Seeking Opinions on Troubling Incident

[scubadude79]

If at some point this summer I return to that quarry, I will personally speak to the owner about the incident... Shop owner to shop owner.

I think a phone call is more appropriate, as this probably should be addresses immediately. If this instructor is allowed a pass on this incident, then he may do this to the wrong guy and could get someone (if not himself) killed in a panic.

 

[Andy077]

This must not be that important to you if you're going to wait until summer to talk with the other owner. I would get this cleared up while it's still fresh in everyone's mind.

I'm going to second this, if you're ever going to mention it to the other shop, do it today. These things don;t last, and you will be better able to make your point without answering the question "Why did you wait so long"

As for me, I probably would have waited until he surfaced and fed him his teeth.

 

[ScubaSteve]

I would personally have no issue going back to that quarry because I would have had my words with that specific instructor before I left that day. I am not an instructor but if I was, I would have done this out of visual or earshot of the students. I would have then told them that it had been resolved and that it was inexcusable etc.. If the other Instructor failed to cooperate, teeth may have been fed but more than likely I would pushed for an assault charge against them.

 

[DevonDiver]

1. As a student, how would you feel if that happened to you and what would you want done about it?
- As an instructor - I would be furious. The matter would be resolved afterwards, in private and out of the water.

2. As an Instructor, would you ever do such a thing and if so, what justification do you think you have to do so in a public quarry.
There's never a need for aggression underwater. Depending on the mental state of the student involved, this could have led to an accident.

3. Had you been our Instructor in this incident, what would you have done underwater at the time of the incident or later after the incident if given the opportunity?
- Underwater - nothing. I would move my students away from the jerk. After the dive I would use the incident as a case study for my students to teach the dangers of choosing an unprofessional dive educator.

I would find the individual responsible, if I could, and let them know that I would be filing both an incident report and a QA complaint to the relevant agency. I would also encourage the student to file a legal action for assault - or whatever higher charge could be construed (given the dangers of assault underwater). I would write a witness testimony to support that legal action and appear as a witness if invited.


4. Would any of you go back to that quarry if you knew the assaulting Instructor was an Instructor working at that quarry's dive shop?
If the person involved was a representative/employee of a diving company, I would certainly write a formal letter to that companies owner, informing them of the behaviour and unprofessionalism of their staff. I would also inform them of the legal and organizational steps I would be taking because of the incident. The response from the owner of that company would determine whether I frequented their premises again.

 

[don Francisco]

I'm neither an instructor nor student, but like others, consider an unprovoked assault to be a serious offense above or under the water. Afterwards, on the surface, I'd make it absolutely clear to the instructor in question that the next similar incident would result in the filing of both a criminal and civil complaint.

 

[fisheater]

Please don't wait to talk to the offending instructor's shop. The passage of time won't help.

You're a shop owner yourself. Wouldn't YOU want to know if one of your employees was acting unprofessionally, sullying your shop's reputation and opening you up for potential legal issues?

 

[diver 85]

With no water around, that would be assalt----don't know what it'll be with water(all around)...


In reality, no one was injured---I(ie YOU as owner of your dive shop) would have called up the instructor that did the shoving & 'talk' to him--99% chance things would be 100% 'ironed out'...ie 99.5% chance no need to do anything more than that......

Remember chips on shoulders sometimes get knocked off ...

 

[diver 85]

That's assault. File the reports, get the student to bring a charge. Instructors do not behave like that. He'll think twice before pulling such a stunt again.

That's a slam dunk for Judge Judy----my Mother dvr's most, hope I don't miss this one, will have to give her the head's up on it....

 

[diver 85]

sparticlebrain.......sorry you just described battery--> "assault?

Are you kidding me? That wasn't assault. Assault is someone coming after you with a knife or maybe beating your brains in. This was someone shoving...but I'd hardly call it assault."

 

[DevonDiver]

sparticlebrain.......sorry you just described battery--> "assault?

Are you kidding me? That wasn't assault. Assault is someone coming after you with a knife or maybe beating your brains in. This was someone shoving...but I'd hardly call it assault."

It was underwater.

It was an uncertified diver.

The psycological effects of 'battery' underwater may be completely different to those experienced on land.

Push someone backwards on land and they may be upset. Underwater they may fear for their life. On the girder of a high rise building construction it would be murder.

Pulling a reg forecfully out of someone's mouth on land may be battery. Doing it underwater may be attempted murder.

It would be interesting to know if any cases exist that differentiate severity of crime based on the location - especially in regard to underwater on scuba.