No Good Deed Goes Unpunished
- Thread starter BadGoat
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yep that is exactly it
I also use mixed parts adjustable shoulder strap bp/w setup which would be heresy for all the real self respecting DIR practitioners 
AND I ATTACHED A SCISSORS POCKET TO THE BELT NEXT TO THE DIR KNIFE
Unwanted help is rarely welcome. Years ago I bought my wife a (pre) GoPro style camera with a video light attached. At the end of the FIRST dive she used it, a "helpful" diver swam up to her at the boat ladder and started un-cliping her pony bottle and other items. She didn't want help nor did she seem like she needed it. She got on the boat and NO CAMERA. The "helpful" bonehead had disconnected the lanyard and her camera sank in over 100 feet of water.
Jay
Need to dive more!
Ana
.
See? Right there.
The worse thing about that ..ok maybe not the worse but another bad thing in that scenario is that most of those "helpful" boneheads are truly not doing it for the benefit of the victim... Yes I called it victim.
This bonehead feels so superior yo see that he can handle himself that it is impossible that your wife (or anyone for that matter) could be capable of doing her thing without help... That would mean she's as amazing as he is.
Mr. Bonehead doesn't stop there, later he will brag to whoever would listen how thanks to his magnanimous help this diver in the boat was able to complete some task.
First time this happens typical people would be "nice" and don't smack Mr Bonehead, in turn his f"ed up brain interprets the peaceful reaction as an invitation to continue.
Screw all the Mr Bonehead's of the world.
Keep your hands and your opinions to yourself. If people need you, wait until they ask. After all is not like you can "help" everyone.
What a silly & thoroughly foolish statement:
What ever cert cards you hold, and what ever competency and experience you think you have, the Dive team have to treat you as a novice until you prove differently by your actions
It may be true that you have more experience and higher certifications than the dive team, but you're a passenger on their boat.
Despite my experience and quals, I've no problem with the crew checking my gear, because I understand I'm fallible. I also right before I jump, no matter on what checks I (or someone else have done) will always purge my reg and watch my contents and dfinal check I've gas in my wing.
There is no valet service on any boats in my area. It's pure laziness and there's no excuse why the person diving the gear can't take responsibility for assembling the gear (unless there's a physical impediment)
Watching people assemble their kit is a good indicator of what to expect them in the water.
If I'm running the boat and I don't see you check you gear, and don't know you (or don't' trust your abilities) I reserve the right to ask you to physically demonstrate all is well with your gas and BCD. While you're doing that, I'll be checking your valve, and you'll never know because I'm light fingered.
If I do know/trust you or you're in a Tec/RB rig I won't touch yoru gear but will make a verbal check to which you're make a physical check and give an affirmative response.
No matter what waivers you sign, if you get into trouble, I get into trouble too. No thanks.
Back to the OP @BadGoat I wouldn't personally ever dive with gear that has a malfunction on the surface, it's just asking for trouble. You have no idea what other things might happen underwater. I might continue a dive with a disconnected inflator but more likely I'll bin the dive because I can't be faffed with oral inflate underwater.
I'm sure you know there are two schools of thought on this. On one hand, having someone else double-check the gear that you have already checked has merit. On the other hand, the crew is at least as fallible as you, an experienced instructor, and we have all heard stories of well-meaning crew members inadvertently turning a diver's valve the wrong way, shutting off his tank. So the other school of thought would be: "I must be the last person to touch my tank valve before I splash." That has merit, too.
Playing devil's advocate I don't need to be the last to touch my valve a slong as I absolutely verify that everything works just before I splash.
The 2nd point is - is the diver screws the pooch, the family of diver or the diver themselves are coming after the crew. If I say - I didn't check, or they wouldn't allow me to check how successful a defence do you imagine that will be?
If I saw you and your wife conduct a GUEEDGE, of a BWRAF, I'd have a "warmer feeling" but I'd still consider it my responsibility to ask you to confirm everything is good before you splash as "An idiot check"
My experience as a guest on lots of boats, sadely confirms that there is more often than not a huge gulf between what people believe their capabilities are and their actual capabilities.
As an Instructor I expect no different treatment from teh crew other than some professional courtesy which works both ways) If someone's check my valve and I don't trust them, its no drama and takes no more than 30 seconds in the water to slip in an out of my wing and check - which is an OW skill after all. If I find an issue I'll have a quiet word post dive in private.
The valve problem arises because there is no visible difference between a valve that is open all the way, partially open, or closed. Maybe using a vindicator valve handle and/or having a routine reminder from the captain right before diving can help. I realize that having these seemingly basic instructions can seem condescending to experienced divers, but experienced pilots and surgeons have largely accepted checklists and timeouts before starting off.
Although I have them on all of my and my wifes cylinders, they're still not perfect because a quick glance my not pick up a partially opened valve.
Also lots of people dive rental cylinders
At another center I work for, our SOP is to get the guest assemble, and test their gear (so we can sort problems before we depart), then turn the gas off and depressurise. We do teh latter obviously for safety but also because its unwise to keep your system pressurised when off, in case you look at your spg and assume its on
The gear is in the middle of the boat, the customers at the sides. As we near the dive site we turn on all the cylinders (in full view of the guests) before they start gearing up. In theory all the guest need to do it double check
I've watched people literally turn their gas off and carry on as though its on if we don't get to them in time. This is all briefed etc. But we still have to keep our heads on a swivel.
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