Anybody else encounter tech arrogance?

[Jack Hammer]

I think that's true a lot of times ... particularly with new grads from that one class that keeps getting talked about. I recall a newly DIRFed diver trying to tell my friend Randy why his rig was set up all wrong. Never mind that Randy's a tech instructor, former military diver, former commercial diver, has been diving since the 60's, and has logged over 12,000 dives ... this young fellow was intent on helping him get his rig in proper order. I know me meant well, but Randy was ready to explode by the time the kid's dive buddy came over and suggested that they gear up and go diving ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

I've seen it too. About 8 or 9 years ago we pulled up for a tech dive charter and met a guy, in full DIR kit. He started telling us before we even finished unloading our gear how we should consider taking some GUE classes and how much better and safer wed be, etc, etc, blah, blah, blah. He was even kind enough to point out how innapropiate my gear was and suggest which brands to replace it with.

Then we got hear about all about GUE ideology, class structure, and such. He asked us about our profile plan so we told him we got our deco schedule off ScubaBoard and the people who posted it swore it was perfectly safe. Then we heard about Internet divers vs real divers.

The funniest part is we both knew from the moment he opened his mouth he had none of the training he was pushing as we had actually taken (and passed) the courses he was telling us we should take.

Some people are blowhards, just ignore them or laugh at them.

 

[oldschoolto]

I love the card collector's... And then the dive log counters.... And of course the all new latest and greatest kit divers...

When they open their mouths... I just point out that when I started diving there was no such thing as a tech diver...

Jim....

 

[boulderjohn]

I recall a newly DIRFed diver trying to tell my friend Randy why his rig was set up all wrong. Never mind that Randy's a tech instructor, former military diver, former commercial diver, has been diving since the 60's, and has logged over 12,000 dives ... this young fellow was intent on helping him get his rig in proper order.

In the early DIR days, a specific individual, one who used to be a frequent participant on ScubaBoard, was given the specific assignment of spreading the word to the untutored masses. (He said so himself in one of his posts.) Some of his writings to that effect are still posted on DIR-friendly websites--at least they were when last I checked to make a link. That means that many new DIR divers were in fact told that, when they were "forced" (yes, that word was used) by circumstances to dive with non-DIR divers, they should take advantage of that situation to point out the superiority of their gear and their methodologies.

 

[Compressor]

This an excellent thread as the problem noted by the original poster has shown it's ugly head over and over effecting and sometimes causing new divers to become disenchanted. Alot of smart divers have given their advice and real good ones at that too.

Thank you.

 

[60plus]

Perhaps I have just been fortunate but all (one exception at a swimming pool) the "know it all divers" I have come across are on internet forums. When real diving in the sea I have only come across friendly helpful divers.

 

[RockiesFan]

I just use my internal ignore function and dive solo.

 

[Compressor]

Unfortunately the attitude described by the original operator is sometime seen instructors too (both tech and rec). Being a good instructor means more than just teaching the pupils good skills. Teach confidence, safe diving skills and probably more often ignored is not to be arrogant and overconfident. As mentioned by earlier poster, the confident diver and skilled diver will be quiet and not make a commotion.

 

[boulderjohn]

In my case, if taking tech classes did anything to my attitude, it made me realize how very far far I was from the pinnacle of diving excellence. I saw divers whose skills so far exceeded mine that it would provoke pure embarrassment for me to brag about anything I could do--anything. I am now a tech instructor, but I still see divers whose skills so far outshine mine that I know I will never reach that level in my lifetime.

I think one of the problems people taking their first tech courses have is they are really not in a position in those classes to see what it looks like when true master divers are doing dives that require those kinds of extraordinary skills. Not having been to that mountain top, it is possible for new tech divers to think they are almost there.

 

[Nick Steele]

Im a firm believer that everyone and anyone can call a dive and if I was in the OP’s shoes that’s what I would have done or try and find another buddy if possible.

I only had one experience with the “macho” type of diver and it was funny. I was freediving/snorkeling and he was scuba diving.

So I was going out to one of my regular freediving spots during 2-3’ rolling waves. On the way out I noticed a dive flag coming in so I kept my head above water and seen ONE guy (no buddy in sight). I asked if he had any luck (lobster season). He didn’t answer my question but instead told me I shouldn’t be out there alone I told him thanks and put my head back into the water and kept going.

 

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

Some people are jerks not because they are tech divers but because they are jerks. Even if this guy had not been a tech diver he would have found something else in his life that would give him the reason to act all high and mighty.

I have met some personalities in diving that did not leave a very pleasant taste in my mouth but but that has been extremely rare. Most people that I come across have been quite nice. In fact some of the nicest ones have been the tech group so I would not stereo-type based on this one experience.