No Joke

[Marie13]

So this raises a question as I don’t have an AI computer and not sure if I ever will but who knows.

With an AI computer w/o a SPG is there a way the computer will tell you if the valve isn’t all the way on?

Good question. But the answer is to always have an SPG.

 

[AbnSwmr]

The moral of this story is not about the offender. He is just "that guy" and as Trace mentioned, he has been banned from multiple shops and boats in the area, to include the one I work for. But "that guy" doesn't have to be an obnoxious prankster with poor judgment. It could be a curious OW student, your own brain fart, or maybe a jaded ex.

The real lesson here, is that a man with 8000 dives, 1500 of them in caves, and the list goes on (see www.scubacoachtrace.com)...... This guy still does a complete gear check every time he dons his kit.

Trace's safety was not in jeopardy. It was what I would consider a safety violation, but anyone who has ever been trained by Trace knows he is an expert at being OOG. In fact, I've never witnessed him finish a dive on his own gas . Just today (training dive with simulated failures) he OOG'd me at 130' and then OOG'd me during deco, then gave me a left post failure non-fixable just before OOG'ing my deco bottle and finishing the 10' stop buddy breathing.

 

[Saboteur]

Sometimes I feel a little dorky when I breathe off my reg/check my spg at the gate, hardly anyone does that. Not feeling so dorky now! I would be super pissed. Not funny at all.

Don't! People actually think you are a savvy diver. Even DM's can make mistakes or forget things on 'valet' dive ops. It is worth giving your gear a visual check after they set it up or change tanks as well.

 

[guruboy]

Breathing while watching spg doesn’t serve any good purpose despite what you’re instructor told you. Neither is the 1/4 turn back.

I can’t tell if you’re just trolling or not. Both of your statements are false.

 

[guruboy]

**for those unfamiliar: the left post on doubles opens in the opposite direction of a 'normal' scuba valve.

It just looks opposite.

Left or Right, counter clockwise when facing the knob (so that you can see the screw) is open.

Lefty loosey, Righty tightey

 

[BRT]

It just looks opposite.

Left or Right, counter clockwise when facing the knob (so that you can see the screw) is open.

Lefty loosey, Righty tightey

I'm glad to hear that. I thought it crazy that left and right post valves would turn in different directions. I'd never be sure my air was on after a long career turning nuts the correct direction in odd locations.

 

[scubafanatic]

Why would anyone think that was “funny”?? What a idiot - he (or she) would be banned from future dives if it was my boat!’

What if this (or any 'jokester') actually managed to succeed in hurting/killing another diver/divers, and it became known that the captain knew about this 'jokester', that it was widely known by all (including this 'tolerant' captain) about this rogue behavior, that this 'jokester' had already been widely banned by other local dive shops/boats for repetitive rogue behavior, but this one lenient captain had let the behavior 'slide' aboard his boat, instead of prioritizing the safety of all the sane divers .......what do you think a plaintiff's attorney or the captain's insurance company would make of that ?

 

[scubafanatic]

Great captain and friend so I trust whatever he said will stick with the diver. He had a private chat in the wheelhouse.

Does the captain comprehend the legal exposure he's risking by tolerating this loose cannon ?

 

[scubafanatic]

By the way, turns out the diver has been kicked out of other shops/ops. Rather than just kick him off the boat, I'm betting the captain is going to put the time, patience, and effort into helping him grow up rather than just let him become someone else's problem.

As a rule I'd suggest keeping mentally disturbed psychos isolated away from where they can harm the public. At least have the balls to run that by one's attorney and insurance company to let them know the risks he's assuming for which they'll be financially liable when the 'rogue' breaks rehab. Is this captain trained/qualified to treat the mentally disturbed, and does he alert the other paying passengers he's knowingly allows 'crazies' on his boat ?

 

[Trace Malinowski]

Give me a break. This was a set of doubles with independent first and second stages. At no time was Trace in any peril. Trace? Do you feel like if you had jumped in the water and breathed off your closed down primary that there would be ANY chance of you not surviving? Or would you just reach back and turn your gas on or grab your necklace?

If Trace thinks he would be in real danger, please quit teaching now. You are not confident or skilled enough to have new divers learn from you.

I know Trace personally. This wouldn't have even raised his heart rate. Cut brake lines? Murder? Get real.

I'm glad you have faith in me, Pete! The offender believed the same. He wasn't trying to harm me. He had confidence in my ability to handle a closed post and assumed it would just be a funny joke. I was more perplexed by the breach of etiquette. We are taught not to touch anyone else's gear. Had I found it shut in the water, I would have just opened it. The only scenarios I could imagine the prank posing a legitimate threat would be some sort of rapid rescue or having to donate a reg on the way down. Unlikely, but messing around with other people's equipment and air supply has long been considered a giant faux pas. It's almost an unheard of breach of conduct. The diver just needs to learn that there is a time and a place for practical jokes.

For those who think the guy should be harmed or banned from participating in the sport, I was invited out by a friend who is a captain for a competing dive shop. I spent two days having an absolutely awesome time on a boat that I used to patron quite frequently before I started working for the shop I am currently teaching at. Sure. My friend could kick him off the boat, but then the diver would never have a mentor who can get him squared away. I would rather see him on my buddy's boat, learning from my friend who is a great guy, great captain, and diver. He's the third generation of a legendary diving family here in the 1000 Islands and nobody better for the prankster to learn from and perhaps grow into a diver who will become more thoughtful and responsible. We certainly aren't experts in mental illness, but I don't think the culprit is crazy. He's very well-educated academically, but not from the USA and I think his problem is that he's just young, dumb, and full of ... surprises.