Why is DIR controversial?

[H2Andy]

i don't know what he meant, thus am asking

why offer that piece of information? what is its purpose? why was it brought up? what is its relevance?

 

[Adobo]

i don't know what he meant, thus am asking

why offer that piece of information then? what is its purpose? why was it brought up? what is its relevance?

Some simply find "grinding the DIR axe" an enjoyable passtime.

 

[Zeeman]

I've never had any problems with any DIR people I have met. Admittedly, I've only met a 2 or 3, they have all given and taken equally well in the good natured DIR/non DIR fun poking, but I think people who get all high and mighty in either camp really do have too much time on their hands, and should maybe use their excess time to do for good, instead of evil...

Or.. dare I say it? Go for a dive...

Z...

 

[The Horn]

I have not completed certification from GUE or taken a DIR-F course so..........

From what I have read and utilize In my diving and from all the heated debates regarding the "DIR" model I am quite confused.

The training GUE offers seems to be really good training that spends a great deal of time ensuring that the divers leaving the program have good underwater skills. I think that is great.:14: I haven't read anyone posting that they have left or graduated from the DIR-F training module and thought that thier under water skills or training sucked. I have read lots of other agencies failing thier students. Very difficult to disput a good track record.

I have read alot of DIR flogging because one person was rude, drank too much cool aid or refused to dive with some "other agency guy" and in some ways I can see that. There are alot of posts that make you cringe at how some people dive and narrowly escape with thier lives:shakehead . Not sure about the cool aid as that helps with hydration......

One thing that also puzzles me as mentioned here and on other posts is this "Team Diving". What does DIR consider a "Team"? Personally my buddy and I are a team, as far as I can see, we are on a dive together to have fun, together, to help each other and to accomplish the goal of the dive. this could be filming, garbage pick up, site seeing, object retreval etc.....you name it. When poo hits the fan I am there for him and he is there for me. At this time we dive very "similar gear" and I am familliar with all his stuff and he is with mine. We use the hargothian config on single tanks except he is BP/W I dive a Ranger he is DIN and I'm Yoke but my tanks have adaptors just in case.

From other posts like TS&M's on team diving, I just don't get it, as soon as you sign on as "Buddy" are you not a part of the team and then you act accordingly? If not .....see ya:no

From my perspective GUE/DIR is just another source for diver training. It may have some other "membership" stipulations but in the end is not (or should be) the goal to have fun safe diving? The Diver makes the diver like wise the person makes the person.

maybe I have had too much whiskey

 

[paddler3d]

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..

 

[Bill51]

and to follow up on that




how many DIR divers have you interacted with exactly?

are you implying that since the ones you've interacted with were buttholes then many/most/all other DIR divers are likewise buttheads?

I had an interesting conversation a few weeks ago with a dive boat operator who has been instructing for over 20 years that might clarify this. He loves having a few DIR divers on his trips, but there are plenty he hates having since they spend the entire time out of the water telling him and everyone around what they’re doing wrong and how stupid they are for not doing things their way. Yes, my friend has a financial motive for being wary of DIR divers because it’s not good for business to have someone on your dive boat telling your customers or students that their instructor/boat captain is unsafe, and it takes a lot of enjoyment out of diving for everyone. Many of these folks are not buttheads in the real world, but turn the discussion to scuba and they are almost angry that not everyone does things their way. I can’t think of any other group of divers I’ve run into over the years that have acted like that.

There are days I find it reasonable and necessary to strap on a helmet, parachute, Nomex flight suit, and boots before flying, and there are other times I’m very happy and safe feeling in sandals, shorts, and a t-shirt. That doesn’t inherently make flying in sandals without a helmet unsafe though. I adapt to the level of risk, the conditions, and my level of comfort, but too many of the DIR divers I’ve met (but don’t know otherwise) on dive boats and at dive locations think nothing of telling strangers how wrong and uneducated they are for not doing things the same way every dive regardless of the conditions. I’ve never had a PADI instructor tell one of my students they were going to die because I was teaching them under SSI or NASE, but that hasn’t stopped DIR divers from butting into my classes and upsetting my students.

I like grabbing my BC tossing it on with no wetsuit, no lights, no pony, a streamline air2, and being in the water in less than a minute to enjoy a shallow reef unencumbered by any more equipment than absolutely necessary. Who is anyone to tell me that I shouldn’t be allowed to do that or I’m a fool for diving that way?

 

[TSandM]

I don't think there is anything unique or obscure about diving as a team. I think it's what being a dive buddy should be, but it's clear from my experiences and what's written here that it often isn't.

When I dive, I make a commitment to my buddy or buddies: I will stay with them, and work hard to stay where I can be seen or where my light can be seen at all times. I will follow the dive plan we have agreed upon, and if any deviations need to be made, I will communicate that before I do anything. I am carrying my buddy's spare gas, as he is for me, and I commit to staying where that gas is accessible to him, and paying enough attention so that I can quickly respond if he needs my help.

I also commit to keeping the skills I need to dive well, to communicate well, and to help sharp and fresh. I've also committed to keeping my gear and myself in good condition, so that neither is likely to cause an emergency or problem underwater. I agree to let the team know if there is anything about the dive contemplated that I am insecure or worried about, and I'll bow out before I'll knowingly put anybody at risk for me.

It's not rocket science at all. It's just not what a lot of people do.

 

[H2Andy]

but there are plenty he hates having since they spend the entire time out of the water telling him and everyone around what they’re doing wrong and how stupid they are for not doing things their way.

really? "how stupid" they are?

seriously?

and your friend still allows them on his boat?

have you ever witnessed this yourself, or is this second-hand knowlege?

 

[Bill51]

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.

And from my experience solo climbers, free climbers, aid climbers, and expedition climbers will all compare notes on what works best for their particular goals and try to share and learn new things while understanding there is no one-size-fits-all way of climbing.

 

[Adobo]

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.

There are all kinds of tech divers trained through a wide variety of agencies. Just because you saw someone in a doubles and a long hose doesn't mean that person was trained in DIR diving. In fact, the folks diving with those Inspiration rebreathers as far as I know are not DIR - by definition.

Anyway, all kinds of jerks in the world. We both know DIR has nothing to do with that.

Look at how many non DIR forums have DIR comments all over them?

What do you mean?