I've interpreted multiple posts on here as DCS is "uncommon" and a "minor" issue (because it's so uncommon) and people stating that "a couple of minutes" of deco is no big deal and unlikely to cause an issue. I've interpreted multiple posts on here as stating it's "probably" okay for an OW diver to do "lite" deco.
Beau, there is absolutely nothing wrong with your approach, and I agree completely that DCS is a serious issue potentially, and for those lacking in a solid understanding of the physiology and the many other factors involved, then sticking to the "rules" is an entirely appropriate and sensible approach.
What a number of us are saying however, and @NWGrateful Diver perhaps put is best... the science of decompression is a really inexact science. Perhaps a really simple example to illustrate:
Say you take two identical twins. For a week, they eat and drink and sleep and pee and dress in exactly the same way. Your put them in identical dive gear and they dive arm in arm so their profiles are identical.
There is only one difference. Diver A is wearing Computer Brand A, known for it's conservative algorithm. Diver B is wearing computer Brand B... a "technical diving" computer and Diver B has changed the gradient factor in the computer to a fairly aggressive ratio,. He has places to go after the dive and wants to be out as soon as he can be.
These two do a normal dive to X feet for Y minutes. Diver A, with the conservative computer indicates that his NDL is getting short and thumbs the dive. Diver B, looks at his computer and it indicates that he has another 8 minutes of bottom time left, but being the good buddy, heads up, still arm and arm.
When they get to 70', a herd of Lesser Known Pygmy Hawksbill Dolphins circles them. Being rather rare, the two divers linger for a few minutes. Suddenly Diver A realizes that his computer is indicating that he now needs a mandatory 2 minute stop at 10'. Diver B's computer is still fine, and in fact his NDL is growing in leaps and bounds as they ascend.
Two minutes later, they are at 10'. Computer A shows 2 minutes of deco. Computer B shows '99' or unlimited time.
Forgetting "safety stops" for a moment, if both divers ascend to the surface at that minute, is anyone here going to tell me that Diver A is going to absolutely get bent, but Diver B is going to dance a jig on the boat, chug a beer and head in unscathed? Of course not... anything could happen. They could both be fine (and likely will be) OR, they could both get bent OR Diver B will get bent and Diver A will be fine.
And the reason for this is because the computer algorithms are AT BEST estimating what is going on in those divers bodies. And depending on who wrote the programme and how the diver set the conservancy of the computer "something" might happen, or it might not.
And that is because decompression "theory" is a really inexact science. Lot's a smart people have been trying to understand it for years and they know a LOT, but they also know that don't know everything. And then on top of that, there are researchers who are looking at really different models on how our bodies deal with being full of inert gas. Who knows, maybe 10 years from now, we will have an entirely different book of knowledge.
And I think it's important to understand that the amount of research done on DCS is pretty small, relative to the amount of research done on say heart disease, or cancer. DCS has the potential to only effect a relatively small number of people. There just aren't that many of us out there.
Truly "unearned" hits are pretty rare. Most of the time, there is some underlying cause... dehydration, exertions... something like that that provides that "a-ha" moment. I friend of mine has been taking hits of skin bends from time to time for several years. Medical investigation showed no areas of concern. Until last month when it was discovered she has TWO holes in her heart... the "a-ha" moment. She is going in to have them surgically repaired in a few weeks and should be fine to resume diving a few weeks later.
Anyway, my point is simply this... Computers and bodies are all different. Computers give us a convenient digital readout of what some programmer (who likely doesn't even dive) has coded to reflect some old guy's calculated tables,and they do an awesome job of leading us to believe that they are magically reading what's happening in our bodies, which of course they aren't doing. Until there is a transponder suppository, that you shove "where the light of day don't shine" they will remain valuable toys that help to keep us safe... but they are only offering a decent estimate.
And my second point is as good as I can offer... Don't get into deco without a thorough understanding of what's going in in your body (in theory). Period.
But also don't freak if you do cross that line. Do the best you can, but if you happen to bob to the service 1.5 minutes before you have completed your stop, do not lose your mind.