The burn! (Negativity towards tech divers)

[Divin'Papaw]

I don't really consider myself a tech diver, but I do typically dive a tech rig (doubles, backplate, wing, can light, long-hose). The only thing close was an operator in NC who whined about me not having boots on my doubles. That's not really negativity toward technical diving though as it was negativity toward bootless doubles, but that's the closest thing I can think of.

I have been ribbed by friends and frequently rib friends about being tech or looking tech, but it's all in good fun. In the end, we all have fun diving together.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I don't get ribbed too much for "tech" gear in local waters ... it's just way too common to see it here, and mostly people just want to go diving ...

I did once get hammered by a local instructor for being one of those "damned DIR guys" ... even though I'm not. It was at a DOG days event, when I was helping prep divers trying out the DUI drysuits by instructing them to just put enough air in the suit to take off the squeeze. The instructor standing nearby was indignant, because he teaches people to use their drysuit for buoyancy control. After his little tirade I told him to go speak to the DUI rep who had earlier in the day specified what I should be telling these people.

Then there was the time I got nailed for solo diving ... by a very new diver who adamantly insisted that you should NEVER dive without a dive buddy. I told him to go log a couple thousand dives, like I did before taking up solo diving, and then we could talk about it.

But the funniest was the guy who saw me walking toward the water in my sidemount rig and came running over to tell me I'd forgotten my tanks! I gave him this surprised look and said "Oh my GOD! I KNEW something was missing." Then I laughed and explained that my tanks were down at the water's edge, and in this setup you put them on last. He'd never heard of sidemount and was so curious he followed me down to the beach and watched me hook them up.

Point is, I guess, that people have all sorts of reasons why they react the way they do. Sometimes it's ignorance. Sometimes it's ego. And sometimes it's just a reaction to what they've been taught. More often than not, there's no malice intended ... divers tend to be a helpful bunch ... even when they're not being very helpful ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[James R]

OMG! I've never seen a rebreather worn on the chest before...what's up with that???? Why didn't someone stop him!?!






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A couple months ago on the boat a student in AOW class with all of 8 dives in his life was insistent that I should never dive solo because that's what his instructor repeatedly told his OW class. He went as far as saying I was setting a terrible example as the DM for all the divers on the boat by being so careless or something like that. Gotta love it.

 

[Slamfire]

Then there was the time I got nailed for solo diving ...
... Bob (Grateful Diver)

A couple months ago on the boat a student in AOW class with all of 8 dives in his life was insistent that I should never dive solo...

Ahh yes, I'd forgotten about the solo issues.

I was solo diving a site that is right beside a nice townhouse complex. As I was hauling deco bottles from my car to the shore. A ~5-yr old starts a conversation asking the typical questions a kid would ask scuba divers. I replied in a friendly way answering his questions. I also noted that his grandmother(?) was keeping an eye on him from her balcony which is within earshot.

I finish gearing up and the kid sees me do my routine final testing and clipping of deco bottles in waist/chest deep water. I go down, do my dive and 90 mins later I come back on the shore dragging the deco bottles out of the water.

As I'm getting closer to the townhouses the kid comes over and says, "You shouldn't dive alone. Why are you diving alone?" It pissed me off that somebody was sending out a 5-yr old to do the confrontations for them. But that's not the kids fault, so I smiled and said, "I guess I just don't have that many friends".

 

[chrpai]

They might not have sent him out. They might have had a discussion with him that it's best to not swim alone and he might have just chosen that moment to do what kids do.... say whats on their mind with no concept of approriate.

 

[Slamfire]

It was so vastly different from the other questions that he asked before the dive. Have you seen crabs, sharks, seals, etc? All questions about the experience never once asking about the procedural mechanics. It was also a different tone in his voice and he started asking the question from far away and repeated it a couple of times at first because I hadn't heard him clearly (head in my hood). His repetitions had this rehearsed script tone and not the spontaneous conversational tone we had before. Like the tone a toddler uses when his teacher asks him to recite something (I have a 3 yr old myself). Of course I could be wrong, but I have a gut feeling I'm not.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Ahh yes, I'd forgotten about the solo issues.

I was solo diving a site that is right beside a nice townhouse complex. As I was hauling deco bottles from my car to the shore. A ~5-yr old starts a conversation asking the typical questions a kid would ask scuba divers. I replied in a friendly way answering his questions. I also noted that his grandmother(?) was keeping an eye on him from her balcony which is within earshot.

I finish gearing up and the kid sees me do my routine final testing and clipping of deco bottles in waist/chest deep water. I go down, do my dive and 90 mins later I come back on the shore dragging the deco bottles out of the water.

As I'm getting closer to the townhouses the kid comes over and says, "You shouldn't dive alone. Why are you diving alone?" It pissed me off that somebody was sending out a 5-yr old to do the confrontations for them. But that's not the kids fault, so I smiled and said, "I guess I just don't have that many friends".

Kelvin's Grove ???

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Slamfire]

Kelvin's Grove ???

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Furry Creek. Kelvin has it own share of scuba related drama, fortunately I've never experienced any of it first hand.

 

[Centrals]

All the "negativity" that I had experienced came from "experience divers".
You can never teach new trick to an old dog!

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

All the "negativity" that I had experienced came from "experience divers".
You can never teach new trick to an old dog!

Depends on the dog ... I was an old dog when I started diving ... now I'm a much older dog, and I'm still learning new tricks ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)