dennisgrimm once bubbled...
So he doesn't jump me and take my primary. In retrospect, that isn't such a big deal if you are already offering you primary eh?
Go back and read chapter 5 of your rescue book. You'll probably find that you read it differently now that you have a little more experience.
Hint: The problem with a diver in distress (on the surface or under water) is to take control without making yourself a victim. Question is how?
Something to consider in this is that most divers in panic under water are probably not in panic because they need your secondary. There are a million and one reasons why people panic but in the vast majority of cases it isn't because the tank was empty. They panic from free-flows, from all kinds of monsters-in-the-dark fantasies, from simple equipment problems like masks that get water in them, from flooded regs, from ears that won't clear, from suit squeeze, from cramps, from overexertion (hyperventilation)....you name it.
If a diver in that situation is hell-bent on going up then you won't stop it. YOu may be able to delay it enough that he takes a breath before going too far but that's about it. You need to watch the reg. If there are bubbles coming out (from breathing) then that's good. If there aren't then you need to try holding them down or delaying the ascent until bubbles come out (until they start to breathe again). or, if you think they're out of air, until you can get them to accept your secondary (by force if necessary, especially if they've rejected their own reg in the process). Chances are unless you're very alert that you'll be grabbing for fins on the way up. It always happens faster than you think.
That's what full-blown panic looks like under water most of the time in my experience and these divers can really use your help. If you don't help them, expecially the ones holding their breath, the serious injury or death will probably be the result.
And if he isn't going up but he *is* panicking (rare) you may need to approach from the side or in any case away from where he cannot grab you with both hands. In offering the longhose, for example, hold it out to him on the approach. Take the hose in your right hand just where it goes in to the reg, flip it over your head and turn the reg so it's facing him in the right orientation to go straight into his mouth. Chances are if he has a regulator malfunction he'll focus on the reg you're offering and you can lead him slightly to your right and take the cylinder valve or his BCD strap with your left hand.
Personally I go for the BCD strap on his right side with my left hand (ie "straight" across). This is also the way PADI teaches AAS with the octopus. With this grip I stay out of reach of both his hands (ie on his right) and I can easily turn or push him away from me or toward me or quickly reach the cylinder valve to manoeuvre myself around behind them. This grip also leaves me with a hand free to deal with regs and inflators and because of the longhose (one of many advantages) I can move behind a panicked diver on this side without pulling the reg out of their mouth whether horizontal or vertical. Finally, don't forget that you can grip his legs/tank or whatever with your knees to get a firmer hold if you must (this works especially well on the surface).
Often times the simple act of making contact (firmly grabbing a BCD strap, for example and making eye contact) actually helps things to descalate, especially if the diver can breathe (again). In many cases of divers experiencing panic feelings they are able to regain control under water if you just pause and breathe together. This simple act of making contact and offering help may be all the difference between a close call and AGE. Backing off and taking whatever perceived help you can offer away from a diver on the edge of panic may also make the difference between a close call and AGE but in the other direction.......
And finally a diver who suddenly mauls you for your reg (for example) has already made contact
running away is pointless at this point so you need control. REach for the tank valve and pull yourself behind them while you grab your bungied backup. With the longhose this will work. With the shorthose this situation can be more problematic. You may have to locate your own octopus while fighting him off if he won't surrender the reg.
It's become a bit of a long post but you should recognise this from Rescue. I'm sure a few others will jump in with more ideas but these things work for me. Personally I know I couldn't live with it if I denied help to another diver and they died or suffered a serious injury because I was too afraid to try taking control. One final note. There is obviously a line you shouldn't go over. In that sense I can see your instructor's point to a certain extent. You don't want to make yourself a victim. I hope this post doesn't make you do something reckless but I hope you can also see that there are alternatives to running away from a distressed diver.
R..
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P.S. One more thing. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
