Would you dive with someone who wouldn't share air if you were OOA?

[texasaubiefan]

no way. I can tell you this - if he were out and you were close enough I can guarantee he'd yank the reg out of your mouth if he had to. Whoever said that needs to take up a different sport.

 

[Papa_Bear]

mempilot, I agree, but the thread is on "Basic" not cave or tech! And what you do then is "Agree"!

 

[Papa_Bear]

no way. I can tell you this - if he were out and you were close enough I can guarantee he'd yank the reg out of your mouth if he had to. Whoever said that needs to take up a different sport.

Too many "I" and "We"! Bet you couldn't take mine!

 

[caseybird]

I
70% of all would be rescuers in a drowning scenario are victims of their own actions. A drowning (or in this case OOA panicked diver) victim sees the rescuer ONLY as a platform from which to climb out of the water... you'd be amazed at how expendable you are as a rescuer in such a situation. That's why Rescue Divers are so valuable... they train in approach and how to control the victim in panic.

Look, I like making up statistics too, but 70% is just over the top. Source, please.

 

[Thalassamania]

As I parse his language carefully I think that he meant that of all the in-water rescuers (e.g. lifegards) who drown trying to save someone (I know of few, it any such incidents in diving) 70% of them screwed up in some fashion that contributed significantly to their demise. That may well be, but what does it have to do with diving?

 

[VooDooGasMan]

Well papa, I have nothing to go on, besides she taught you well, And fight for what you believe in.

 

[shellbackdiver1]

I think most have seen this before...kind of sums it up don't ya think?

"if somebody is taught that diving is an "every man for himself" sport, that you "can't help somebody deep," that "my gas is my gas," or "know when to leave your buddy," then that is somebody you do not want to be in the water with. Some people are natural strokes, but all too many are created. Unfortunately, people believe best what they hear first, and given the low-level food chain structure of dive instruction, most strokes are man-made, and are then hard to fix."

 

[Cacia]

if he were out and you were close enough

If an unknown diver approached me OOA and out of control, at a depth exceeding where I could safely CESA (around 100 ft) I would not get close unless he could approach in a controled way. This is just an extension of a bigger life philosophy, I might be a stroke by birth.

I would factor in their size, identity, degree of panic, my depth and abilty to abandon him successfully if that was my last resort.

Do I know this diver? is he a child? is he stronger than me physically? is this diver out of control and in full blown panic? Am I acting in the Divemaster role or am I on vacation diving off Palau Blue Holes at 120 feet?

I'll be the first to admit that your philosophy might stem from your career, culture, etc.

As an RN who worked transport, I often had to decide whether or not I would crawl into a smoking vehicle, assess speeding traffic, risk of pile up, not yet managed, etc. On the other hand, JB and his Marines would never leave each other in almost any every situation. Their bond differs from one that I had with the public, where I could easily become a second victim and was not prepared to be heroic every day.
There were times I think I was, but it was usually an exception and a personal decision based on what I thought the benefits were. (You might be motivated for an innocent child trapped in a carseat and not take the same risk for a drunk driver passed out at the wheel).

That being said, it seems it would be a rare instance that I would not share air willingly, but one I choose to reserve as a judgement call.

 

[mempilot]

mempilot, I agree, but the thread is on "Basic" not cave or tech! And what you do then is "Agree"!

Just remember what the question is: Would I dive with someone that would not donate their gas to an OOA diver?

I would always donate, but that isn't the question.

I understand that some divers in some situations dive alpinist. I respect their decision to do so in certain contexts. There are some dives, all be it not in the realm of recreational, that don't allow for the carriage of enough gas on each individual to supply more than one diver.

That being said, we aren't really talking about those situations. So, the answer to the poll was NO, I would not dive with someone that would not donate.

 

[Papa_Bear]

My point was it is about context in the thread it was posted, Basic open water where your air is your air and the choice is always depended of the circumstances and the demeanor of the OOA diver! I am and have always been talking about two well trained in control divers Vs one panicked OOA diver and a would be rescuer that my not be trained well or confidant in their own skills! I really don't and have never meet anyone who wouldn't share their air with a in control calm well trained OOA diver that has had a equipment failure! I say failure in this case because I am assuming most trained divers will not run out in open water! I have seen it within feet of the surface and his buddy panicked as much as he did! Another story for another time!

In open water I would dive with anyone even if they weren't trained to share air! It's open water! I understand dissimilar gas theory in deep and tech diving, but again another thread and not suitable for a basic discussion! The question is not and was not framed well and is a faulty question in the first place!