Another example of "the ugly American"...

[Guba]

On my last trip to Cozumel there was an incident that definitely left a bad taste in my mouth. Our group ascended dive pair by dive pair. My partner and I were picked up and as we de-geared, others were getting aboard. One of the last to board was a man-wife couple, and they were hot! (as in "angry"...not attractive) The man was extremely upset and he bawled out one of the dive masters in a voice everyone on the boat could hear (perhaps even on some of the other boats, in fact). It seems that the man had boarded first, but as his wife tugged on the tagline, it detached from the boat leaving her reeling in slack line! If I have my story straight, she became partially entangled in the line, she became uncomfortably agitated, and it took a divemaster assisting her to get untangled and on board.
The husband was beligerent that his wife "had been thrown an unattached lifeline" and berated one of the divemasters about their "negligence". He went on to say that his wife had recently had medical issues and that the line was "extremely important and would the divemasters please quit laughing because we don't find it a d*** bit funny!"
True, the DM he was addressing was smiling, but I think he was simply trying to disarm a tense situation. The guy was still mad when we got back to shore.
However, that didn't keep him from diving with the same service the next day and, to his credit, he did offer an apology of sorts to the crew by explaining that his wife's health concerns tended to make him protective.
Okay, SB'ers...what's your spin on this situation and what would ya'll have done or said? I have to say up front that I loathed to see a diver act this way for I felt (and told them so) that the DM's and Captain were doing a great job and I appreciated their professionalism. My partners and I came away feeling that the man really gave folks down there cause to dislike some of their American visitors. I hate it when we get labeled "ugly Americans", especially when it's true!

 

[TSandM]

This doesn't sound like an "ugly American" to me. It just sounds like a jerk, and they come in all flavors.

If somebody has health problems sufficiently severe that a line coming loose at the boat endangers them enough to panic their spouse, should they be diving at all? That's my reaction. I would have felt bad for the divestaff being berated, too.

 

[divetraveler]

It does not seem like a situation to get overly upset about. As far as the wife having health problems...well she should not have been diving if her health was questionable. I don't need to bore you with the possible ramifications of diving when you are not fit to do so.
I get annoyed with the 'ugly american' remark because 'ugly' could fit with any nationality or individual...there are a lot of idiots out there and America does not have a monopoly. I do kind of have to laugh because I can usually spot a fellow American a mile and coming...and sometimes it's not for the best of reasons.

 

[DeputyDan]

I think the guy was right and wrong !!!

Right - The tag line should have been secured - I had the same thing happen to one of my kids off the Carolina coast is a heavy current. The operator couldn't have cared less. I have chosen to never use them again.

Wrong - What the hell is she doing diving with medical issues.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Definitely not the ugly American ... perhaps not even a jerk ... neither of those would've apologized.

I think the guy was just being protective, acted in a moment of excitement without thinking, and later was man enough to admit he was wrong.

That makes him somewhat normal, to my concern ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[SteveFass]

Before I even read TS&M's comment I thought exactly the same thing. Not about the "ugly" being just an american thing - I'm not worldly enough to have an opinion - but a diver has to be in shape enough to handle things when it hits the fan - because if you dive enough, it will eventually happen - even on easy dives.

However now I'm thinking that maybe the loud-mouthed guy overreacted because he's an ugly american and his wife was not in danger.

I like to think I would have come to the defense of the DM, especially if I spent a few days with them and liked them and they were good, but who knows. I've done it before when a train conductor was being berated for having to wake up a passenger to collect the ticket. The sleeper then turned on me, but I could shrug it off while the conductor could not (without risking a complaint).

Hopefully the guy left an extra large tip.

 

[CUunderH2O]

Well, if this guy was really concerned about his wife, how about not leaving her in the water alone, and letting her board the boat BEFORE him? Hello? I think jerk is a better word.

 

[REII]

Well, if this guy was really concerned about his wife, how about not leaving her in the water alone, and letting her board the boat BEFORE him? Hello? I think jerk is a better word.

You took the words right out of my mouth. He was so worried about his wife's health that he go out of the water onto the boat leaving her in the water?

What a jerk. I give a lot of credit to the DM and crew for putting up with this in the manner that they usually do. I would have a hard time dealing with someone like that.

TOM

 

[BarryNL]

Wrong - What the hell is she doing diving with medical issues.

She had, no doubt, declared the medical issues on the disclaimer form, so the crew were well aware and should have been taking extra care.

Well, unless she didn't mention it... but she wouldn't do that, surely?

 

[Mo2vation]

My partners and I came away feeling that the man really gave folks down there cause to dislike some of their American visitors. I hate it when we get labeled "ugly Americans", especially when it's true!

I doubt that they hate the money this guy was spending. Its a service business, and that means enduring some bafoonery. The guy wasn't abusive, wasn't cursing, wasn't threatening, didn't get physical, voilent, didn't throw anything except maybe a very short hissy.... and a sissy hissy at that.

I don't see the Ugly American side of this at all. There are Ugly Citizens of every country all over the place. In my opinion this hardly qualifies as Ugly American.

What is your take on Ugly American?

Rude? Ungrateful? Unappreciative? Which of us hasn't been here?

Thinks the Metric System is a joke? Thinks soccer blows? Has no time for UFO ethnic food? This is me most of the time...

I'm not following the thread. Maybe you're soft-selling the guy's fit. But from this post alone, I think the guy was pretty mellow.

---
Ken