kanonfodr, the degree of diligence and detail in plans and checks varies in the DIR world, just as it does in the rest of the diving world.
If I'm diving with buddies I know, I don't go through "The rock bottom for this 30 foot dive is 500 psi, so I have 1900 usable and turn is 1400," simply because we all know it. It's a halves dive with a 500 psi rock bottom, and we all know how that goes.
If I'm diving with someone who isn't familiar with gas planning, I'll do the 60 second gas planning explanation, and find out what size tank they are diving, figure their rock bottom for them and tell them what their turn pressure is. (In general, this is diving with new divers, so they generally haven't been exposed to those sorts of concepts at all.)
All in all, I think people with DIR training TEND to be (but are not universally, as nothing holds universally for ANY kind of diver) more diligent about having some kind of dive plan in place, and doing equipment and bubble checks. When diving with people with different training, this may seem a bit strange, but if folks are affable, it generally gets sorted out. There ARE a few things about equipment that a new diver with no experience other than DIR might forget to go over, simply because they aren't issues with our gear (for example, releases). All of these things are easily manageable, and the non-DIR diver should be able to remind the DIR guy to check those things which he might forget.
In my experience, and not to intend any offense, the biggest shocker might be the casual attitude toward keeping a team together, and the difficulty in communication with someone who doesn't use lights and hasn't been taught a rotating scan of their environment.
If I'm diving with buddies I know, I don't go through "The rock bottom for this 30 foot dive is 500 psi, so I have 1900 usable and turn is 1400," simply because we all know it. It's a halves dive with a 500 psi rock bottom, and we all know how that goes.
If I'm diving with someone who isn't familiar with gas planning, I'll do the 60 second gas planning explanation, and find out what size tank they are diving, figure their rock bottom for them and tell them what their turn pressure is. (In general, this is diving with new divers, so they generally haven't been exposed to those sorts of concepts at all.)
All in all, I think people with DIR training TEND to be (but are not universally, as nothing holds universally for ANY kind of diver) more diligent about having some kind of dive plan in place, and doing equipment and bubble checks. When diving with people with different training, this may seem a bit strange, but if folks are affable, it generally gets sorted out. There ARE a few things about equipment that a new diver with no experience other than DIR might forget to go over, simply because they aren't issues with our gear (for example, releases). All of these things are easily manageable, and the non-DIR diver should be able to remind the DIR guy to check those things which he might forget.
In my experience, and not to intend any offense, the biggest shocker might be the casual attitude toward keeping a team together, and the difficulty in communication with someone who doesn't use lights and hasn't been taught a rotating scan of their environment.
