For PADI Pros.........

[Warhammer]

I have to agree with Mario and Submariner on this one. Ultimately, it's the diver's decision. But that's America these days, nobody is responsible for nothing they do anymore. Someone else is always to blame. We seem to be forgetting that there is no law against anyone certified or otherwise diving to any depth they choose, as it should be IMHO. It's your life and if you choose to risk it, then that's your choice not the DMs. If you're not comfortable with the dive, then don't dive. If you rely on a DM to tell you what's safe for you, then you should should seek more competent training. Now if I told an operation that I was new and wanted a dive no deeper than say 60 feet, then they put me on a boat for a dive to 83 feet, then of course I'd be upset. Assumming that it was feasible for me to stay shallower and still enjoy the dive. But if I wasn't comfortable with the dive then I wouldn't dive, I'd take it up with the boat crew and the person in the shop that put me on that boat. As far as DMs checking cards, I've yet to step on a boat where any crew member checked my card. However they've always informed me and everyone else of the proposed dive site and asked if we were comfortable with it ,but most of my boat trips were with groups arranged by others that knew my certification level. Course the person behind the counter usually checks my card. But I have been on several dives where nobody checked nothing.

 

[MrMrEZG]

All that I am saying is that the dive seems to be pretty average and that she truely had no reason to cry. What was supposed to happen? Were the other divers supposed to make a 10m dive on a sand bottom so that the one beginner would be happy(read: not cry) would that be fair? I think not. People need to SAFELY push the envelope, think about it, where would this sport be if no one ever took any chances. Now I am not sayin' that she should ignore her fears, rather that she should be willing to overcome them. Remember, 2 choices.

 

[gozumutti]

I am gonna double my money on this one....

I agree that EACH INDIVIDUAL is responsible for themselves. To sue a knife manufacturer because you cut your finger with one of their products is beyond belief. Unfortunately, such litigation goes on daily in the US, as more and more clamor for protection against themselves and rob the rest of us of our right to self-determination.

I am certainly dependent, as a newbie, on a divemaster to determine the level of difficulty of a dive. I would not however consider doing a dive beyond my qualifications, no matter what the divemaster says. People are NOT infallible, and better safe than sorry. Ok, I have been told that I am TOO cautious, but what the heck - I am still alive The excuse, in case of an accident, that "the DM said so" is unacceptable. We are NOT relieved of the responsibility to THINK and JUDGE for ourselves.

A DM can tell me all kinds of stuff, no one says I have to believe him/her. I am obligated to think through the statements of the other and ultimately make MY decision. If I am stupid and misjudge and die as a result of that misjudgement, then darwinism (correctly) removes me from the gene pool. If the decision making process exceeds my knowledge, then I am obligated to obtain that knowledge BEFORE making a decision, and until then, to keep to my own level!

As a newly qualified (I assume OWD)diver, she is enabled to dive to a depth of 18 meters. She has no business going to 26 meters and she knows that, no matter what the shop tells her. Also, NO ONE is forcing her to dive!

The shop, on the other hand, in order to protect itself, should have (IMHO) pointed at that as an OWD, she could not go along. Were they more interested in squeezing out a few dollars more? Was she that unconcerned with safety regulations? There are many unknown factors here, but at face value, I would say that both are at "fault".

*gozu mortgaging her house to pay for her opinions*