AOW for Experienced Divers: An Open Letter to PADI

[dytis-sm]

I wouldn't be so sure. Seems there was a Cave Diving Accident where 2 divers pretty much fudged their credentials and go themselves killed while diving a cave in FL. I don't know the full details, but in order to dive this spring you have to show things.

Prime candidates for Darwin awards... I think if you go through the trouble to fudge your logbook to make a dangerous dive, then you can kill yourself diving even if the captain denies you an advanced dive. I was referring to normal divers ;-)

 

[Peter Guy]

BTW -- a surviving widow of one of those two divers has just sued several entities. Damn attorneys, damn insurance companies -- Oh wait, it was the WIDOW (the survivor) who sued.

 

[drrich2]

Peter:

I see your point. I also keep seeing law firm commercials fishing for lawsuit clients - if you've been injured in a car wreck, taken Paxil or Seroquel, or been diagnosed with mesothelioma, or had a surgery with such & such mesh, you may be 'entitled to compensation.' Please call 1-800-Blud-Skr for your free consultation.

A little hyperbole, but I grew up listening to one trolling firm's frequent t.v. commercials with an enthusiastic 'And remember, if we don't win your case, you don't owe us a dime' line.

Not all law firms are like it, but the t.v. commercials & bill boards impact the perception of those of us who don't work in the legal field (yet may live in fear of it).

Richard.

 

[TMHeimer]

I like those "injured in a car accident?" billboards in FL. So you get distracted and injured in a car accident. Not sure why we don't have lawyer ads in Canada--somebody's missing the boat.

 

[Lead_carrier]

............... He offered to certify me AOW just for the cost of the training materials. ........

I had a situation close to that Bill, it wasn't using a LAC card but I had certified a couple and they were lucky enough to work part time stateside and part time in Jamiaca. After a couple of years the resort they worked at decided that they had to be AOW in order to do the diving that they had been doing for a couple of years. They also were not offered a break on certs at their resort. I was lucky enough to be able to help them out and do a course for them for the cost of material and dives, so a course can be set up so that it doesn't cost an arm and a leg. As far as I know, none of the agencies set the prices for the courses. Only the cost for materials. If you have a good relationship with a LDS, then it can be made to happen a lot less expensively and within standards, but if someone (and I'm not saying anyone on this thread is) is the type that constantly belittles the same LDS. Guess what, you definitely won't get a break.

 

[AfterDark]

Peter:

I see your point. I also keep seeing law firm commercials fishing for lawsuit clients - if you've been injured in a car wreck, taken Paxil or Seroquel, or been diagnosed with mesothelioma, or had a surgery with such & such mesh, you may be 'entitled to compensation.' Please call 1-800-Blud-Skr for your free consultation.

A little hyperbole, but I grew up listening to one trolling firm's frequent t.v. commercials with an enthusiastic 'And remember, if we don't win your case, you don't owe us a dime' line.

Not all law firms are like it, but the t.v. commercials & bill boards impact the perception of those of us who don't work in the legal field (yet may live in fear of it).

Richard.

I grew up in a time it would have been unseemly for a lawyer to run ads like they do today. They wanted respect and money back then today they only want money. I didn't see an ad for a lawyer until well into adulthood.

 

[boulderjohn]

I grew up in a time it would have been unseemly for a lawyer to run ads like they do today. They wanted respect and money back then today they only want money. I didn't see an ad for a lawyer until well into adulthood.

It used to be against the law, or maybe it was against the rules of ethics for the ABA. Whichever it was, I remember when the rule was lifted and the floodgates were opened.

 

[AfterDark]

It used to be against the law, or maybe it was against the rules of ethics for the ABA. Whichever it was, I remember when the rule was lifted and the floodgates were opened.

I almost posted that it was against the law back then but, like you I wasn't sure if it was or it was against the rules of ethics for the ABA. Which ever it was better the way it was then IMO.

 

[ozzydamo]

Oly5050,

I take your point that experience, like "the card" does not necessarily prove much. That is why I suggested the class skill review and one checkout dive so that the instructor could be satisfied that the diver met AOW requirements.

I am not saying OW in its current state is "bad" and especially not that AOW is "bad". In fact, I wanted to convey it is worthwhile for those new divers seeking to kick their skills up a notch, and I saw the proof of that in my course.

Whether the training could be better, or what it should cost for those divers needing it, is not my issue. My point is that experienced and capable divers should be able to devote more of their training $$$ to actually advance their abilities, as opposed to an expensive review course.

Don't you understand the PADI dive plan?

Keep the Divers insecure so they pay to go on guided dives irregularly on a charter boat; doing say 1 dive every 2 weeks. This keeps profit at a maximum.

Those that really dive! They dive privately with their own gear and tanks from the shore or their own boats.....and do way more then 50 dives a year, in varied locations and situations(unlike a dive instructor that racks up heaps of repetitive, same ol, same ol dives- but we call them PROS! cause they jumped thru the PADI hoop!

It's like a pyramid scheme really.

I hate Dive charters, most of them want you to follow them around underwater and your paying for them- they talk a vague dive plan topside then change it underwater and expect you to Obey, or some air pig runs low on air in 15minutes and they call the dive!!!!! Outrageous idea, I pity the fools that go for it!

Live the dream, buy a boat, air compressor and live at a good location, then chuck your ticket in the dresser draw and forget about it!

---------- Post added June 5th, 2013 at 09:55 PM ----------

Peter:

I see your point. I also keep seeing law firm commercials fishing for lawsuit clients - if you've been injured in a car wreck, taken Paxil or Seroquel, or been diagnosed with mesothelioma, or had a surgery with such & such mesh, you may be 'entitled to compensation.' Please call 1-800-Blud-Skr for your free consultation.

A little hyperbole, but I grew up listening to one trolling firm's frequent t.v. commercials with an enthusiastic 'And remember, if we don't win your case, you don't owe us a dime' line.

Not all law firms are like it, but the t.v. commercials & bill boards impact the perception of those of us who don't work in the legal field (yet may live in fear of it).

Richard.

I call it the Legal industry...........what would they do without law breakers?

They are the invert of the concept we call "Justice". A den of thieves........

 

[guyharrisonphoto]

I don't get that this thread has degenerated into foolish lawyer-bashing. I was hoping for a constructive dialog with PADI or PADI instructors on this issue.

How does the lawyer-bashing square with the core value of most divers on this board, which is personal responsiblity and "owning" one's actions? Why are divers presumed responsible for their actions, but their loved ones who file a suit are not responsible, and, suddenly, the lawyers are to blame for that decision? A person with integrity, and accepting that their loved one was responsibile for the activities that led to their death, would not lose their personal values and file a suit based on some TV commercials. Thus, their decision to sue must be based on their belief that they have a good reason. Right?