Thank heavens for PADI

[durian]

Whatever. Padi gets picked on because they are the biggest, that's the only reason, not because they have wronged any of you in any way. If SSI was the biggest, you see Acronyms like Sucky Scuba Instructors, NAUI's Not Another Underwater Idiot, or GUEs Grand Undertrained Exagerationists. The lion gets the lions share. There's nothing wrong with PADI that isn't wrong with EVERY other agency.

In my novice opinion I would agree. I think PADI is disliked because it is the super-power among the agencies. It has the greatest GDP and so is closely scrutinized and scorned. I did not choose PADI because it seemed to be the easy and shortest route to my diving goals. I chose it because it appeared everywhere. Were I to go to another agency it would have been a task in Koh Samui where I did my OW. I would go back to an earlier argument that the impetus is on the Instructor to deliver high quality instruction!

Today, with my hand over my regulator, I stand proud as the PADI flag is being raised!!!!!!!

 

[Jewelz]

No, sorry I wasn't clear. There were 8-10 in my class, but we were sharing the pool with another class of about 8, which when you factor in an instructor and DM per class that equals 20 in a very small pool.

 

[Allison Finch]

I have to agree with the gist of this posting. I started diving longer ago that many on this board are old, and there was no PADI. The training was long and very thorough. I was a well trained diver when I finished. Many of the techniques I was taught are now considered "risky". Well, they are for divers taught by todays standards. PADI was a real joke when they first started. They were not the biggest then and everyone was leery of their techniques. Over time, however, they cleaned up their act a little. Then they decided to train people for $$ increments. To get the training that used to be consider "basic" you have to take all of their add-on cources for mega dollars. This has done the industry a disservice. People who don't have the money to take all the ad-ons, might decide to quit on their basic training. This training is dangerously inadequate. PERIOD!

 

[Lawman]

I have to agree with the gist of this posting. I started diving longer ago that many on this board are old, and there was no PADI. The training was long and very thorough. I was a well trained diver when I finished. Many of the techniques I was taught are now considered "risky". Well, they are for divers taught by todays standards. PADI was a real joke when they first started. They were not the biggest then and everyone was leery of their techniques. Over time, however, they cleaned up their act a little. Then they decided to train people for $$ increments. To get the training that used to be consider "basic" you have to take all of their add-on cources for mega dollars. This has done the industry a disservice. People who don't have the money to take all the ad-ons, might decide to quit on their basic training. This training is dangerously inadequate. PERIOD!

That problem is easily solved. Have instructors teach more and charge less. Then everybody will get the training they need at lower prices.
What do you instructors think about that?

 

[scubadoguk]

That problem is easily solved. Have instructors teach more and charge less. Then everybody will get the training they need at lower prices.
What do you instructors think about that?

Start a Club like BSAC! they do not charge other than fee's for due's.
Could be thats why it's called Professional not free??

 

[MikeFerrara]

That problem is easily solved. Have instructors teach more and charge less. Then everybody will get the training they need at lower prices.
What do you instructors think about that?

I think what the dive industry needs is less expensive attourneys. LOL

 

[Lawman]

I think what the dive industry needs is less expensive attourneys. LOL

Lawman sweeps out high prices! Divorce? Child custody? Drunk driving? We will not be undersold!! Six months same as cash!! Walk up one flight and save big buck$$$$$ at Lawmans Law Office & Scuba Emporium!!!!!

 

[Mako Mark]

I think what the dive industry needs is less expensive attourneys. LOL

If it wasnt for Lawyers... we wouldnt need them...

what do you call 100 lawyers at the bottom of the sea??

.

 

[H2Andy]

what do you call 100 lawyers at the bottom of the sea??

your average PADI OW class?

 

[zboss]

Jep,

You've got to ask yourself- if PADI really taught this stuff correctly from day one what this industry might look like now. What would the divers look like now?

They introduced you and everyone else to cheap and easy. Not quality. If they had some inkling of how to teach diving, you wouldn't be saying "geez, that's not good enough" because you, and everyone else going thru that system would be trained to a much higher level to start out with.

It's all about the cash.

Yes, I know it's a troll, but it's too ugly to ignore!

I wish everyone would stop bashing PADI. American's put thousands of teenagers on american highways without so much as a nod.

BTW - there is no law that you even NEED to get certified to be a diver. You can order all your equipment off the internet, including a compressor if you are so inclined, and go dive on off the beach without ever having to take a dive class. The fact that there are even agencies out there that make it easy for people to get some training inexpensively is a win for the entire industry. HOw many other sports do you know where there is a general agreement among eveyone on the industry that you should get some training before participating in the sport? Go see how many people break their necks every year on Ski slopes and compare that to how many people experience injuries and deaths while diving.

Besides... with PADI cranking out customers it creates a steady flow of potential customers for other certifiying agencies. I bet if you dug deep enough you would find that PADI divers, that dive often, go on to get even more training then their counterparts that start in other training agencies.