Mandatory Dive protection for Shark dives.

[gonetobaja]

Big pillows surrounding cars would be a good idea as they have a tendency to run into other things...

We really should outlaw and get a handle on bad weather... floods, lightening, tornados, maybe even require mandatory parkas and mittens to stop frost bite...

Seriously, there is some risk that comes with diving. When we add big animals with teeth the risk goes up. If you dont want risk dont dive- even with the best training possible there is risk. If one wants to reduce the risk of being bit on a shark dive the best plan would be to not do said shark dive. Even better- if one wants perfect safety there are many other activities- tiddlywinks, scrap-booking, watching TV, etc...

I would rather live before I die. (My head near big "predator" shark. Please note the lack of cage.)

The pillow thing was done, only inside the car. They call them airbags. They are used to protect you in case of an accident and are there in addition to the seat belt. These saftey items are installed by law. You may think its overkill but some would differ.

I have never heard of someone dying from the activities you mentioned. I wanted to also add that if you want to reduce the risk during shark diving activities there are other ways to do it safe. I would never tell someone, if you dont like riding witout a helmet, dont get on a motorcycle...

Thats a cool shark pic. My kid has a poster in his room of a guy on a skateboard doing a jump over 10 stairs. The rider has no helmet or pads or protection of any kind. My kid thinks all of the cool riders dont wear helmets and stuff, only the old guys. I still make him wear a helmet.

And like I said before, if it makes you have a better dive experience to get in the water with sharks unprotected vs protected than you should be able to do whatever you want. Its the operators that are taking out tourists and putting them in these situations that have no standards in which they operate.

Last time I checked,Neptunic "C" suits cost $4600.The other suit they make costs $5300 or thereabouts. What dive boat with a 6 pac license could afford 6 suits,(actually more due to xlarge and small suits.) ? We are talking $50,000 or more to begin operating as a business.Never mind the ethics of feeding wild animals... I'm with Submariner on this one in a legal sense.And chumming to attract sharks for dive tourists is just plain wrong. IMHO.

I agree that the money for the companies will be stiff for them. But the price of suits can be made back. Its not like they rot away or anything, they are made from stainless steel. Besides at the rate they charge for a shark dive you should get free protection for the price.

You can make your own mesh suits. Do a google on chain mail. Probably not spelled right. I have a friend who does all that stufff for festivals. He makes suits using stainless wire (aluminum, copper etc), one loop at a time. He can make a suit in his spare time in about a week and they are very rugged. Swords, sharks probably just bounce off, unless they are really big.

N

I would not reccomend making your own, although it is possible. The current shark suits that are for sale have been tested by actual sharks. I would not want to make my own and then wonder if it works. Soft metals like aluminum and copper would bend and break under the pressure, and each ring has to be welded. Also the ring size has to be correct or the tooth will penetrate the center of the ring and shred you with its tips. Although it still may be better than no protection, I would not want to go through the learning curve.


I get the jokes about the dogs and bears, but if my kids were going to a wild dog encounter that I was paying for I would expect the operator to have some type of plan for saftey. If I was going to a wild bear encounter where they are going to bait in bears I would hope the operator has some type of plan for saftey there also.

People should be able to make their own choices, but when un-educated people put their lives in the hands of operators than my feelings is that the operator should provide protection. And the customers should have to use it.

My 12 year old son hates it when I make him wear his helmet on his skateboard.
"Helmets are for dorks dad....."

Still have not heard the downside to protecting yourself in a shark suit, only a bunch of real funny jokes.

 

[offthewall1]

People are WAY - Overreacting to this incident...

Myself and thousands more dive with sharks everyday... sometimes multiple times per day. It is important to keep the incident is perspective.

I don't have all the details of exactly what went down - but suffice it to say - even the details don't matter much.

This was a lightning strike type incident and is meaningless other than the fact that a bunch of liberal whackos will over-react to it... which is already happening.

Obviously if the operator did something completely out of the ordinary then the operator should pay the price... otherwise this should be considered an isolated incident and forgotten.

I know if I get bitten by a shark... it's because I chose to be in the ocean... the same as each swimmer, diver, surfer etc... that goes into the ocean everyday.

To me, sharks are smart enough and keen enough creatures that even if they could - they would not walk down the streets of inner city America... we're just all ignorant humans looking for a thrill... and in America - and thanks god many other countries - we have the freedom to do things - no matter how stupid we or others may consider them to be.

My favorite saying is you can Swim with sharks in the ocean without fear... but try walking through a lions den in africa or a Grizzlies domain and your chances of survival go down drastically.

This incident does not change my opinion - and I will continue to swim with sharks without fear...

Won't you please all do the same...

 

[_Bella_]

People should be able to make their own choices, but when un-educated people put their lives in the hands of operators than my feelings is that the operator should provide protection. And the customers should have to use it.

Educated people can decide to dive in a cage or not by booking with an operator that does cage diving, or bring a suit with you. It's that simple. There are operators that do the cage dives, and it's not the uneducated that go with the operator that doesn't have cages. Quite the opposite.

to your initial questions:

1. Should predator dive operations be required to have protective measures available to customers

2. Should the customers be REQUIRED to wear the protection or should it be up to each diver.

1. Is unrealistic. There are shark dives conducted around the world. Good luck getting them to agree to anything. So, who should do the requiring?

2. The customer should make an informed decision, just as in other extreme sports and activities.

 

[SteveAD]

Thats a cool shark pic. My kid has a poster in his room of a guy on a skateboard doing a jump over 10 stairs. The rider has no helmet or pads or protection of any kind. My kid thinks all of the cool riders dont wear helmets and stuff, only the old guys. I still make him wear a helmet.

It's not only the old guys, it's also the guys who are likely to get old eventually. The no pads boarders won't have to worry about getting old.

As far as mandatory shark safety gear, I don't favor legislation on the matter, but people can certainly vote with their money. If shark dive patrons start demanding protection, the operators will start providing it or else they will lose revenue. If on the other hand Big Brother starts telling the operators that they have to provide something their clients don't want, then no one is happy.

 

[murdrcycle]

Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. - currently attributed to Benjamin Franklin

 

[Rickg]

No - next thing you know they will be requiring "sting ray" suits because of "all" of the sting ray attacks last year. It is individual choice every time you get into the water.

 

[matts1w]

My kid has a poster in his room of a guy on a skateboard doing a jump over 10 stairs. The rider has no helmet or pads or protection of any kind. My kid thinks all of the cool riders dont wear helmets and stuff, only the old guys. I still make him wear a helmet.

And like I said before, if it makes you have a better dive experience to get in the water with sharks unprotected vs protected than you should be able to do whatever you want. Its the operators that are taking out tourists and putting them in these situations that have no standards in which they operate.

I get the jokes about the dogs and bears, but if my kids were going to a wild dog encounter that I was paying for I would expect the operator to have some type of plan for saftey. If I was going to a wild bear encounter where they are going to bait in bears I would hope the operator has some type of plan for saftey there also.

People should be able to make their own choices, but when un-educated people put their lives in the hands of operators than my feelings is that the operator should provide protection. And the customers should have to use it.

My 12 year old son hates it when I make him wear his helmet on his skateboard.
"Helmets are for dorks dad....."

Still have not heard the downside to protecting yourself in a shark suit, only a bunch of real funny jokes.

I guess you and I see the world in very different ways- which is great- more power to you. I dont have kids, etc... so I guess maybe my views on things are quite different.

Everytime I see a 13 year old kid riding around the neighborhood on a bike with a helmet I think he needs a shirt that says, "Im my mommy's precious little sugar britches." I spent almost every day possible on my bike or skateboard jumping things, on big hills, carving drainage ditches, etc.... so did my friends. We never wore helmets, did break some bones and get some stitches, but that was normal in the late 1970s and 1980s. We rubbed some dirt in the injury, or dealt with the cast for six weeks, and moved on. Now kids wear helmets and play video games pretending that skateboarding on Tony Hawk's game is hardcore. Heck, they even skateboard slow by lining up in front of a curb, doing a little flippy trick, then roll away slow. I dont get it. Guess I remember the Lords of Dogtown days.....

When I dive I do not expect anyone to take care of me, espcially some operator. If you have ever seen a 10 foot bull shark move through the water or go after prey you would know there is no way in hell anyone can provide protection anyway. I dont care what you are wearing. Shark suit aint gonna do nothing for ya.

I do not buy your point about uneducated tourists not knowing better. How can one not know diving with big sharks is dangerous? Are people that desperate to to live on the edge (but not too far on the edge) they are willing to think diving with bull sharks is safe because "Captain Bob" says so? Every waiver for every dive I have ever signed, sharks or no sharks, makes it very clear that I could die. I know the risks of sharks when I spearfish and am ok with it. I also know the risks of cave diving. Some people here believe that diving in caves with the proper training is acceptable. For me I am not cool with those risks, therefore I dont cave dive- but in no way will I ever think we should dynamite the entrances to the Floirda cave systems because people will dive in caves this year.

My point about the bears and dogs (domestic, not wild) and tiddly-winks is really simple. If you expect some sort of degree of safety then stick to Disney World, city zoos, Senior Frogs, all-inclusive barbed wire resorts, public fishing piers, and campgrounds with security guards and electricty. Don't backback in remote areas, dive in the South Pacific 6 hours from a hospital, trek through the 3rd world, or shark dive in the open. Stay safe and complacent as there is NOTHING wrong with that- seriously.

Just don't force sharksuits or helmets on me.

 

[deco_martini]

Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. - currently attributed to Benjamin Franklin

Liberty issues and commerce organizations (dema,ssi,padi,etc) are unrelated. The dive industry does not infringe your liberty by making guidelines for safer diving.

You are always free to buy your own boat, take wherever, and die however you see fit.

 

[Oddsnends]

Everytime I see a 13 year old kid riding around the neighborhood on a bike with a helmet I think he needs a shirt that says, "Im my mommy's precious little sugar britches."

Sorry, but as someone who has to deal with the aftermath of kids who don't wear helmets, I hope you keep these thoughts to yourself.

# 773 bicyclists died on US roads in 2006, down just 11 from the year before. 92% of them died in crashes with motor vehicles (720).

# About 540,000 bicyclists visit emergency rooms with injuries every year. Of those, about 67,000 have head injuries, and 27,000 have injuries serious enough to be hospitalized.

# 1 in 8 of the cyclists with reported injuries has a brain injury.

# Two-thirds of the deaths here are from traumatic brain injury.

# A very high percentage of cyclists' brain injuries can be prevented by a helmet, estimated at anywhere from 45 to 88 per cent.

# Many years of potential life are lost because about half of the deaths are children under 15 years old.

# Direct costs of cyclists' injuries due to not using helmets are estimated at $81 million each year.

# Indirect costs of cyclists' injuries due to not using helmets are estimated at $2.3 billion each year.

# Helmets start at $10 dollars.

Sorry to sidetrack the thread.

 

[Walter]

Everytime I see a 13 year old kid riding around the neighborhood on a bike with a helmet I think he needs a shirt that says, "Im my mommy's precious little sugar britches."

Perhaps you should think, "that helmet is now required by Florida state law."