Divemaster Responsibilities

[ScubaSteve]

At this point, I wouldn't be surprised in the least, if PADI went to 100% on-line training, with a quick single checkout dive at the resort destination.

'nuff said.

 

[Riger]

What the signs would do is make sure that the passengers know that nobody on the boat is actually responsible for them.

Terry

Again, assuming that they actually read the signs.

Regards
Richard

 

[ScubaSteve]

Again, assuming that they actually read the signs.

Regards
Richard

Well, considering there are stupiud people covering this ball of rock we live on, perhaps we should add in additional redundancy here like everywhere else.

1. Hang a huge sign saying it in the store.
2. Have the person checking them in SAY IT to each person
3. Have the words piped in over speakers in the store repeating over and over
4. Have them sign a page with ONLY those words on it as part of the check in
5. Have it plastered on the boat (various places)
6. Have it part of the briefing
7. Have the DM refuse each diver access to the water unless they repeat the phrase back to them.

How far do we go? You can use the argument for any idea but eventually someone in the "diver's" seat needs to take some ownership.

 

[Riger]

[-]Well, considering there are stupiud people covering this ball of rock we live on, perhaps we should add in additional redundancy here like everywhere else.

1. Hang a huge sign saying it in the store.
2. Have the person checking them in SAY IT to each person
3. Have the words piped in over speakers in the store repeating over and over
4. Have them sign a page with ONLY those words on it as part of the check in
5. Have it plastered on the boat (various places)
6. Have it part of the briefing
7. Have the DM refuse each diver access to the water unless they repeat the phrase back to them.

How far do we go? You can use the argument for any idea[/-] but eventually someone in the "diver's" seat needs to take some ownership.

And that is exactly the point.

 

[Cave Diver]

Well, considering there are stupiud people covering this ball of rock we live on, perhaps we should add in additional redundancy here like everywhere else.

1. Hang a huge sign saying it in the store.
2. Have the person checking them in SAY IT to each person
3. Have the words piped in over speakers in the store repeating over and over
4. Have them sign a page with ONLY those words on it as part of the check in
5. Have it plastered on the boat (various places)
6. Have it part of the briefing
7. Have the DM refuse each diver access to the water unless they repeat the phrase back to them.

How far do we go? You can use the argument for any idea but eventually someone in the "diver's" seat needs to take some ownership.

There's a much simpler and more effective way. Have the person WRITE the statement THEMSELVES in on a blank line on the liability release. That way there's no question that they were aware of it.

 

[Cave Diver]

Yeah but what about the person that claims they were distracted. Just like the people that sign the T&C pages but never read them...."Well how would I know that was in there? Have you ever read that? This is not fair!"

That's the whole point. It's hard to argue that you were distracted and didnt understand when you have to read a statement and then WRITE it out. That requires that you are paying at least a marginal amount of attention to what you are doing and IIRC it's a technique that's been successfully used before on high risk liability releases. Andrea Doria expedition maybe?

 

[ScubaSteve]

That's the whole point. It's hard to argue that you were distracted and didnt understand when you have to read a statement and then WRITE it out. That requires that you are paying at least a marginal amount of attention to what you are doing and IIRC it's a technique that's been successfully used before on high risk liability releases. Andrea Doria expedition maybe?

I agree with you but wholly believe it would NOT solve the problem. Today, we like to think that we are never to blame and that we can always sue someone to get tons of cash. My point was that people will still argue that it was not their fault somehow.

 

[Cave Diver]

I agree with you but wholly believe it would NOT solve the problem. Today, we like to think that we are never to blame and that we can always sue someone to get tons of cash. My point was that people will still argue that it was not their fault somehow.

There is no solution in my opinion. Once society, or a specific community exceeds a certain size, I think that it's impossible to expect that all of them will act in a reasonable manner. The larger the cross sampling of people, the more likely to have people at opposite ends of the spectrum.

The best compromise I can come up with is to provide guidelines that protect the majority and let those on the fringe fend for themselves.

 

[pilot fish]

What part of The DM is not responsible for your safety and is just a dive guide do you think might be confusing?

Pilot - I READ THE POST - that's what prompted me to post my thoughts on the limited usefulness of something like this. Apparently you didn't retain what you read in my post. Your lack of retention is more proof that although a diver MAY come across this document in a shop FILLED with other stimulus (BIG if) and that diver MAY read the thing are they really going to ABSORB what it says or what it means? Do you really think even if the shop in question had it posted and it was posted ON THE BOAT and the DM made everyone ON the boat sign that they had read it - do you really think anything would be different? His fiance and a new friend didn't want to do the prescribed dive and THAT STILL DIDN'T CHANGE THIS GUYS MIND. Yet some disclaimer would have? Please...

 

[Cave Diver]

It does change things but I'd still like to know why this DM did not keep the whole group together at same depth?

Pilot Fish

If you were on a trip and wanted to do a certain dive, would you stay 40' shallower during that dive because the DM had someone who was uncomfortable diving deeper? Just to "keep the group together?"