Why is DIR controversial?

[SparticleBrane]

"Scientific Diving" has always taken a backseat to "How Far We Got" in WKPP press releases from what I have seen.

Ever spoken with a WKPP member about it? It would behoove you to do so; you'll see it isn't all about world records. Apparently you're a law student--I would hope someone going into law can do their own research instead of repeating what someone else told you.

I would be surprised if they didn't open it up Wakulla the next several years, if they can find the connecting passages they're looking for. If I remember correctly they're between Leon Sinks & Wakulla? I don't have the images handy right now...
Wakulla isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

 

[SparticleBrane]

I depart quietly on my way, flutter kicking my Force Fins.

Whoa there buster! :no This is the DIR forum--only frog kicking is allowed and they have to be Jetfins.

 

[rongoodman]

The anti-DIR stuff I've run into locally has its roots in some antagonism between DIR and the NE wreck diving community, which seems to date back to some comments by GI3 and lots of hearsay.

 

[Rick Murchison]

So can someone explain why DIR is so potentially controversial

Sure.
It's really quite simple, and all the tomes to the contrary are pure gunsmoke and BS.
It's all in the name.
Are you doing it right? That's a "yes or no" question.
If not... there can be only one answer - you're not doing it right!
The arrogance inherent in the name itself, the put-down of all other diving styles inherent in the question is confrontational, and automatically controversial.
When "DIR" adherents abandon the term for something less confrontational - "Doing it Rite" for example (which is far, far more accurate as well as less arrogant), then they won't be demanding confrontation and controversy. But as long as they insist on dividing the diving world into those who are "doing it right" and those who are "not doing it right" they can rightly expect to be at odds with all those they deem "non-DIR."
As it stands, the "DIR" world is sitting on their high horse demanding that the rest of the diving world, all those who are not "DIR," accept that they are "not Doing It Right" and be sweet about it.
Ain't gonna happen.
Rick

 

[ffestpirate]

Excellent post Rick. I fully agree.
They tend to alienate too many potential allies by the inferred seperatism. It possible to be a safe , competent, alert, and helpful diver without having to "DIR". I don't do it wrong, but I choose to not have to do it their way.

 

[cmalinowski]

All the DIR folk I have interacted with are at my local watering hole...a quarry in PA. This quarry seems to have two lots...folks there doing their checkout dives and the regulars. These regulars have their doubles, their stage and deco bottles, their canister lights and there is even a couple of folks that have their Inspriation rebreathers there. In the beginning I thought I'd be social and intereact with some of these folks, but after half a dozen times of not so warm welcomings, I stopped interacting with them. After that I have had a few unsolicited interactions.

So, they are my sampling of DIR folk. Also in ScubaBoard itself. Look at how many non DIR forums have DIR comments all over them?

I would very much like to meet local DIR folks that aren't pretentious cause DIR is really about SOPs and saftey and having lived many years by SOPs, that makes sense to me.

I come from a strong climbing background and climbers may just be a different breed of people that love to hang out and talk about climbing with complete strangers.

My local watering hole is cold and deep and great training, but I much rather like it when my buddy and I can get schedules allied and head 20mi off the coast of O.C..

Your sampling of DIR folk probably has little to no DIR folk in it. People in doubles with stages and can lights are divers. There is nothing about that that makes them DIR. As for the rebreathers, well they are definitely not DIR. If you are speaking of bainbridge, I have met both ends of the spectrum up there. But many seem to be nice enough. Some of them like to espouse about their diving, but maybe that's just a PA thing Most of them are not there in the winter while I'm diving there anyway.

As for talking, most if not all of us who have actually taken GUE training are of the "tell them with your diving and not your words" crowd. That is usually what the GUE instructors tell people in DIRf. So, just for those who think that GUE needs to teach social graces to their students (which I don't believe is their job), they actually do. But don't you think that years of education from kindergarten on up through the last day of formal education for some of these people did that as well and some still ended up being dicks. Does that make everyone who went to elementary school a butthole? The logic of the DIR haters is truly amazing.

Adobo, I have about had enough of you bud. I have not been involved in this thread and was directed to your comments about me in this thread by others--many others who are tiring of you as well. I will appreciate if you not talk about me behind my back as I don't think I have of you or any one else. As to my comments, most understand they are tongue in cheek and none of them are posted in this DIR forum. Your exactly why I have a problem with DIR, specifically certain DIR divers. DIR is a good thing, I admire the effort to become a good diver and to push the envelope safely through DIR training and methods. I will thank you to leave me out of your agenda

In post #76 Adobo says he is not a DIR diver. So, you've done what everyone else does: Link DIR divers to statements made by non-DIR divers.:no

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As everyone knows, there are buttheads all over this planet. A great many of them are non-DIR divers. Many of the DIR diving buttheads are not GUE trained. And, even a good number of the non-GUE instructors teaching DIR diving seem to have a similar training style.

I do agree that if you get someone who is passionate about becoming the best at what they are doing, they may have some social graces missing. My guess is that many tech divers in general have social problems. It's just easy to lump any of the ones that piss people off into the DIR crowd.

Next time a DIR diver pisses you off... and I mean you, not some best friend's sister's boyfriend's brother's girlfriend who heard from this guy who knows this kid who's going with a girl who saw a DIR diver bash people at 31 flavors last night... ask who their instructor was. Since there are only about 40-50 of them around the world, it'll be easy to narrow down which one is the culprit of all this. Ask to see their cert card from GUE. Ask them any number of things that they probably don't have to actually prove they are GUE divers, but just an incredible butthead who wants people to think he/she is something they are not.

Until you actually do this, then bashing those of us who can answer those questions just makes you no better than the people you are trying so hard to bash.

Chris

 

[Rick Murchison]

As for the rebreathers, well they are definitely not DIR. ... Next time a DIR diver pisses you off... ask who their instructor was.

So rebreather divers are not doing it right, Chris?
Who was your instructor?
(see how that confrontation/controversy thing works?)
Rick

 

[Soggy]

A clarification...one can still be DIR without being GUE, just as one can be have GUE cards without being DIR.

 

[cmalinowski]

Excellent post Rick. I fully agree.
They tend to alienate too many potential allies by the inferred seperatism. It possible to be a safe , competent, alert, and helpful diver without having to "DIR". I don't do it wrong, but I choose to not have to do it their way.

GUE has and is working on this. It will never actually matter because anyone who wants to bash them will link them with the DIR moniker to suit their purposes. Much like anything said here to defend GUE and/or DIR will fall on deaf ears or be twisted around and used as fodder to say that GUE/DIR divers are elitists.

Sort of like anything that the US does in Iraq is a losing situation because the Iraqis who don't want us there will just turn it around and stir up their folks with it.

Chris

 

[Soggy]

So rebreather divers are not doing it right, Chris?
Who was your instructor?
Rick

The only rebreather 'sanctioned' (for lack of a better word) for use in a DIR team is the RB80, so, no, the Inspiration divers were not DIR.

If you are just harping on the acronym, I suggest you get over it and sell your ScubaPRO and Dive RITE gear.