Small Potatoes, but...

[Cacia]

Well, it could happen inside a wreck even with a DIR diver, I am guessing.
I have always considered this an important thing to think through and at least imagine certain circumstances where it might be "you or me", and if you could, under certain circumstances be "okay" with choosing yourself.

I think divers who are around a lot of "other" divers regularly (like Diver Dennis, for example) have to come to terms with this early on, but even DIR divers could panic deep inside the bowels of a wreck or a cave. In that case, being a woman or a small person and having to face being physically overcome, and having your air TAKEN should at least be given some pre-diving thought, IMO.

but not switching the faceplates of the regs.

yes...I am sure of it. I happen to think it might be more important than which hand the light is in...but that is why I was asking you all.
Also, reg repair guys often have a drawer full of those faceplates, if anybody wants to drive the equation a bit, getting changed over.

Cause, frankly, it bothers me to see this, not sure why. Okay..it looks silly and that color screams "grab me".

 

[rjack321]

I think we're all in accord that color coding of regs (for any purpose) is not within the confines of "DIR" diving. Of course, some will, but that is neither here nor there.

What you could be witnessing is just a matter of people switching their tradtional regulator setup (octo w/yellow cover) to a hogarthian style (long hose and bungee), but not switching the faceplates of the regs.

What was their octo is now their bungee necklace, and the yellow cover remains.

My single tank rig is configured this way. If they try and hang me with my necklace, that's fine I still have the long hose. Otherwise they will have my long hose in their face and are not likely to be lunging for my yellow necklace.

On my doubles rig, I have a yellow mouthpeice on my backup reg. Its just the color I had when I installed it. I am not afraid of being mugged by an OW diver because of that little yellow piece of silicon.

I don't enter overhead environments with people I suspect might panick. When I do enter them, unless they are quite shallow, I take helium mixes to reduce the likelihood of stress induced panic (narcosis, over working/breathing, CO2 buildup, etc.)

Making all my gear the same color never occured to me to be important.

 

[lamont]

Well, it could happen inside a wreck even with a DIR diver, I am guessing.
I have always considered this an important thing to think through and at least imagine certain circumstances where it might be "you or me", and if you could, under certain circumstances be "okay" with choosing yourself.

I think divers who are around a lot of "other" divers regularly (like Diver Dennis, for example) have to come to terms with this early on, but even DIR divers could panic deep inside the bowels of a wreck or a cave. In that case, being a woman or a small person and having to face being physically overcome, and having your air TAKEN should at least be given some pre-diving thought, IMO.

If we're in the bowels of a wreck and its a teammate panicking, I'm probably going to go down swinging. I'll probably give them the benefit of the doubt that they can reacquire their **** right up until the point when its too late. That might seem foolish, but since they're there with me, I know what their training is and I'd bet on it reasserting itself and I generally don't buy the "know when to leave your buddy behind" approach to diving (okay, if you're a mile back in a cave and your buddy has a CVA and hasn't been blowing any bubbles for 10 minutes its time to leave them and save yourself...).

 

[Cacia]

I am not afraid of being mugged by an OW diver because of that little yellow piece of silicon

Are you a big guy? Because I have always found that men (or people) who have never been overpowered think this way.

I could get "mugged" in many of the wrecks I have been in, because I have little control over who else comes in...don't know about yours. We can't make reservations anywhere I have been. Could you not imagine even a DIR diver deciding to take your air (not because it is neon, obviously)
deep in the confines of a wreck, facing certain death and hypoxic deranged thinking?
Certainly, this is a two-pronged conversation and I don't think the color matters much. For me, it just looks all wrong, I can get over it.

The other point though is that I was wondering if DIR divers were prepared for this possibilty, psychologicaly, or if they believed their training precluded this possible final moments "scenario" of our most primal survival instinct?

Have you all heard stories of final moments inside confines, as told by survivors? And do the advanced DIR explorers address these topics in their training? If so..what is said?

I know mountain climbers do discuss these things a lot, for example. (who gets the last of the Morphine, the O2, etc)

I'm asking in DIR, because I want to know the DIR answer.

I don't enter overhead environments with people I suspect might panick

Great idea, but anybody can panic, I noticed working emergency air transport
Sometimes, it is the person you would least expect, the "control-freak" that suddenly realizes they have NO control, for one example.

if you're a mile back in a cave and your buddy has a CVA and hasn't been blowing any bubbles for 10 minutes its time to leave them and save yourself...).

well, the easy ones are...easy. But I appreciated your other scenario thinking, about giving some more benefit of the doubt to a point, than others, that is what I was inquiring about. Also wondering if there was an "official philosophy" from DIR. Because Triage is based on certain discrete principles and a hierarchy for example.

 

[Jason B]

I happen to think it might be more important than which hand the light is in...

Why? You can scooter and donate gas without blinding your buddy with a yellow face plate on your reg.


As for getting "mugged" of your reg... it's a none issue. Your back-up is an inch or two under your chin. Body size doesn't play a part in that scenario.

 

[riguerin]

yea, I am speaking of the reg cover itself, not the bungee, sorry for the confusion.

My guess is that these are singles rigs ? If so, then a likely scenario is that these folks purchased a primary 1st and 2nd stage (with normal black cover plate) and a separate octo for the back up 2nd stage.

Most octo 2nd stages come stock with a high biz yellow cover plate of some sort. I guess you could could go through the trouble of buying a black cover plate, but as others have pointed out it really doesn't matter.

 

[Cacia]

but as others have pointed out it really doesn't matter.

Body size doesn't play a part in that scenario.

okay, thanks for your answers.

 

[rjack321]

Are you a big guy? Because I have always found that men (or people) who have never been overpowered think this way..

I don't think so. 5' 8" 145#. I just don't think someone is going to overpower me because of a yellow faceplace on my single tank rig or a yellow mouthpiece on my doubles backup. Lots of other possibilties for mugging, but color seems unimportant.

I could get "mugged" in many of the wrecks I have been in, because I have little control over who else comes in...don't know about yours. We can't make reservations anywhere I have been.

I don't dive off cattle boats. Could another boat show up (or already be there) and dump a bunch of divers while I'm in the water and one of them go OOA and mug me? I suppose. But that's not one of my fears. I rarely ever see another diver UW here.

 

[Cacia]

Lots of other possibilties for mugging, but color seems unimportant.

I wasn't asking regarding the color...sorry I was discussing two things at once. I was discussing "unorganized thinking and the primal instinct" and your training philosophy.

Many of the wrecks (In Truk,... Oriskany, etc) do have various groups of divers arriving at unknow times, often not on cattle boats.

I dive off my own boat (hardly a cattle boat)and have had divers enter a wreck long after me, it makes me a little nervous.

Could another boat show up (or already be there) and dump a bunch of divers while I'm in the water and one of them go OOA and mug me?

DIR divers have a different circumstance, is that what you are stating?
How do you assure yourselves that other divers don't enter a given wreck once your team is in there? Obviously, if you are doing dives at 250ft or so, your chances of running into other divers diminishes, ..are you?

Because if you came here and dived the Sea Tiger and went to the engine room or the Fish Holds (127 at the sand)...good ol' Al 80 divers could be joining you, cattle boat or kayak. And often there is one way out and it is a very tight squeeze. (especially for you in doubles)

Sounds like you have it all figured out...I sure don't have this scenario satisfactory yet so I was intersted in the DIR perspective for this issue. Part of the fun is getting good at guessing what the possible/likely pitfalls are, outside the box. Unknown divers penetrating behind me is a real concern that I have.

 

[Vayu]

Catherine I don't see why the color would matter one way or the other. I have seen pink regs and its fine by me. I think the conversation about refusing to air share is silly. Its hard to argue about hypotheticals but my bet is you are going to take a risk for the other person that happens to be on the verge of drowning. If you still refuse airshare it is likely they will knife you. As humans and divers we have to work togethor and if you are in the position to help someone underwater I think you should try.