Why all the politics?

[Tavi]

Originally posted by Choke


Ahhhh forget it........How do I get my hands on one of those 'Superspy diver' certificates without actually doing the training?

Simple.....Put Another Dollar In


My attitude towards PADI comes from a local shop. We were told "You will come back here for training".and "If you don't train with us you really haven't learned what you need to know". We were also critisized for gear choices. They tried to sell us stuff we didn't want.
The shop was full of inflated Ego's and prices. My wife and I took our bussiness elsewhere.

If your happy with PADI that's great. I'm happy with my training too (SSI,NAUI).

This is not a slam against PADI. It's one shop. I don't know if that attitude is in other shops or not. I usually don't mention it but, you did ask.

 

[Choke]

Tavi sorry to hear about your first hand experience at the shop.
That would have pissed me off too. ;-0

 

[GreenDiverDown]

 

[CAMPER]

Why not just start your own agency, if there a complaint about quality, tell it was covered but you had to have the decoder ring to see/hear it. The perfect cover.

How do you go about starting your own agency?

Ed B

 

[vicky]

There is no real difference between the organizations.
All of them do basically the same thing: teach you to dive.

 

[Choke]

Vicky, that's good enough for me.

 

[vicky]

so many divers can argue about which organization is the best, and how PADI socks. I wouldn't care about which organization, except in the case that one is looking for a professinal diving career. Anyway, paying a bunch of $ one can cross from any organization to the other.
BTW, Diving organizations are not philantropists. I think that divers from all over the world pay lots of money when they get their various certifications, and annual fees too (DMs, instructors and so on).

 

[Walter]

Choke,

Politics is a waste of time.

The bottom line is did you get a good course?

I hope the answer is "yes" regardless of which agency issues your card.

There is quite a bit of debate over what is important to include in a class and what isn't. Swimming is currently one of many issues being discussed. Is swimming necessary or is merely showing the student is “reasonably comfortable and proficient in the water to dive." enough? The answer is purely a matter of opinion. Is any particular topic or skill necessary is always a matter of opinion.

There are differences in what various agencies require. Exactly what those differences are is also being hotly debated just now. Are the differences important? Another question which is answered only by opinion. There are those who are very sincere in their beliefs on both sides of the issue.

Which agency you choose is at most a minor consideration. Some would have you believe it is all important while others believe it is not an issue worth consideration. Only you can answer that question for yourself. Most never consider the question.

You say, "As long as I'm having maximum fun while at the same time picking up all the necessary info on safety etc.............."

I agree with you completely. The problem lies not in the fact you are taking a PADI course, because the same problem would exist regardless of which course you take, but in the fact that as a beginner you have little or no knowledge of diving. That is why you are taking the class in the first place. You have no reference to know if the class (of whatever agency) is giving you all you need to be as safe as possible. You can judge if you're having "maximum fun," but without a reference you have no way to judge the quality of your class.

Much of the debate you are casually denouncing comes from a sincere desire from many (on all sides) to assure that you do, in fact, get all you need from your course.

Often the debate takes the form of name calling and personal attacks. I do not believe there is any need for such behavior, but most of the debate centers around an honest concern for the welfare of others.

I believe the debate to be healthy.