Are you a dive snob?

[CamG]

Greetings Scuba members and Moderators. Please Mods would you place this thread where it should be. I was not certain but thought it would not be bad to start it here.

This concept was born out of a conversation I had with several dear friends while diving this past weekend. It was brought to my attention that my zeal for diving with others has sort of taken a slight turn.
I was for the past several years assisting instruction and therefor constantly diving with students. This season though has been more personal diving and training for my personal dive goals.
The topic that has developed is basically I am heading into a more Tech oriented direction and many others are happy with the Recreational world.
This is NOT A BASH TO EITHER THREAD!

What I am attempting to do is find a happy medium between my Tech buddies and Rec buddies. This is a very serious issue because one of my Rec buddies is my wife.
It has become a pretty serious issue already and I am working to resolve it.
TSandM had a thread a while ago about diving with new divers and now I wonder what about certified divers who are friends and are feeling snubbed by others.

This is open to all levels of divers and both spectrums my goal is to create a healthy conversation and hear both sides of the issue.
I have been reminded by my mentor that I need to be careful how I treat other divers because I was extended a lot of grace when I started and was growing.
So here we go!

HAVE YOU FELT SNUBBED BEFORE?
IF SO WHY? AND WAS IT FAIR OR NOT?
WAS IT INTENTIONAL OR NOT?

Not all situations are the same but key elements and attitudes can be alike.
This is meant to be a conversation and not become bashing anyone!

In my zeal to promote diving have I become so focused on my own dive goals that I have excluded my wife and friends? They feel like I have. So regardless of intention it has been perceived as such.
If you have been there what do you think?
Either sides comments are welcomed.

CamG Keep diving....Keep training....Keep learning!

 

[D_B]

It's not being a snob if you explain why your equipment is arranged the way it is, or what equipment you want or use .. as long as you don't belittle other peoples choices, especially if they are not asking for your opinion

diving .. sites and what your goals are on that dive might differ, so maybe making some choices to accommodate others with less intense diving would go a long way

BTW .. I'm only a dive snob to my my dive buddy I learned OW with ... with me having less than 60 dives it's the only person I can be a snob with

 

[NC Wreck Diver]

It's not being a snob if you explain why your equipment is arranged the way it is, or what equipment you want or use .. as long as you don't belittle other peoples choices, especially if they are not asking for your opinion

diving .. sites and what your goals are on that dive might differ, so maybe making some choices to accommodate others with less intense diving would go a long way

I agree with D_B's post.

Safe diving to all.

 

[Guba]

Am I a dive snob? Hmmmm
1. Do I insist that my gear configuration and technique are are somehow superior to another diver's and in some way belittle their choice? Nope, I don't think so. At least not as long as it meets industry standards and practices for safety. Now if they're trying to do a wreck dive on a spare air, I'll probably say something.

2. Do I flaunt new flashy gear in the faces of my diving companions with a "na na naa na naaaa!" attitude? Heck no. My dive buddies usually dive with MUCH newer, cooler and more expensive stuff than I can scrape together.

3. Do I regale my dive buddies with thrilling recountings of my bold, daring, and phenomenal exploits underwater? Well, maybe, but it's ALWAYS just for entertainment value and to make conversation. The intent is NEVER to try to prove to them that I'm some sort of expert or a superior diver. (I chalk it up to just being a friendly ol' Texas boy who likes to gab about diving. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it!)

So, in short...no, I don't think I'm a dive snob. There's certainly a lot of room in the ocean (and really, even on dive boats) for divers of all ilks and persuasions. I enjoy learning from others, seeing their gear, and hearing their views. To me, a diver crosses the line to "snob" when he/she pushes an agenda upon others and fails to understand that others have a right to their own choices. Part of being a member of a viable community is to have just a bit of flexibility and exhibit that flexibility in our dealings with others within that community. Safe diving and have fun!

 

[JazzeD]

Hi all.
I am also very new to diving started last year November have only done +- 45 dives.
Have done my AOW with 20 or so dives below 18 m.

I believe i am use to the water and sea since very young, so i am at ease under water also.
Have recently dived with some very novice girlfriends, which is use too pool hokey and stuff so they where kicking everywhere with hands and feet, so I tried after the dive to give some constructive advise.
I hope they see it that way, I might have sounded like a snob.
I hope they are not seeing me as a snob.

So after that long story, I can see people seeing me under 30 years old and a dive novice as being a Diving Snob, when I am just trying to help people in my way. All thought i myself is also learning during every dive still.

I think it is just that I want people too enjoy is as much as I do, after I see they are struggling, and may stop diving completely.

Mostly it is about safe diving thought and educating, not being snobbish.

 

[BabyDuck]

good topic, cam. i have to confess that i am.

i just really think that certain things or arrangements or ideas in diving are *better*, and would be better for just about everyone, and it bothers me when the others don't think that, too. or i worry that maybe the person doesn't even *know* about the things i think are better, and maybe i should tell them. but i try very hard to keep my opinions to myself, or no further than my buddy (who is my bf). nobody cares what i think, and i know that.

and i haven't felt snubbed by way better divers - they have been very nice & welcoming.

 

[diver 85]

You need not worry UNLESS you get wind 'she's' been talking to a divorce lawyer---your friends?, they'll get over it.....

 

[Garth]

I started diving and found that I loved it from the first time in 3 ft of water in a pool. Over time I wanted to find out how I could dive more and more. I found that having my own equipment would help me dive more. The more I dove the more I liked sharpening my skills which was encouraged by my instructor who happened to be getting into tech. This is what likely formed my choices in gear. I wanted to dive deeper and stay longer.
Drysuit helped diving in a quarry in the winter.
anyway, i find myself the only one diving doubles with a drysuit when its 70-80's water temp. This makes me feel like the outkast but I don't feel that anyone has made fun of me for it. I just like the gear I dive for my reasons.

The only snob thing i get peeved about is when people stir up the bottom because they don't pay attention to their buoyancy (these are people that have been diving longer than I). This was pounded in my head by my dive buddy and has become one of my problems with lackadaisical divers...

 

[Walter]

HAVE YOU FELT SNUBBED BEFORE?

Not by divers.

 

[fire_diver]

I guess the answer to "am I a snob" depends on who you are talking to. I don't ever belittle anyone over gear choices, and I love reef dives as much as cave or wrck dives. I have discovered that some people have an attitude problem when it comes to recieving help. Some folks simply never want to be told somehing can be done better, safer or easier. When you try to give them advice, they get offended as in "how dare you talk down to me, you think you're better than me?"