Need Advice Plz!!!

[pt40fathoms]

No point in posting the same link twice.

beachbum posted the link

When you go to the site the conventional way, just click on the "Begin Your Adventure" link, then put your mouse over the "Courses" link along the left side of the window, and one of the links to show up will be "Quality Managment".

 

[pt40fathoms]

Also, this fellow seems to have done his dives in Maui (on referral), so wouldn't PADI Americas be better to talk to (unless he wants to go through the dive shop that did his class/pool training)?

Which ever is most convenient will do. It really doesn't matter which PADI office a complaint is filed with, the complaint will be forwared onto the local office in the region that will deal with the issue directly.

 

[Webad]

I was with a gal in Mexico who was training to be certified. The instructor told her he was required to show her the PADI DVD. He took it out of the case and showed it to her. (did not play it). He said "Now if you are ever asked If I showed you the DVD you can say YES!),,,,,

MMMMM......

 

[douglasville diver]

Hey man you've just had a bad experience just don't quit

 

[blizzard]

Thanks for the link and the info. (once you know where it is, it is easy to find :11doh: )

Interesting to look through the list of names to see if there is anyone or anywhere you know. I would recommend looking at the list.

For Log Splitter, please outline your experiences in an email to Sabrinal@padi.com .

 

[davisdiver]

I am so sorry about your experience. Please don't let the actions of one really BAD diver ruin the sport for you. There are many bad 'professionals, but there are many more great ones who would love to give youthe diving experience you deserve. I drove all the way from Indianapolis, IN to Panama City, FL becasue the instructors in my city were that type and I never regretted my decision for a minute. Best of luck to you and keep diving!

 

[ScubyDoo]

Based on previous posts, it sounds like you took your classroom and confined water dives locally, then did your open water dives by referral while on vacation on what is commonly referred to as a "Cattle Boat". They are called cattle boats for good reason. They herd people on....herd people into the water....then herd you back off again. They are overcrowded, provide horrid service, and in my opinion are extremely unsafe.
And thats for divers already certified. I cant even begin to imagine trying to achieve open water certification dives under those conditions.

Firstly....its not PADI's fault nor your local dive shops fault that you received such poor service. Your classroom and confined water training were probably excellent.

Secondly, you absolutely need to contact PADI and register a formal complaint against this operation. They are obviously more concerned with profit moreso than providing a quality dive experience or quality dive training for thier paying customers. Diver satisfaction however takes a backseat to diver safety, and this operation appears to be extremely unsafe. Reporting them will help to protect others in the future. If you dont feel comfortable reporting them, you can send me the info via PM and I'll be more than happy to do it for you. Although first hand experience certainly will have more weight than second hand hearsay.

Lastly...dont let this really horrible and rare experience turn you off of diving. PADI is a top notch training orginization, and there are hundreds and hundreds of top notch instructors and dive professionals out there to help you make diving a wonderful and fulfilling experience for a lifetime. As you can probably tell from Scubaboard, theres also a very strong peer driven community thats always here to lend a hand or advice as well. We're not here for our health.....we're here because we love the sport, and we believe strongly in the training standards that exist. You got a bad apple..Dont give up.

 

[rockjock3]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news... but this is absolutely PADI. While I agree that the individual operator is at fault - for being an absolutely horrendous facility (according to your story,) PADI is ultimately to blame. PADI, SSI and the other agencies all receive complaints about bad operations, yet they continually fail to take action to shut down the facilities because the facilities are sending them the almighty dollar. PADI makes it's money from operations that herd you in and out... don't think they are not aware of this and are turnign a blind eye.

While in this case the operation was PADI, I can tell you that SSI and others are doing and allowing the same types of things to go on. Now not all PADI and SSI shops are bad, and some actually take pride in what they do and treat you right and make you earn the c-card. At the basic level, the individual shop/operator is responsible, but just like being the boss at work, if your employees fail... you fail... and PADI simply doesn't mind failing... because in this industry, failing (herding large numbers through) makes them a lot of money.

To all of you who say I'm agency bashing, give me an example of the last time PADI or SSI pulled a dealerships license for providing this type of service. As an SSI instructor, I can tell you that I have written direct complaints about similar practices at facilities which I worked in. The answer was always, "the owner has the right to run their operation as they see fit." Nevermind if it is dangerous, provides a horrible experience or is even outside the standards. The corporate PADI and SSI people do not care. And I'll stand in their corporate headquarters and shout it at them. I've already been on the phone with corporate SSI... and quite frankly - they're a joke.

Yes, listen to ghost as he is wise. PADI turns a blind eye and that is why there are no names (oops did I say no names), I meant many names of instructors and facilities on PADI's website that are anwhere from probation to suspended to revoked status.

Your experience is not the norm, but probably hasn't been reported and therefore allowed to continue. PADI, as well as the other agencies, is in it for the money, but they have standards and, if made aware of a problem, will enforce them. They do this because if for example you report this problem and they do nothing then say your buddy in the class gets hurt or dies and it was a result of the training he recieved, it can go all the way back to PADI if they didn't act on a complaint.

Once you call them, or better yet call them and write them, then there is a trail that can be traced. It is very hard to turn a blind eye to a trail which leads to them that could be used to show liability later.