Scuba Schools of America/Rusty Berry

[Ben_ca]

Lina,
Thanks for speaking up and warning everyone. So if they are verifying your response/entry.. and others who posted negative comments I wonder if they also vet positive ones? I wouldn't be surprised if there were a sock puppet or two in there (besides his friends)

BV

Yes, mine was removed because I still have a pending complaint. However, a friend of mine had hers removed even after she verified to BBB that she had dealings with the company. They removed it last week pending verification, she sent the information they requested, it was reposted and now it's gone again. She's pissed and already emailed the guy at BBB who asked her to authenticate who she was.

My account was suspended for an unknown reason and I can't wait to call them tomorrow and really let them have it. I couldn't even review because of the pending complaint and they still suspended my account.

 

[Codyjp]

Who uses the BBB anymore when there is:

Yelp.com
citysearch.com
maps.google.com (possibly the most effective)
facebook
etc...

It hasn't even crossed my mind to visit the BBB for reviews. Time to move on to more productive fruits.

 

[Lina77]

Who uses the BBB anymore when there is:

Yelp.com
citysearch.com
maps.google.com (possibly the most effective)
facebook
etc...

It hasn't even crossed my mind to visit the BBB for reviews. Time to move on to more productive fruits.

Got Yelp and Citysearch covered...google tomorrow...I won't let him anywhere near my FB page...lol

 

[formula1mb@aol.com]

In fact there's a huge sign in front of the register that tell's you this...and on the receipts that you signed...[/B]maybe you were blind to both.

I love how he makes such a big point about look, I have signs everywhere talking about the two day return policy....as if by putting signs up, you can legally get away with anything Reminds me of the Seinfeld episode with the dry cleaner, where he left the money in his bag, goes back to get the money, and the guy responds by saying hey look at the sign----not our problem.

When someone has to go out of their way to put signs everywhere talking about their crappy return policy, that's a HUGE warning sign. The most honest and trustworthy people out there will always do what's right and not have to hide behind signs or keep repeating how great they are.


Plus am I the only who's thinking 2 day return policy, WOW that is a pretty horrible policy. Hell even Walmart gives you what, 30 or 45 days and even store credit after that? I've even bought some USED equipment from Northeastern Scuba Supply and they will still take it back after 30 days for store credit, no questions. 2 days, again wow what a joke.

 

[J.A.S.]

he mainly takes advantage of new people who don't do research and don't know what to ask. if you show him that you know enough to get past his BS, he'll shut down... but still tell you to *F* off with a smile.. he's articulate, well poised with customer service ( as well as his staff which consists of his wife ) ... in the end like most shops in that area... if you don't buy from them, they'll give you the banana in the tailpipe..... or tell you to go die at the cheap shop next door.

sorry to hear about your situation... you'll need to somehow get past student records and or solid paperwork and journal of your occurrences to win... or provide enough documentation to make a jury despise him as much the people in this thread have concluded to have you win... and please go big on the law suit .... someone needs to put a good scare to these shops

 

[diver_doug]

Plus am I the only who's thinking 2 day return policy, WOW that is a pretty horrible policy. Hell even Walmart gives you what, 30 or 45 days and even store credit after that? I've even bought some USED equipment from Northeastern Scuba Supply and they will still take it back after 30 days for store credit, no questions. 2 days, again wow what a joke.

You're not giving wal-mart enough credit. I think their return policy is 90 days and they'll take back items in almost any condition. I'm not making this up: a buddy of mine took back a vacuum at Wal-Mart with no reciept AND it had a Target sticker on the box...they still returned it! I guess the fact that it was an item they carried was good enough for them. That place is such a joke. And yeah, that whole 2 day return policy at SSA is pathetic. I wonder what constitutes 2 days; I mean if I buy it today is that 1 day, meaning I would have to return it tomorrow? Or is he a super swell guy and actually gives you a full 48 hours?

 

[padiscubapro]

Silent Dying

I was told that site is run by a guy with a bone to pic with AP and is also a competitor. BTW the people listed, are diving all different brands of CCRS.

The manner in which he presents the "recall" makes one thng the rebreather is being recalled.. They had an issue with a batch of hoses so all hoses within a certain time frame were proactively recalled.. This dd not just effect rebreather BTW..

No one has said that noone has passed.. Fact is its the most widely used CCR out there and there are alot of divers who are poorly trained and others should not be diving at all.. Go look around for the coroners inquest and other reports on the divers listed.. Many have very different conconclusions than those suggested by Alex D.
many of the deaths we casued by the diver choosing to dive with a known fault... they

The fact is that no equipment fault should cause one harm.. DIvers are trained to deal with all failires and its no different than if an OC diver ran out of air or had a free flow.. They are supposed to know how to deal with it, plus they should be carrying a fully independent breathing system.

These days I don't dive an inspiration anymore, but I have 1000s of dives on one and would not hesistate using one if one if my primary rig is unavailable.. With the proper training and experience CCRs are just as safe (and is some circumstances safer the oc) and just like OC, failure to maintain ones skill is a sure fire way to hurt oneself. That being said CCRs are not for everyone.. If you cant take the time to properly prep and maintain your OC gear you definately are not a candidate to move up to a rebreather..

 

[sneighbor]

You're not giving wal-mart enough credit. I think their return policy is 90 days and they'll take back items in almost any condition. I'm not making this up: a buddy of mine took back a vacuum at Wal-Mart with no reciept AND it had a Target sticker on the box...they still returned it! I guess the fact that it was an item they carried was good enough for them. That place is such a joke. And yeah, that whole 2 day return policy at SSA is pathetic. I wonder what constitutes 2 days; I mean if I buy it today is that 1 day, meaning I would have to return it tomorrow? Or is he a super swell guy and actually gives you a full 48 hours?

BTW Diver Doug, read your updated review at BBB - great! Oh, those "floating" mask straps he sells...they don't even float! Just to up his profit margin. What a sham.
My wife and I thought that it was unusual that the masks came without straps. But he charges $15 bucks each for those straps with his logo on them. And you either pay for it or you get a mask without a strap. Nice.
Could you imagine a new car lot pulling that same stunt? Buyer - "I'll take that car, but where are the wheels?" Salesman - "oh we throw those out, we haven't used factory wheels in 15 years. but we have some great wheels we can sell you over here...."

Sheeesh!

 

[Lina77]

I love how he makes such a big point about look, I have signs everywhere talking about the two day return policy....as if by putting signs up, you can legally get away with anything Reminds me of the Seinfeld episode with the dry cleaner, where he left the money in his bag, goes back to get the money, and the guy responds by saying hey look at the sign----not our problem.
\

Even with his signs everywhere, according to his own written guarantee, I have fulfilled everything it states and should be completely within his "standards" for a complete refund. He just claims I didn't finish the program, but won't tell me what part I didn't finish...and I have asked a few times for him to explain to me what I didn't finish. He says, you just need more time in the pool. I finished my part of the program in the pool, otherwise, I shouldn't have been out in the ocean diving.

 

[ScubaSteve]

BTW Diver Doug, read your updated review at BBB - great! Oh, those "floating" mask straps he sells...they don't even float! Just to up his profit margin. What a sham.
My wife and I thought that it was unusual that the masks came without straps. But he charges $15 bucks each for those straps with his logo on them. And you either pay for it or you get a mask without a strap. Nice.
Could you imagine a new car lot pulling that same stunt? Buyer - "I'll take that car, but where are the wheels?" Salesman - "oh we throw those out, we haven't used factory wheels in 15 years. but we have some great wheels we can sell you over here...."

Sheeesh!

I would hope that if you contacted the Mask MFR/Distributor they would take exception to this asswipe removing their straps thus rendering their product completely useless to the world. I might be wrong but nobody wants anybody making a bad name for their product and a mask with no strap is useless.....thus giving the mask a bad name.