.
So does that mean I shouldn't have a DM with me?
You just shouldn't expect him to do your job for you.
I agree that I should take responsibility for my own safety, but in the end, as a new diver, I'm going to darn well have a DM with me who will watch out for my safety. I know that I'm not qualified to do so. There are situations that could arise that I wouldn't be able to handle. And I know that my risk of getting decompression illness is less if someone with more experience is with me.
If you're not qualified to watch out for your own safety, then you shouldn't have been certified.
Okay, so what are you saying, I shouldn't be diving? I should go back and take Open Water and Advanced Open Water and Rescue and Nitrox all over again?
Certification cards don't mean anything. They're not worth the plastic they're printed on. You need more experience. You shouldn't have gotten all those certification cards in the first place.
Okay. While I'm getting more experience, is it okay with you if I hire a DM to watch out for my safety?
If you do that, then you're not accepting responsibility for your own safety.
Does that pretty much sum up the discussion?