Safer than bowling?

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There are all kinds of lulls into false senses of security in diving. The bowling comparison, spare-air, DIR, bungee this, gizmo that,

oh...you forgot "buddies".
 
jponline77:
during my OW class, my instructor says "Diving is safer than bowling, it is proven less injuries than bowling."

you have to admit, not too many people drop a bowling bowl on their toes while scuba diving ....

on the other hand, i think Hurricane Katrina was the first (and last) time someone drowned in a bowling alley ...

:14:
 
Originally Posted by Walter
An instructor who lies with those numbers is asking for trouble. A diver assumes a risk when he begins to dive. If he's unaware of the risk, he cannot assume it. One of an instructor's duties is to fairly explain the risks of diving. You should be told of swimmers ear and many other issues including, but not limited to, DCS, pneumothorax, and AGE.

Tell it like it is, Walter!
i.e. I HAVE READ THIS AGREEMENT, I UNDERSTAND IT, I AGREE TO BE BOUND BY IT.

prior to beginning training, it's required, so there's no place for an analogy like this instructor has made.

Originally Posted by Grateful Diver
To my concern, the number one risk in diving is stress ... and that can be a topic for a discussion onto itself ...

I'm in Bobs Boat!
Stress, (or as I stress :eyebrow: ) panic, is the MAJOR cause that leads to accidents.

Ron sums it up quite nicely and to the point:

The risks are real, the danger is real, and all divers must understand the risks in order to make safe dive plans, and maybe more importantly identify problem situations, and either avoid them, or deal with them in a way that does not result in injury or death.

On most dives the experience is fun, relaxing, and enjoyable. However it's important to not gain a false sense of safety just because things generally go well. Divers must always be aware of the danger of being in an environment where we can not live for more than a couple minutes without air. DCS is real, panic kills, and safety must always be a priority. Even minor ear problems can lead to disorientation, panic, and death in water that is not all that deep.



tony
 
Try Googling "diving safer than bowling" and you'll be amazed at the number of sites where this "statistic" is quoted. By the way, for you logic fans, this is a great example of an inductive fallacy wherein two dissimilar groups (bowlers and divers) are compared on a point (mortality) without regard for uncontrolled factors (age, health, habits, etc). This sort of fallacy is a staple of "junk science."
 
I smashed myself on the ankle bowling last week with a 14lb ball, which was way worse than anything I've ever done diving...
 
There are lies, damn lies, and statistics...the numbers to which you are referring only show number of injuries per 10,000 participants. While on a numbers basis, there are less injuries in diving than bowling (and a whole host of other sports), it's the magnitude of those injuries (as others have stated) that aren't shown. That being said, its only a chart, and presents mere and bare facts, so its up to the individual person to care or not care and to do further research if they care that much...
 

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