No more insta-buddies

[bowlofpetunias]

Hmmm.. I didn't get the sense that on_two_wheels had a problem with being called an insta-buddy...

I am with you guys it is just a word .. it is unfortunate some attach more emotion to it than is really necessary... probably based on negative past experience I guess...

 

[orm]

As you guys could probably tell from the lack of recent involvement, I've kinda moved on from this topic. One thing to point out: If "insta-buddy" is derogatory, might consider the sensitivity level. That's like saying referring to a brown haired woman a brunette as derogatory.

No it's not, a brown haired woman is a brunette. How about if you called her an Insta-Friend if you'd just met her?

As for why not just buddy, people I know and dive with are my "dive buddies." There IS a difference between those divers and a diver I've known 20 minutes on a boat. Why "buddy?" Why not dive mate? Why not dive friend? Words people....just words. Hell, I was his insta-buddy.

Buddy is generally a US term. We other non-US people that dive know a buddy to be a dive partner before a 'friend'. So if you refer to a buddy as a dive partner AND also a friend, there must be some division when explaining this to people (I'm diving with my buddy) could be confused as you diving with your friend.

Does Insta-Buddy deal with this? Well, you're still referring to them as a friend - Instant Friend. So you're not really explaining your instant pairing up with a dive partner on a dive very well.

Why is Insta-buddy derogatory? Take the buddy out of it, and you have Insta. What do we call Insta stuff, generally instant creating or making substances usually of a lower or poor quality that we could usually generate a higher or better standard doing it the long way.

Examples are Instant soup (better than home made?)
Instant beef curry.
Instant Coffee.....

Please lets not get all coy and innocent by saying, it's just a word, we all know the implied meaning.

In the diving world, which is where we are, a buddy is a buddy, regardless of how long you have known him or her.



I personally don't give a toss, but I just don't like to see devisions of diving folk beating up on others. We're all in the same industry and should support and help each other, not squabble and come up with cute names to belittle others.


As a test... show me a thread that mentions Insta-Buddy with a positive story and I'll show you the amount of threads with negative tones.

 

[KP3S]

I too have probably had 100-150 dives with insta-buddies, maybe even more.
When paired up with an unknown diver even though you have discussed their
experience level and some other basics you definitely don't know their personality
or judgment skills until you're at depth. I always dive prepared to take care of myself
(smb, reel, pony etc.). I like the idea of the buddy system but when diving with
unknown divers the best I can do is to be as self reliant as possible.

I have the same feelings, the last person I dived with he had no brains, no knowledge of safety. I quit a dive 25 mins later because he keep going on his own like it was a race. No more buddies for me until I can find a good reliable buddy that knows how to take care of himself like I do, then I will have a buddy, I am a Solo diver because I feel more relax and safe than with somebody that will put my life at risk.

Only time I use a buddy is during a night dive, and is my instructor that is my friend. I am getting ready to complete 100 dives to jump into Divecon. Some of these divers here on the island do not do any planning, they just get out there, some do not even know how to use the deco tables or even have a logbook. I stay away from them, is just an accident waiting to happen. But if I am near by and see a diver in trouble, I will help him to the best of my knowledge and try to safe his/her life.

 

[on_two_wheels]

BEING the insta-buddy you should have thick enough skin to handle something as benign as being called an insta-buddy.
I know for sure that I wouldnt travel alone to far away places if I didnt have a minimum of confidence..

As someone else pointed out, that was what I was getting at. On those dives, I was an insta-buddy, too. There's never ONE insta-buddy.

No it's not, a brown haired woman is a brunette. How about if you called her an Insta-Friend if you'd just met her?

If she went from blond to brunette and the term occurred to me, I'd absolute say she's an insta-brunette. There have been people I've told, "we were instantly friends." So is shortening the word the problem? Should I actually just say "instant buddy?"

Buddy is generally a US term. We other non-US people that dive know a buddy to be a dive partner before a 'friend'. So if you refer to a buddy as a dive partner AND also a friend, there must be some division when explaining this to people (I'm diving with my buddy) could be confused as you diving with your friend.

You speak for the world except the US? Does the Greek insta-buddy I had a few weeks ago (that was a great buddy) know the non-US requirement to call me a dive partner first?

Does Insta-Buddy deal with this? Well, you're still referring to them as a friend - Instant Friend. So you're not really explaining your instant pairing up with a dive partner on a dive very well.

I beg to differ. I say insta-buddy, EVERYONE on this forum knows what I'm referring to. All the evidence I need to know that it explains an instant pairing of two divers.

Why is Insta-buddy derogatory? Take the buddy out of it, and you have Insta. What do we call Insta stuff, generally instant creating or making substances usually of a lower or poor quality that we could usually generate a higher or better standard doing it the long way.

Examples are Instant soup (better than home made?)
Instant beef curry.
Instant Coffee.....

What about instant results? Instant response? Reacting in an instant? Instant rebates? Or does it have to be food?

Please lets not get all coy and innocent by saying, it's just a word, we all know the implied meaning.

In the diving world, which is where we are, a buddy is a buddy, regardless of how long you have known him or her.

Really? So someone has a buddy they met during OW class and 50 years later are still diving with him/her, they shouldn't call them a life-long buddy?



I personally don't give a toss, but I just don't like to see devisions of diving folk beating up on others. We're all in the same industry and should support and help each other, not squabble and come up with cute names to belittle others.

We do....by sharing stories, identifying weak links between TWO people. In this case, mine was insufficient communication. His was lack of teamwork underwater.


As a test... show me a thread that mentions Insta-Buddy with a positive story and I'll show you the amount of threads with negative tones.

You are WAY to analytical for me. Holy crap. Hopefully referring to you as analytical wasn't offensive. I apologize in advance if it were.

 

[Jax]

How many buddies are there?

Insta-buddies - not a pre-arranged buddy
buddy - someone you chose to dive with
regular buddy - someone you dive with regularly
warm-water buddy - the one that won't dive that cold-azz water with you
fair-weather buddy - the one that won't dive that lousy weather / frisky seas with you
spousal buddy - you're married to your buddy
just-friends buddy - making it clear there is no relationship
f****ing buddy - whoa, he made a BIG mistake
SOSD buddy - same ocean, same day buddy - two solo divers who team up for the convenience of the crew

Anything else?

 

[D_B]

you left out one


nobudy .... the one who doesn't dive any more

 

[cruiser]

How many buddies are there?

Insta-buddies - not a pre-arranged buddy
buddy - someone you chose to dive with
regular buddy - someone you dive with regularly
warm-water buddy - the one that won't dive that cold-azz water with you
fair-weather buddy - the one that won't dive that lousy weather / frisky seas with you
spousal buddy - you're married to your buddy
just-friends buddy - making it clear there is no relationship
f****ing buddy - whoa, he made a BIG mistake
SOSD buddy - same ocean, same day buddy - two solo divers who team up for the convenience of the crew

Anything else?

Yes. Buddies-with-benefits

 

[Garth]

At some point the person you get in the water with becomes a liability..

 

[Jax]

At some point the person you get in the water with becomes a liability..

Agreed. Since one assumes one would not dive with a liability often, it becomes almost by definition the liability would be an insta-buddy.

I've had a few insta-buddies. That's why I took the solo diver class -- so I can save myself when paired with an insta-buddy.

 

[on_two_wheels]

Jax....dig the list!! Funny!