You're comparing apples to string beans.
Apples and string beans have a lot more in common than either does with, say, red meat. IJS.
It all depends on what you are comparing things to.
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
You're comparing apples to string beans.
I think that anytime we decide to engage in an activity that may require rescue, such as climbing, mountaineering, back country skiing, or SCUBA, we are accepting that we may have to ruin our day to help another person whether we know them or not.
Sure, I take the risk that my day of diving might be cut short by an accident. That's one thing. But that's a far cry from volunteering to accompany to the surface every newbie that aborts a dive.
Of course. And of course why I always seek out a dive op with the greatest possibility of avoiding being on a boat with newbie divers if I can help it.
Some interesting comparisons to other activities have been brought up - just some observations
So now a question: Does a DM or dive op need to function similarly as the rating system for climbs and ski runs? The idea of the rating system is so people can make informed choices and then they are responsible for their choice. Since dives don't have that, how much of an obligation does the DM have to take into account our skill level when it comes to choosing dive sites?
I am taking the position that regardless of how much money we spend on an activity or time we put in preparation for it, just the act of engaging in that activity makes us obligated to help others whenever possible. I do not think this obligation is based on any law, it is just the nature of our choice to participate in these types of activities.
I'm curious, Mike, in the experience you have gained to date, were you ever assisted by a more experienced diver who just happened to be with you on a board, or from whom you learned simply by being around through osmosis? Would you have learned that if those experienced divers decided to "seek out a dive op with the greatest possibility of avoiding being on a boat with newbie divers if I can help it?"
Isn't that just being a decent human being, no matter the activity? If I was in Wet Wendy's and Moss tripped over his bar stool and took a header, I would stop and allow my delicious frozen cilantro and pineapple margarita to melt while I checked him and possible injuries and helped him up. Do I want to let my delicious margarita melt? No, but it would be the decent thing to do. I guess I could pick a bar with hard core drinkers to minimize the chance of needing to help, but the principle still applies.
I have a slate. I am prepared!!Underwater you can't talk, you can't see and ask a question about something.