PADI?

[tursiops]

This sort of thing happens with other agencies too, but since PADI is the biggest most of the stories will be about PADI.

Yep.

 

[tursiops]

Doesn't PADI offer a specialty for answering this exact question?

Don't give'em any ideas!!

Greed primary among them. For example, seemingly useless certifications offered by PADI seem to support the idea. Zombie Apocalypse Diver is the most obvious one. Boat Diver certification, Shore Diver certification etc.

I hope you guys realize that most of the specialities people make fun of are not actually PADI specialites, but rather are written by individuals and shops. All PADI does is make sure that "distinctive" specialty is neither technically incorrect nor dangerous, and then issues the card...for a fee, of course! Even the real specialty of boat diver, which was indeed laughable in its original form, has been revised to be fairly interesting and worthwhile. So go ahead and make fun of the dive shops doing the Zombie Apocalypse distinctive specialty, but apparently it fills a need or it would not still exist.

 

[Graeme Fraser]

No agency has a monopoly on good, or not so good, instructors. People openly and regularly disparaging an agency are usually compensating for their own issues or lack of experience.

Many instructors are multi-agency, teaching very similar curriculums. We don't switch from good to bad (or visa versa) depending on the certifying organisation.

Let your dive skills speak for themselves.

 

[ginti]

I hope you guys realize that most of the specialities people make fun of are not actually PADI specialites, but rather are written by individuals and shops. All PADI does is make sure that "distinctive" specialty is neither technically incorrect nor dangerous, and then issues the card...for a fee, of course! Even the real specialty of boat diver, which was indeed laughable in its original form, has been revised to be fairly interesting and worthwhile. So go ahead and make fun of the dive shops doing the Zombie Apocalypse distinctive specialty, but apparently it fills a need or it would not still exist.

Sometimes people forget that the main thing with diving is fun, and for most divers activities that are demanding in terms of skills simply requires too much effort.

Nothing wrong to make people pay if you make them have fun. Don't we pay in the end for cinema/Netflix, or for a cocktail in a fancy bar, or any other thing even if it does not improve our skills? It's just for the sake of having fun, and it's perfectly fine if it's safe

 

[Manatee Diver]

Unless they are from GUE, almost no one talks about their cert agency on a boat. (Just kidding, don't flame me)

How do you know if you are diving with a GUE diver? Don't worry about that, they will tell you.

 

[AfterDark]

I hope you guys realize that most of the specialities people make fun of are not actually PADI specialites, but rather are written by individuals and shops. All PADI does is make sure that "distinctive" specialty is neither technically incorrect nor dangerous, and then issues the card...for a fee, of course! Even the real specialty of boat diver, which was indeed laughable in its original form, has been revised to be fairly interesting and worthwhile. So go ahead and make fun of the dive shops doing the Zombie Apocalypse distinctive specialty, but apparently it fills a need or it would not still exist.

Yes, I realize that PADI will do almost anything to generate income, especially if all they need to do is thumbs up or thumbs down and print a card paid for by the diver who also pays PADI cut of the action, Yeah I get it. What P.T. Barnum said.

 

[tursiops]

Yes, I realize that PADI will do almost anything to generate income, especially if all they need to do is thumbs up or thumbs down and print a card paid for by the diver who also pays PADI cut of the action, Yeah I get it. What P.T. Barnum said.

You appear to be making some assumptions....
I wrote a distinctive specialty in Coral Identification. PADI had it reviewed by at least two people, and gave me some useful suggestions on how to improve it. They added value....not exactly a thumbs up or down approach.

 

[Ironman]

No agency has a monopoly on good, or not so good, instructors. People openly and regularly disparaging an agency are usually compensating for their own issues or lack of experience.

TRUE! The cockier they are, the less I have any interest in being around them in the water.

PADI dive training is every bit as good, or as bad, as the individual Instructor AND the individual student make it. I have worked with some very good divers certified by PADI, by NAUI, by SDI/TDI. I have also dove with some atrociously incompetent divers, certified PADI, by NAUI, by SDI/TDI. I don't see that the agency makes a particular difference. What the diver does with what they learn - THAT does make a difference.

 

[Streydog]

Unless they are from GUE, almost no one talks about their cert agency on a boat. (Just kidding, don't flame me)

They don't have to say anything, they are the ones that look like they are not having fun.

 

[AfterDark]

You appear to be making some assumptions....
I wrote a distinctive specialty in Coral Identification. PADI had it reviewed by at least two people, and gave me some useful suggestions on how to improve it. They added value....not exactly a thumbs up or down approach.

Oh I see.