Question SCUBA, the self-policing industry

[Sea_Jay]

There are plenty of "adventure hobbies" that are treated just like scuba in the US. Skateboarding, kite boarding, rock climbing, mountain biking, road cycling, etc. Some locations have laws & regulations as to where and sometimes how they are conducted, but the hobby itself is not regulated. Why should it be? I don't need the government to protect me from myself. I do not care to live in a nanny state. I take the risks, I bear the responsibilities as to the potential outcomes.

“Some locations…”

I’ve never heard of a skateboarding certification, or a kiteboarding certification, or a rock climbing certification, or a mountain biking certification, or a road cycling certification?

Yet SCUBA certification exists, and to the tune of a very pretty penny for most of your average people.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

“I think you might find that in some countries rules exist around diving.

Even in the USA, we have rules about hydro testing cylinders before driving down the highway.”

Rules vs. laws…the former is expected to be followed. The latter has consequences. Rules exist within the USA and other countries regarding the use of SCUBA. I haven’t found one single law on the books — worldwide, regarding diving. DOT regulates transport of high pressure cylinders in the USA but as someone who lives in the USA and holds a CDL (commercial drivers license) I can tell you from experience that the DOT regulations are largely unenforced UNLESS there is a catastrophic situation. This only applies to the transport of gas cylinders, in my experience. You are FAR MORE LIKELY to be asked for a pre-trip inspection log, or for a driving log, than to be hassled about cylinders on your truck. Nobody is watching this, which is the root of my post.

There are laws in Florida (and many other states) requiring the use of dive flags while diving be it scuba or free diving. There are also laws, most of them local, regarding when you can shore dive at certain parks such as Phil Foster Park in Riviera Beach. Those are laws that, to an extent, regulate elements of scuba diving.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

“Some locations…”

I’ve never heard of a skateboarding certification, or a kiteboarding certification, or a rock climbing certification, or a mountain biking certification, or a road cycling certification?

Yet SCUBA certification exists, and to the tune of a very pretty penny for most of your average people.

The certifications exist to protect businesses that rent/sell gear, offer fills, run charter boats, etc. They don't exist primarily for the diver. They are not a legal requirement. So I believe we are violently agreeing.

 

[Sea_Jay]

There are laws in Florida (and many other states) requiring the use of dive flags while diving be it scuba or free diving. There are also laws, most of them local, regarding when you can shore dive at certain parks such as Phil Foster Park in Riviera Beach. Those are laws that, to an extent, regulate elements of scuba diving.

I respectfully disagree, strongly. The dive flag only indicates that someone from your vessel is underwater, or on the surface. It has *nothing* to do with scuba diving or the related regulations. If I take my boat out into open water, decide I want to cool off, and jump in the water...am I required to have a flag? Let's say I am out in the fishing grounds. Apples to Oranges.

 

[Sea_Jay]

The certifications exist to protect businesses that rent/sell gear, offer fills, run charter boats, etc. They don't exist primarily for the diver. They are not a legal requirement. So I believe we are violently agreeing.

So this begs the question (and I am purely playing devil's advocate here...) why the skateparks don't offer/require a cert? The companies that sell the rigging for kites? The National Park which hosts the rock formation which people climb, at their own risk? The mountain biking trail with advanced paths? Don't get me started on the "road cyclists" LOL

 

[Mod63]

I haven’t found one single law on the books — worldwide, regarding diving.

France has various decrets and arrettes regulating diving, to the extend that a PADI certificate is useless.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

I respectfully disagree, strongly. The dive flag only indicates that someone from your vessel is underwater, or on the surface. It has *nothing* to do with scuba diving or the related regulations. If I take my boat out into open water, decide I want to cool off, and jump in the water...am I required to have a flag? Let's say I am out in the fishing grounds. Apples to Oranges.

I'll respectfully disagree ... strongly as well. In good spirits. What are you doing underwater if you're not diving, free or scuba?

 

[ofg-1]

I'll respectfully disagree ... strongly as well. In good spirits. What are you doing underwater if you're not diving, free or scuba?

Drowning?

On the flip side of this discussion, who and what type of regulations would you suggest? Who would enforce them? What would make you think that they would be any more effective than what you have now?

You just can't regulate morons. They are everywhere, look around, I'm sure you know a few.

 

[admikar]

Are you saying that you're aware of international laws prohibiting access to SCUBA?

Croatia's Sea law's sublevel delves into this.
You are required to have valid cert and can be fined up to 600 euros.

 

[boulderjohn]

I respectfully disagree, strongly. The dive flag only indicates that someone from your vessel is underwater, or on the surface. It has *nothing* to do with scuba diving or the related regulations. If I take my boat out into open water, decide I want to cool off, and jump in the water...am I required to have a flag?

Local laws do indeed require the use of dive flags in certain areas, and if you are caught diving without a flag, you can be fined. That is true of pretty much all the bodies of water in Colorado where I dive, and it is true in South Florida where I dive.

When I was a new DM in Colorado, I finished setting up the instructional platform where we were diving by myself and then came in to shore just as the rangers who ruled the lake left. If they had seen me while I was coming in, they would have fined me $100 for diving without a flag, and they would have fined me an additional $100 for diving without a buddy.

Certain areas in Australia require divers to carry a snorkel. When I dived there, I carried a flexible one I could fold up and put in my pocket.