Why the Aversion to Read the Instructions?

[Wookie]

Life insurance companies seam to not agree with you...

New York Life covers me up to 130 feet, and I have an exception to 400 that they won't pay off if I die diving or from a diving related injury between 130 and 400, but that diving won't invalidate my entire insurance policy, but that is not a valid argument. Many life insurance companies wont cover you for any "extreme" sports, like skiing or riding snowmobiles or 4 wheelers.

 

[Lorenzoid]

. . . It's incredible looking at computers from AUP and others and then you put something like the Petrel in your hand and you don't actually need a manual for the basic functions...

I have to agree with the petrel comments. it is an intuitive computer. . . .

The Petrel user interface is intuitive enough, but I actually ENJOYED reading the Nitrox Recreational Mode User Manual (which is, so far, how I am using the Petrel). It is so well written and easy to follow. The color graphics are used judiciously. Eye-catching enough without being distracting. Just like the computer's user interface itself. I printed it out in color just because I like reading it. You have to love reading the Warning: "This computer has bugs. Although we haven't found them all yet, they are there. It is certain that there are things that this computer does that either we didn't think about, or planned for it to do something different. Never risk your life on only one source of information. . . ." This is enough to make anyone with an engineering background want to propose marriage to the thing. More honest words have never been uttered by a gear manufacturer. I have never considered myself a "read the manual first" guy, but if Shearwater writes something, I am going to read it.

 

[Doby45]

The Petrel user interface is intuitive enough, but I actually ENJOYED reading the Nitrox Recreational Mode User Manual (which is, so far, how I am using the Petrel). It is so well written and easy to follow. The color graphics are used judiciously. Eye-catching enough without being distracting. Just like the computer's user interface itself. I printed it out in color just because I like reading it. You have to love reading the Warning: "This computer has bugs. Although we haven't found them all yet, they are there. It is certain that there are things that this computer does that either we didn't think about, or planned for it to do something different. Never risk your life on only one source of information. . . ." This is enough to make anyone with an engineering background want to propose marriage to the thing. More honest words have never been uttered by a gear manufacturer. I have never considered myself a "read the manual first" guy, but if Shearwater writes something, I am going to read it.

I did the EXACT same thing. I played with my new precious for a couple days before the wifey snatched it, wrapped it and put it under the tree. I was very But, so far the Petrel is VERY easy to understand and built like a damn tank. I will use it all the way up to rebreather and then it will be a back up to my Petrel connected to my rebreather.

PS. I intend to get that thing wet at the Dive Georgia quarry the day after Christmas!

 

[mrfixitchapman]

Well, there is THIS...

DC

 

[KeithG]

This post was prompted in part by this topic on Scubaboard.

Why is it that people just don't seem to read the instructions concerning the gear they use in diving? We see it again and again when using dive computers (particularly on boats when divers put them on for the very first time), as well as other types of gear out there (and I'm looking at you, underwater imaging stuff).

Why do they not practice the skills needed to use the gear they have (I'm looking at you again, underwater imaging stuff)? Basic buoyancy, trim and so forth would go a long way towards extra enjoyment of the dive experience. Not disturbing the site so they and everyone else can see what's there would mean a lot.

Why do people have an aversion to additional training--like the Open Water diver who never formally goes beyond that to AOW and so forth? Is there some sort of invisible bubble I'm unaware of that protects people when exceeding their training?

Okay, I've vented--tell me now what you think.

I agree and then disagree with John.

RTFM! Every trip (i'm a vacation diver) I see people that stare at their gear with a puzzled look on their face. You do not need to be imersed in water in order to learn how to use your stuff: be it camera, computer or other. Check it out at home before you leave. Do not waste valuable vacation time learning it. Sneak it into the office and spend a relaxed thursday afternoon going over it.

I disagree about blanket "additional training" which is a different topic. Get what ever training you feel you need. No need to burn money on courses if they do not benefit you. It is possible to learn via other mechanisms.

 

[NAM001]

What you say is correct. And there is more. Perhaps this topic should be a thread of its own. You apply for insurance. You are asked about extream sports. sky diving, bungy diving ,scuba diving. scuba to 60 no surcharge. 60 to 100 or 130 a surcharge. If i remember the last for i saw it said something like.... in the past year have you engaged in extreem sports. IN THE PAST YEAR..... Now waking up dead at a depth that you were not trained may not be covered if found you had an AOW card prior to applying. , and could be treated as a falsified application. ow is 60 aow is many times 100 and deep is beyond that. Your company uses 130 for the deep limit. Once covered say with an ow card you get priced for coverage. you can pooceed to cave if you want and still be covered because you were locked into the premium based on the diving you do at time of application. . But only if you have to paper to prove your training. Some consider you uninsurable if you dive deep or in overhead environments like your 130-400 exclusion. How do they know you dove deep???? They use the computer to see what you did, just like your car insurer uses you cars black box to reconstruct an accident. some have exclusions for the first year and then full coverage. So you are not doing your family any favors by not training beyond OW and gettin the paper. I have had more than one insurer say just dont get dead int he first year and they cant refuse to pay for any non disclosure reason. These things should be of preticular concern to those new divers who dive beyond their traiing OW=60ft. If you die with a 500k policy at 90 ft and only have ow card on file with the boat you can be sure they are going to do everything to see that they don't pay if you have no proof of further formal training. Experience with them dont count only cert cards. I think that even DAN coverage is good so long as you are diving with in your carded limits.
Other things the ins companies may do is pay face value and not accidental death benefit.

New York Life covers me up to 130 feet, and I have an exception to 400 that they won't pay off if I die diving or from a diving related injury between 130 and 400, but that diving won't invalidate my entire insurance policy, but that is not a valid argument. Many life insurance companies wont cover you for any "extreme" sports, like skiing or riding snowmobiles or 4 wheelers.

 

[2airishuman]

This post was prompted in part by this topic on Scubaboard.

Why is it that people just don't seem to read the instructions concerning the gear they use in diving? We see it again and again when using dive computers (particularly on boats when divers put them on for the very first time), as well as other types of gear out there (and I'm looking at you, underwater imaging stuff).

Why do they not practice the skills needed to use the gear they have (I'm looking at you again, underwater imaging stuff)? Basic buoyancy, trim and so forth would go a long way towards extra enjoyment of the dive experience. Not disturbing the site so they and everyone else can see what's there would mean a lot.

I am an authority on very few things related to diving. However since I am new at diving I can speak with authority as to my personal experience of being new at diving. Sample size of one, of course, maybe I'm just a special snowflake.

So I got an Oceanic Geo 2.0 last week. I read the entire manual before I bought it. Once I had it in hand, I went through all the menus and modes and settings, and then I took it to the pool for my next lap swim and wore it to see what it felt like, what the display was like to read in the water, and what the usability of the buttons was. Then I wore it for a couple of days even though I don't usually wear a watch, and used the stopwatch and the countdown timer for things I didn't really need them for. Because I know from non-diving experience that it takes practice before using a complicated tool with multiple operating states becomes second nature.

I am not going to waste valuable class time fiddling around with a dive computer that I do not understand. Nor, for that matter, am I going to waste valuable class time on basic swimming and snorkeling skills like replacing a mask underwater and clearing it. And I will have mentally rehearsed the steps for routine and emergency procedures so that, during class, I can focus on the physical aspects of the skills and get the most out of the experience. And have time to focus on refining buoyancy control and getting my gear set up right for me.

It's not like it's a knitting class.

Why do people have an aversion to additional training--like the Open Water diver who never formally goes beyond that to AOW and so forth? Is there some sort of invisible bubble I'm unaware of that protects people when exceeding their training?

Okay, I've vented--tell me now what you think.

I don't know, but I believe that part of the problem may be a perception that some classes exist to sell more classes rather than to teach a safety-critical skill that can't be learned, safely, without an instructor physically present.

 

[Coop42]

Ow's should not dive beyond their training of 60.

When I got my OW in '85, I was certified to 130... and dove it w/out restrictions, just sayin'.

 

[Steve_C]

Had a computer die (my fault it flooded after I replaced batteries) on a shallow reef dive. That evening walked next door to Dive shop and bought a Suunto Vyper. Picked it because of price. Quickly read the manual before falling asleep. Never practiced. The next day an aggressive DM put me into light deco on the Speigel diving air. Knew what computer was telling me from reading the manual. Spent my 15 minutes playing flag in a ripping current and all was well.

Number of dives later decided I did not like the interface and replaced it with a Zoop which I like better than the Vyper.

 

[FinnMom]

It seems to be something involving the Y-chromosome in particular Wait, I guess that was asking directions..

But seriously, I've pulled my hair out a bit a teacher teaching adults, who voluntarily took a programming class, paid a lot of money and took a large slice out of their free time but didn't read one single word of the material I provided (for free) and are absolutely unprepared for what I wanted to do and talk about in class. Lord knows I can't explain it.

I guess trhey are actually being smart: they've gotten away with not making 100% (or even more than 40%) effort 99% of the time, so life has shown them they would be chumps to give anything their full effort/time/attention.

I do agree with TBone's point though too: a product with a truely high-quality, well designed and properly tested user interface should need no written instructions. You might get a lot out of reading the instructions or get a good understanding faster, but an experienced user of similar products should be able to fiddle with the product and figure out how to work it properly. That's quality. And it is throughly achievable.