Attitudes Toward DIR Divers

[Boarderguy]

Unless you’re into vintage scuba and know what you’re looking for, buy new or verifiably LIGHTLY used gear.

Buying secondhand regs is risky.

Congratulations on making it work. Most people either don’t know what to look for, or do not wish to waste time pushing their luck looking for bargains on CL that won’t fail on them as soon as they jump into the water.

Extrapolated from the above, anything not newish is trash and should not be pursued. This because you bought an older item that wasn't supported by the single source you went to. WA, specially the South Sound, has a lot of shops capable up repair for these and even more individuals that can do it when the shops fail.

The SP109 is Frankensteined together with G250 guts and a few other bits.

 

[Zach The Diver]

Extrapolated from the above, anything not newish is trash and should not be pursued. This because you bought an older item that wasn't supported by the single source you went to. WA, specially the South Sound, has a lot of shops capable up repair for these and even more individuals that can do it when the shops fail.

The SP109 is Frankensteined together with G250 guts and a few other bits.

Like you have done multiple times in this thread you made an assumption.

Funny, because that is specifically where I was and could not find the support you state is so prevalent.

This kind of thing has also happened to other divers I know.

I will concede that old Scubapro regs are probably good to go with a little TLC. Parts are everywhere.

 

[Zach The Diver]

I have seen quite a few PADI shops and gotten instruction from some PADI instructors, but relative to the number of them worldwide I have had very very little exposure to such shops and instructors. We should be careful not to extrapolate our relatively tiny bits of firsthand data to "PADI" in general. That is exactly the root of what we call impermissible "agency bashing" around here.

lol let’s be real with ourselves. One cursory glance at the Linnea Mills case is more than enough to extrapolate that PADI is blatantly problematic.

 

[Nemrod]

Laugh all you want. I’m going to opt for quality equipment since, you know, I’m partaking in an activity with inherent risk.

Then you missed out on the best a long time ago before you were born.



You've got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em, Know when to walk away, know when to run.

 

[Lorenzoid]

For example, I remember I once accidentally commented on a DIR or GUE thread on SB, and there were 6+ pages (until I had mods delete the comment) of people attacking me and implying a lack of intelligence, for daring to comment in a DIR/GUE thread with no signs of stopping, despite that being my only comment.

Sorry for that experience. Having an accidental non-DIR reply in a DIR thread in the DIR forum, uh, attacked, is an unfortunate side effect of the existence of a specific DIR forum. I don't think I was yet a SB member back when the DIR forum was established, but if I understand the history correctly, it was established because when DIR was a new thing and some SB members were talking excitedly about it (okay okay, "zealots" maybe), others who had negative beliefs about DIR would constantly chime in and derail the discussions among people who just wanted to discuss DIR stuff with each other. The DIR forum has been accused of being a "walled garden," but at least it's a place where people can discuss specific DIR issues without threads being derailed by people questioning the merits of the underlying principles or the very existence of DIR. The DIR forum is not alone; for example, questioning the wisdom of solo diving in the Solo Diving forum is similarly not allowed.

In this case, the OP posted his question in the Advanced forum.

 

[Lorenzoid]

lol let’s be real with ourselves. One cursory glance at the Linnea Mills case is more than enough to extrapolate that PADI is blatantly problematic.

Though PADI could exercise better quality control over its instructors, I would say that even one huge screw-up by one instructor does not merit extrapolating that level of incompetence to all (tens of thousands of?) PADI instructors worldwide.

 

[Zach The Diver]

Sorry for that experience. Having an accidental non-DIR reply in a DIR thread in the DIR forum, uh, attacked, is an unfortunate side effect of the existence of a specific DIR forum. I don't think I was yet a SB member back when the DIR forum was established, but if I understand the history correctly, it was established because when DIR was a new thing and some SB members were talking excitedly about it (okay okay, "zealots" maybe), others who had negative beliefs about DIR would constantly chime in and derail the discussions among people who just wanted to discuss DIR stuff with each other. The DIR forum has been accused of being a "walled garden," but at least it's a place where people can discuss specific DIR issues without threads being derailed by people questioning the merits of the underlying principles or the very existence of DIR. The DIR forum is not alone; for example, questioning the wisdom of solo diving in the Solo Diving forum is similarly not allowed.

In this case, the OP posted his question in the Advanced forum.

The OP posted it here to seek answers from folks who weren’t necessarily DIR as they may have some objective perspective on the issue. Boy was I wrong. Sorry for forgetting that SB was a segregated society.

 

[Zach The Diver]

Though PADI could exercise better quality control over its instructors, I would say that even one huge screw-up by one instructor does not merit extrapolating that level of incompetence to all (tens of thousands of?) PADI instructors worldwide.

One huge screw-up? Dude, PADI has an established a poor track record. This was a high profile case that I brought up, but the way PADI handled it is eye-opening.

I’m not referring to individual PADI instructors. I’m referring to the organization as a whole.

 

[Boarderguy]

One huge screw-up? Dude, PADI has an established a poor track record. This was a high profile case that I brought up, but the way PADI handled it is eye-opening.

I’m not referring to individual PADI instructors. I’m referring to the organization as a whole.

Diving wouldn't be where it is today without PADI and NAUI. Can't bash one without the other, though PADI is far more prevalent.

 

[Zach The Diver]

Diving wouldn't be where it is today without PADI and NAUI. Can't bash one without the other, though PADI is far more prevalent.

Neat.

You should be angry over how PADI has trashed its own legacy.