K_girl
Contributor
I read through the spearfishing forum and another link to a boater's forum. Someone posed the idea on the boater's forum that the ER doctor who was the driver of the boat responsible for this accident may have been frightened for his own life and safety of his passengers. Here is the quote:
"I agree 100% with this. What I am unclear with is the behavior of the other divers and the dive boat capt immediately after the accident. I too suspect emotions were running high, people may have said or gestured in a way they would not have otherwise. It would be understandable. Were there speaguns present? How easy is it for someone very emotional to take a dive knife and cut the teather on a spear? Maybe all of the other divers would have calmed down, maybe one with a speargun wouldn't. I don't know -- talking out of ass here. I can understand folks going emotional, I probably would have too.
After reading all that I have read about the event, and with the input from the newer members sharing information, I get the gut feeling that AFTER the accident everyone's behavior, the divers, the dive boat capt, the ER doc, all of them behaved predictably.
I tried thinking if I was in the doc's situation, was responsible for an accidentally like that, how would I behave? I would try to help UNLESS I felt threatened. In that case I would be compelled to make myself and the passengers on my boat safe. I would have to leave the accident site, and there would be nothing I could do to help. I would contact emergency professionals to notify them of the accident, that someone needed their assistance. And then I would call my lawyer to meet me at the dock to help assure I was able to properly report the accident with the appropriate authorities, to help assure I could be alcohol and drug tested to remove any doubt they were not the cause of the accident. It would have absolutely nothing to do with attempting to mitigate my responsibility for the accident, and everything to do with being sure things were done properly."
Source: Boating & Fishing Forum - Diver hit by boat
However, the point that no one made on the forum to refute this idea - you have the captain and the other divers who are busy giving instructions to divers, calling for help, getting the boat out there in a hurry, assessing the diver's injuries, applying pressure to the wounds, applying a turnicate, giving words of encouragement to the injured diver. In other words, they are completely focused on Rob and helping him survive, and they were successful. It sounds like they also took time to document, with video and still shots, the other boat's location and the actions of the driver. They don't have the time or energy to devote to threaten the driver of the boat, nor do their actions to film indicate that they had any intention of doing so. This assertion is simply unacceptable.
Also on this forum are posts by someone who appears to be a good friend of the ER doctor-driver of the boat in question. He has no idea how bad he sounds in attempting to help his friend, trying his best to blame it on the divers. If that is the position the ER doctor plans to take, he will be hated. The ER doctor who ran over Rob left the scene of the accident and called his lawyer to meet him at the dock. Not only is he an ER doctor, he is the Director of the ER!! You should read those posts by his "friend," it will infuriate you.
Here is a quote from Dr. Roger Nicosia, the boat driver who ran over Rob and left the scene:
"'Once when I was waterskiing, a boat ran over some people,' he says. 'My friend and I were taking care of those injuries and there were adults not doing anything. I brought these people in. I felt like I performed better than a lot of people.."
Source: http://www.palmbeachpost.com/health/content/health/hospitals/martin.html
What an ego - this guy obviously thought he was the hero-type. Think this guy is patting himself on the back now? Here is a picture of the Dr. Nicosia, from the same article:
"I agree 100% with this. What I am unclear with is the behavior of the other divers and the dive boat capt immediately after the accident. I too suspect emotions were running high, people may have said or gestured in a way they would not have otherwise. It would be understandable. Were there speaguns present? How easy is it for someone very emotional to take a dive knife and cut the teather on a spear? Maybe all of the other divers would have calmed down, maybe one with a speargun wouldn't. I don't know -- talking out of ass here. I can understand folks going emotional, I probably would have too.
After reading all that I have read about the event, and with the input from the newer members sharing information, I get the gut feeling that AFTER the accident everyone's behavior, the divers, the dive boat capt, the ER doc, all of them behaved predictably.
I tried thinking if I was in the doc's situation, was responsible for an accidentally like that, how would I behave? I would try to help UNLESS I felt threatened. In that case I would be compelled to make myself and the passengers on my boat safe. I would have to leave the accident site, and there would be nothing I could do to help. I would contact emergency professionals to notify them of the accident, that someone needed their assistance. And then I would call my lawyer to meet me at the dock to help assure I was able to properly report the accident with the appropriate authorities, to help assure I could be alcohol and drug tested to remove any doubt they were not the cause of the accident. It would have absolutely nothing to do with attempting to mitigate my responsibility for the accident, and everything to do with being sure things were done properly."
Source: Boating & Fishing Forum - Diver hit by boat
However, the point that no one made on the forum to refute this idea - you have the captain and the other divers who are busy giving instructions to divers, calling for help, getting the boat out there in a hurry, assessing the diver's injuries, applying pressure to the wounds, applying a turnicate, giving words of encouragement to the injured diver. In other words, they are completely focused on Rob and helping him survive, and they were successful. It sounds like they also took time to document, with video and still shots, the other boat's location and the actions of the driver. They don't have the time or energy to devote to threaten the driver of the boat, nor do their actions to film indicate that they had any intention of doing so. This assertion is simply unacceptable.
Also on this forum are posts by someone who appears to be a good friend of the ER doctor-driver of the boat in question. He has no idea how bad he sounds in attempting to help his friend, trying his best to blame it on the divers. If that is the position the ER doctor plans to take, he will be hated. The ER doctor who ran over Rob left the scene of the accident and called his lawyer to meet him at the dock. Not only is he an ER doctor, he is the Director of the ER!! You should read those posts by his "friend," it will infuriate you.
Here is a quote from Dr. Roger Nicosia, the boat driver who ran over Rob and left the scene:
"'Once when I was waterskiing, a boat ran over some people,' he says. 'My friend and I were taking care of those injuries and there were adults not doing anything. I brought these people in. I felt like I performed better than a lot of people.."
Source: http://www.palmbeachpost.com/health/content/health/hospitals/martin.html
What an ego - this guy obviously thought he was the hero-type. Think this guy is patting himself on the back now? Here is a picture of the Dr. Nicosia, from the same article:
