Is Scuba Diving Dangerous ?

[Krisscuba]

I spent a year in that foriegn country ,.. Milwaukee WI working for Midwest Express airlines.
I certifiied several people there.

I live in Florida hundreds of springs with miles of caves in most.

I love to solo and cavern dive,...I will not cave dive,.. I do not want to be a cadiver!!

How did you get cave certified in MI?

If you think diving is dangerous,..why are you a caver.

I have been certified since 74 and an instructor and will not touch it!!!

 

[James connell]

bm9 once bubbled...
I think diving has the potential to be dangerous.

We are air breathing mammals and are not able to survive underwater without a mechanical life support system.

In training we are taught how to handle problem situations and deal with emergencies, that would otherwise be life threatening.

I'm sure one of the more sensable people here have said this - but i'm not going to read all the posts.

You're on the right track - diving IS dangerous - very much so.
so is flying, mountainclimbing, driving car, or even walking on the sidewalk.

there are 2 things that are mistaken taken for the same thing -
danger and risk.
danger is the ratio of accidents to death/serious injury, risk is the ratio of the amount of doing some thing ( say in man hours) to how many accidents happen.
flying in an airliner is a very good example of the two. the ratio of people in an accident dieing is very high - the number of people flying to how many have an booboo is low. we say flying isn't "dangerous" - it is, but it's very low risk.

mountain climbing and scuba are simalar in that you can increase the "danger" by increaseing the risk.

 

[HydroCephalic]

Krisscuba once bubbled...
I spent a year in that foriegn country ,.. Milwaukee WI working for Midwest Express airlines.
I certifiied several people there.

I live in Florida hundreds of springs with miles of caves in most.

I love to solo and cavern dive,...I will not cave dive,.. I do not want to be a cadiver!!

How did you get cave certified in MI?

If you think diving is dangerous,..why are you a caver.

I have been certified since 74 and an instructor and will not touch it!!!

Ya know, people actually travel these days! Why, I know people who have actually GOTTEN ON AN ACTUAL AIRPLANE and gone somewhere else to get extra training, such as flying from the Midwest down to, say, someplace that has actual caves. Imagine that.

BM9, did you go somewhere else to do your training? Or perhaps you used to live somewhere else before you joined us here in the Great Lakes area????? Gosh golly, people are sure able to get around these days!!!!!

Some people cave dive, some people wreck dive, and a lot of the training is complimentary. You should know that as an instructor.

I think some people are confusing foolish dangerous behaviour with a healthy respect for a potentially dangerous sport.


<Edited for excess sarcasm>

 

[drbill]

As someone pointed out early in this thread, living has its dangers. Should we stay cooped up in the house all day so we don't get killed on the freeway, in the Post Office, in our offices, etc?

For MANY years I did not fly due to two potentially fatal air incidents in one day. My fear totally controlled me. Amtrak is nice but it doesn't go to SE Asia, South America, Africa or the others areas I wanted to dive.

I finally overcame my fear of flying out of my desire to travel to see and dive the world before I'm unable to (I'm pushing 60 but can still outdive many twenty-somethings). I've never regretted the risk of flying, diving, or other activities I engage in to ensure a fuller life.

Of course after 41 years I don't particularly see diving as dangerous. I think I'd rather face a great white than some of the political nonsense that goes on in a small town. At least I'd know why I was being attacked.

Dr. Bill

 

[eod]

As many before me has pointed out, living is dangerous. The question is if diving is any more dangerous than other sports/hobbies? Probably not if you dont push the limits too far.