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Well, its not rocket science. Given all the crazy things youve seen divers do, how often do you see 'em get hurt? Zero!
Yah, some newly certified divers look horrible and some are accidents waiting to happen, but they come back, get more training and continue to dive and improve. Most of the new certs that are dangerous have enough sense to know it. Theyll stick with us (diving with the shop as customers) until they're safer and more confident.
These are a couple of things that I often hear from other well meaning instructors. None sound good and you can make endless arguments that will point out how ridiculous these things are. But its weird that in the real world of diving how often they hold true (at least in my experience).
The typical newly certified divers that I see are generally safe and arent particularly anxious, apprehensive, inept, or stupid although some certainly are. And, of course, these few are the ones that consume most of the energy of the staff. The new certs that I worry about are the ones that have an unsafe attitude, are physically unfit to dive, or are just simply uncomfortable in the water.
This, I think, points out another weakness in the PADI program. I suspect that PADI obligates its instructors to certify ALL students who satisfactorily perform all of the performance requirements because it helps shift the liability from the instructor to the agency. (Although Im sure some would argue that this is done because of financial considerations, I would disagree.) This also serves to limit the subjective approval of the instructor decreasing possible conflicts over who gets and who doesnt get certified. But this allows the possibility for the instructor to certify students that he or she feels may be unsafe.
And as a result I often hear this;
There are a few divers that Ive certified that I know are gonna kill themselves but Ive followed all the PADI standards and they have performed all the requirements satisfactorily. I had to cert them. PADI says so.
SA
Yah, some newly certified divers look horrible and some are accidents waiting to happen, but they come back, get more training and continue to dive and improve. Most of the new certs that are dangerous have enough sense to know it. Theyll stick with us (diving with the shop as customers) until they're safer and more confident.
These are a couple of things that I often hear from other well meaning instructors. None sound good and you can make endless arguments that will point out how ridiculous these things are. But its weird that in the real world of diving how often they hold true (at least in my experience).
The typical newly certified divers that I see are generally safe and arent particularly anxious, apprehensive, inept, or stupid although some certainly are. And, of course, these few are the ones that consume most of the energy of the staff. The new certs that I worry about are the ones that have an unsafe attitude, are physically unfit to dive, or are just simply uncomfortable in the water.
This, I think, points out another weakness in the PADI program. I suspect that PADI obligates its instructors to certify ALL students who satisfactorily perform all of the performance requirements because it helps shift the liability from the instructor to the agency. (Although Im sure some would argue that this is done because of financial considerations, I would disagree.) This also serves to limit the subjective approval of the instructor decreasing possible conflicts over who gets and who doesnt get certified. But this allows the possibility for the instructor to certify students that he or she feels may be unsafe.
And as a result I often hear this;
There are a few divers that Ive certified that I know are gonna kill themselves but Ive followed all the PADI standards and they have performed all the requirements satisfactorily. I had to cert them. PADI says so.
SA
