Anybody else encounter tech arrogance?

[Centrals]

Attitude like that won't last long.
Tec diving is NO better/superior than recreational diving. They are the same ie. fun dive, no more and no less. Any tec diver who think/believe otherwise is plainly stupid.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

My story isn’t with a technical diver, but a high strung recreational one. When I first started diving, I’d dive with this former instructor. We dove a couple times together, once off his boat not far from shore.

Then in the middle of winter, he wanted us to go for a boat dive (which would be left unattended while we were diving) in the middle of winter, in the middle of the Puget Sound, with highs below freezing. He was super pushy “oh it will be fine”.

I backed out the day before as I was understandably uncomfortable with it. He got so angry he never talked to me again.

I use this story when I teach open water, as anyone can call a dive at anytime for any reason.

Who know, with his normalization of deviance, what kind of insanely dangerous situations would I have gotten myself into had I gone diving with him that day and kept doing so.

 

[tomfcrist]

There are people who think they know everything...usually they are newbies to a discipline. Just don’t dive with them.

I was putting a trip together years ago to grab meg teeth in NC. While talking about it at a dive club meeting I was introduced to a new club member. She told me all about how she is a tech diver and would love to come on this dive...telling me she was going to dive trimix etc...

The dive is 115’... later found out that she had zero tech experience nor training...and she backed out on the dive at the last minute without paying.

 

[RyanT]

And often someone so egotestical (I know how it is supposed to be spelled) is usually compensating for something...you don't want to find out below the surface that they are compensating for a lack of actual competence.

Best thing I've heard in a long time. I'll probably have to steal this term!

 

[Littlerayray]

There was your get out of jail free card.

I don't suffer the insufferable. I don't tolerate the intolerant. I'm as free as a bird now, and this bird you cannot chain!

View attachment 457571​

8
Woah woah woah woah (sick guitar rift)

 

[The Chairman]

This is basic scuba. Isn't there a rule about not using earworms??????

Whoaaaaaaa Whoaaaaaaa Whoa Whoa Whoa
and this bird you cannot chain!



But really. No one can force you to dive with them. I've encountered arrogance among new OW divers, side mount divers, cavers, techers, instructors, DIRers, free divers, spearos, captains, Dive Op owners and every now and then: me. I dive for fun. If it's not fun, I'm not diving... unless you're paying me and paying me a lot.

BTW, tech instruction can do a lot of things, but it can't solve arrogance, pettiness, laziness or indifference. In fact, it can adversely amplify some of those negative traits.

 

[Littlerayray]

But seriously I dive with a bunch of tech divers and there are a few tech divers I know that will only dive t depths greater then 100ft I say have at it don't dive with me but other then the odd guy most are cool and will explain why their setup the way they are but also will do easy dives for fun
Cuz that's what it's all about right having fun when it stops being fun why do it

 

[aquacat8]

He sounds insecure and scared. He’d done a lot of dives in 3 years but still, I bet he felt scared not to be with another “tech” diver with his same training on that dive. He felt he had to be the leader, but was not really confident doing that I bet. Rigidity is a sign of insecurity too.

Never lost an anchor line? Never been blown off a wreck? Heck, I’m no tech diver and I’ve done those things. Your anticipation of those things shows experience, and really, there is nothing like experience to build competence. I admire quiet competence so much. Quiet competence with a twinkle of humor? Now there’s a buddy!

 

[broncobowsher]

So I am slightly tech. good to 150' and a little deco. Several years back I was getting back into diving, strictly rec stuff. Wanted to get out and found an internet instabuddy. He was tech, about the same level I am now. I was out in my single AL80 in a wetsuit, he had doubles and a drysuit. But all was good. Between dives he taught me a few things. Second dive I tried them. They worked good. That is how it should be when a tech and a rec diver get together.

Fast forward to today, I go out with rec divers all the time. I do it in my tech gear most of the time. About the only time I still do a single tank is if I am going out with some really fresh divers, avoid the intimidation factor. But there is never "do it my way" instructions from either side. It is a polite two way conversation of planning. I enjoy letting the rec diver lead the dive and just follow along. Gives me a chance to practice my nav skills with a new variable. It gives the rec diver a bit of confidence in that a tech diver is letting them lead. We both win.

There is no reconfiguring of gear to meet the other persons taste. I am willing to try something based on a recommendation, or I may offer a recommendation. But there is never a demand.

This person you found, don't find him again. Do your best to forget you ever encountered this person. Either he will run out of people to dive with, or he will find someone that matches his personality. The first option is more likely.

 

[Michael Guerrero]

Sounds like a jerk. Nice to be certified for solo diving.