How do you feel about PADI bashing on this thread??

[fisherdvm]

Here is the contact information to PADI:

Contact PADI
PADI Americas
30151 Tomas Street
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688-2125
USA
Ph.: (800) 729-7234 (U.S. & Canada)
Ph: +1 (949) 858-7234
Fax: (949) 267-1267
Email:webmaster@padi.com

 

[fisherdvm]

Here's my letter to be emailed to PADI:

I find is disturbing that your minimal standard for open water certification has no swimming requirement by substituting snorkel, mask, and fin skill.

An essential skill require for scuba diving is comfort in the water. If a candidate for OW do not possess the capacity to swim freely for 200 yards, he/she can not demonstrate comfort in the water.

What if a fin strap came lose, a mask leaked, or a snorkel became flooded? A person who is comfortable in the water will not panic. But one who has not developed swimming skills will panic. Panic lead to poor judgement, and death.

I implore you to correct this deficiency, as it will contribute to scubadiver death and injury. As a former occupational health physician, I implore you to upgrade your OW standard.

Sincerely yours,


************, M.D.

 

[fisherdvm]

I think that if 1/2 of scubaboard readers would send them a similar email or letter, more will be done to change their standard than wasting time PADI bashing.

 

[Walter]

No, I think this is very informative.

I'm glad to hear it, but most of my posts where people say I'm PADI bashing are of that nature.

 

[DennisW]

I don't "feel" anything about it.

 

[letterboy]

:11: :11: :11:

Maybe it was the "banter wind from the west" that was blowing in Hawaii. Sorry you guys didn't have the best weather...

PSSST I think that was the kinder gentler moderating

 

[MikeFerrara]

I think that if 1/2 of scubaboard readers would send them a similar email or letter, more will be done to change their standard than wasting time PADI bashing.

I don't think so. I spent a number of years as a PADI instructor. They didn't seem to care what I thought when I was a paying prefessional member, why would they care now?

Personally, I don't care if PADI changes their standards or not. I'm certainly not interested in helping them do it for free. I do think divers should be more educated about dive training though and that's where these discussions come in.

PADI's decisions are based on sales. You don't need a quality product if what you have sells well and is profitable. If you want to effect their thinking, you have to focus on sales. If you want to get them to change standards you'll need to convince them that the change will sell more certifications and get more instructors and dive shops to sell PADI courses and want to be PADI retail members. They know that all their newly certified divers and hald their instructors are rototillers in the water. They don't care. They know they do the infamous butt first decent as often as not. They don't care. They don't want to hear about safety, proficiency or any of that other nonsense. They want to hear how your proposed change is going to increase sales.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

You are not going to change the PADI mentality.

Actually you ... in this case meaning the public ... are the only ones who could change the PADI mentality. PADI is a business ... and they are selling the product as they do because it's what the public wants ... hence their dominance in the marketplace.

I used to work for a shop that offered a very good OW class for $299. I can't tell you the number of times I'd get calls that would ask about the class. When I gave them the details ... including class time, amount of pool time, limited class size, etc. ... they'd often ask why my class was so much more expensive than the shop down the street, where they could get certified in much less time for $129. I'd patiently explain that the shop down the street offered very little time with an instructor (basically a home-study program where you showed up to take the exam), half the amount of time in the pool, and much larger class sizes.

They'd usually say thanks ... and I'd never hear from them again.

People demand quick and cheap ... PADI gives them what they demand.

Those who want a higher level of price and effort seek out the stores and agencies that provide it ... and they are all much smaller because of consumer demand ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Walter]

Bob nailed it.

 

[Diver Dennis]

PSSST I think that was the kinder gentler moderating

Ya think?