toodive4:It was nice to see...Tax laws sneak in here...
Afterall, the IRS & SCUBA Agencies operate the same. They both take our money because we let them... and we do nothing but complain about it and keep taking it up the old keister.
How many other jobs (other than Instructor or Dive Master) in the world do you keep paying out of your own pocket to be able to go to work and do everyday? Scuba professionals have got to rank as either the nicest people in the world or the dumbest... When you go to work you're supposed to make money - not spend it. The agencies keep requiring more and more money from their dive leaders... buy this course... give us your money so you can teach that course... buy your insurance from this agency... in cahoots with the insurance company... PT Barnum had Scuba divers in mind when he mentioned theres a sucker born every minute... what say you all?
I think the dive industry is rum a lot like a pyrimid scam or something.
But...the point I'm always trying to make and I'll try again is the...since certificationa re required here is what often happens in a dive shop. Phone rings...potential customer says they are going to the tropics on vacation and they'd like to dive but they were told they need a certification. They ask what it costs and how long it takes to get. They are very busy, already spent a bunch on the trip and the trip is in two weeks. They call the next shop who issues the SAME IDENTICAL CARD and ask the same questions. They select a class based on cost and convenience. After all each shoe ISSUES THE SAME EXACT CARD and the card is what they need. Each of those SAME EXACT CARDS gets you the exact same access and privilages so why not buy the cheapest fastest one? They are buying access not training. Because of this many divers seem very happy to buy what might be very inferior training because all they're shopping for is the card (access).
If the card were not a requirement, divers would buy training on the basis of the value of the training. the cridentials of each school would not be EXACTLY THE SAME. Some would be more highly valued than others. The quality of training and the reputation of the cridential would sell classes as apposed to short schedules and low prices.
I'm all for training and most people would probably still choose to get training. I'm just not for the kind of training that you'll find at most dive shops in this "all cards are equal... buy your access here cheap" system.
Has the certification system made diving safer? I think quality training can certainly improve safety but the certification works against that and discourages the offering or purchasing of quality training. ALL CARDS ARE EQUAL but some are a lot cheaper and faster to get.
It's not about safety.